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Rare-Earth Elements and Th Minerals in the Metasandstones of the Udokan Basin (Russia)

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Abstract—

Based on ICP-MS, optical and electron microscopy, and electron backscattered diffraction data, the paper examines the distribution and mode of occurrence of rare-earth elements (REEs) and Th in metasandstones of the Lower Proterozoic Sakukan Formation, which host mineralization of the Udokan and Unkur copper sandstone deposits. The REE and Th contents increase in the layers enriched in iron oxides and minerals of natural heavy concentrate relatively to the background metasandstones. Detrital allanite is the main REE mineral, which occurs in layers enriched in iron oxides together with authigenic allanite, monazite, and unidentified Ca and REE carbonates. Thorium is concentrated in an authigenic silicate (thorite or thorogummite), which contains a significant amount of Fe, Ca, Al, and Cu and microinclusions of Cu and Pb sulfides and barite. The diagenetic formation of authigenic REEs and Th minerals is suggested as a result of desorption of these elements from siliceous–ferruginous gel-like sediments formed in river deltas and the wave-cut zone of the Proterozoic Sea.

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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The authors are grateful to the management of Baikal Mining Co. for the opportunity to participate in the exploratory work in 2010–2012 and to E.V. Sokol for valuable comments.

Funding

This work was carried out within the framework of budget topic no. 075-00880-22-00.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. South Urals Federal Research Center of Mineralogy and Geoecology, Institute of Mineralogy, Ural Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences, 456317, Miass, Chelyabinsk oblast, Russia

    E. V. Belogub, K. A. Novoselov, I. A. Blinov & E. E. Palenova

  2. St. Petersburg State University, “Geomodel” Resource Center, 198504, St. Petersburg, Russia

    V. V. Shilovskikh

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  1. E. V. Belogub
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Correspondence to E. V. Belogub.

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Belogub, E.V., Novoselov, K.A., Shilovskikh, V.V. et al. Rare-Earth Elements and Th Minerals in the Metasandstones of the Udokan Basin (Russia). Geol. Ore Deposits 64 (Suppl 2), S125–S140 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1134/S1075701522100026

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