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The Nolans Bore rare-earth element-phosphorus-uranium mineral system: geology, origin and post-depositional modifications

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Abstract

Nolans Bore is a rare-earth element (REE)-U-P fluorapatite vein deposit hosted mostly by the ~1805 Ma Boothby Orthogneiss in the Aileron Province, Northern Territory, Australia. The fluorapatite veins are complex, with two stages: (1) massive to granular fluorapatite with inclusions of REE silicates, phosphates and (fluoro)carbonates, and (2) calcite-allanite with accessory REE-bearing phosphate and (fluoro)carbonate minerals that vein and brecciate the earlier stage. The veins are locally accompanied by narrow skarn-like (garnet-diopside-amphibole) wall rock alteration zones. SHRIMP Th-Pb analyses of allanite yielded an age of 1525 ± 18 Ma, interpreted as the minimum age of mineralisation. The maximum age is provided by a ~1550 Ma SHRIMP U-Pb age for a pegmatite that predates the fluorapatite veins. Other isotopic systems yielded ages from ~1443 to ~345 Ma, implying significant post-depositional isotopic disturbance. Calculation of initial εNd and 87Sr/86Sr at 1525 Ma and stable isotope data are consistent with an enriched mantle or lower crust source, although post-depositional disturbance is likely. Processes leading to formation of Nolans Bore began with north-dipping subduction along the south margin of the Aileron Province at 1820–1750 Ma, producing a metasomatised, volatile-rich, lithospheric mantle wedge. About 200 million years later, near the end of the Chewings Orogeny, this reservoir and/or the lower crust sourced alkaline low-degree partial melts which passed into the mid- and upper-crust. Fluids derived from these melts, which may have included phosphatic melts, eventually deposited the Nolans Bore fluorapatite veins due to fluid-rock interaction, cooling, depressurisation and/or fluid mixing. Owing to its size and high concentration of Th (2500 ppm), in situ radiogenic heating caused significant recrystallisation and isotopic resetting. The system finally cooled below 300 °C at ~370 Ma, possibly in response to unroofing during the Alice Springs Orogeny. Surface exposure and weathering of fluorapatite produced acidic fluids and intense, near-surface kaolinitised zones that include high-grade, supergene-enriched cheralite-rich ores.

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Acknowledgments

This study is published with permission of the Chief Executive Officer of Geoscience Australia. It has benefited from discussions with Lynton Jaques, Jo Whelan and Subhash Jaireth. Arafura Resources are thanked for allowing access to the deposit and publication of these results. Sue Golding at the University of Queensland and Christian Dietz at the University of Tasmania are thanked for facilitating stable isotope measurements. This contribution has benefited from reviews by David Lentz, Eric Potter, Anthony Schofield and John Wilford and is published with permission from the Chief Executive Officer, Geoscience Australia.

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  1. Geoscience Australia, GPO Box 378, Canberra, ACT, 2601, Australia

    David L. Huston, Andrew Cross, Geoff Fraser & David C. Champion

  2. School of Earth Sciences, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, 3010, Australia

    Roland Maas

  3. Arafura Resources, PO Box 37220, Winnellie, NT, 0821, Australia

    Kelvin J. Hussey

  4. Research School of Earth Sciences, Australian National University, Building 142, Mills Road Acton, Canberra, ACT, 2601, Australia

    Terrence P. Mernagh

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  1. David L. Huston
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Huston, D.L., Maas, R., Cross, A. et al. The Nolans Bore rare-earth element-phosphorus-uranium mineral system: geology, origin and post-depositional modifications. Miner Deposita 51, 797–822 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00126-015-0631-y

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