Typochemical features of the rare-earth component of monazites from the Ilmen’ reserve

Abstract

By means of X-ray fluorescence with synchroton radiation (XRF-SR), the contents of all 14 rare-earth elements (REEs) and that of Y were determined in 12 monazite samples from different veins in the Ilmen’ Reserve (South Urals). It was found that, in anphibole-micaceous-carbonate mineralized zones within metabasites, monazites were pronouncedly depleted in middle and, especially, in heavy rare-earth elements (HREEs) (from 0.25% and below for Sm, 0.08% or below for Gd, 0.03% for Dy, 0.01% for Er and Tm, below 0.005% for Yb, trace amounts of other odd HREEs, at a Y content of 0.1% or below). Monazites from the veins of granitic pegmatites were characterized by vastly decreased La contents (4–8 compared to 11–13% for the group above), at high values for Pr (to 3%), Nd (to 8%), Sm (to 1.3%), Gd (to 1.1%), Dy (to 0.9%), Er (to 0.2%), Yb (to 0.05%), and Y (from 0.2 to 1.7%). Here, the values for odd REEs are also quite high compared to the group above (to 0.2% for Tb, to 0.08% for Ho, and to 0.1% for Tm).