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Geochemistry and petrography of REE-bearing Fe-oxide assemblages in Choghart iron deposit, Yazd, Iran

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Abstract

The Choghart magnetite-apatite deposit situated in the Bafq district, Central Iran, has been scrutinized for rare earth elements (REEs) by precise geochemical investigation. The Central Iran is a susceptible area of rare earth elements. One of the Choghart’s prominent points is the existence of hydrothermal zones which made prediction of REEs occurrence within the deposit possible. Choghart is placed within felsic volcanic tuffs, rhyolitic rocks, and volcanic sedimentary sections belonging to the lower Cambrian. Abundance and distribution pattern of REEs in Choghart iron deposits reveal a part of deposit formation and its mineralogical modifications. Petrography and mineralogy of the ore body demonstrated two main types of alterations (sodic and calcic) associated with iron ore mineralization in Choghart deposit. The main ore includes a large quantity of massive magnetite in the lower part of Choghart deposit. The minor mineralization involves apatite, pyrite, alkaline amphibole, especially actinolite and tremolite, calcite, talc, quart, monazite, and bastnasite. Geochemical sampling from north–northeast (N-NE) side of the mine denotes the presence of these elements in hydrothermal zones. Statistical populations of the area were categorized by fractal geometry into four main differentiations: host rock type (albitofyre), iron, metasomatose, phosphate zones, and a subset of the phosphate zone which is named high iron high phosphate type. REEs like lanthanum, neodymium, yttrium, and niobium constitute the most quantity of Choghart. Deposit characteristics demonstrate its similarity to Kiruna type. The significant feature of iron oxide-apatite deposits of Kiruna ore type is the existence of monazite inclusions within apatite. These inclusions were also observed within apatite type I and II of Choghart mineralization. Moreover, REEs geochemistry in Choghart deposit was identified by investigation on geochemical data analyses. The analysis represents negative Eu anomaly and further enrichment of light REEs compared to the heavy ones. Chondrite normalized REEs patterns are defined by negative anomalies of Eu, which is the main characteristic of Kiruna ore type. The results showed that REEs concentration in phosphate zone, as a high absorption of REEs, is much higher than metsomatose, albitofyre, and iron zones. REEs distribution in N-NE side of the mine indicated that the contact of iron ore with tailings in N-NW side of the mine leads REEs to be enriched nearly 1% , as well as that of NE with high contents of REEs 1.5% ), which is very significant.

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Acknowledgements

The current investigation represents the first comprehensive geochemical investigation on REEs in the Choghart iron mine. The authors would like to thank the managing director of Iran Central Iron Ore Company, Eng. Askari, for his support and assistance, Eng. Rahimipour and Eng. Akhigan for providing access to the Choghart mine, core house, geological data, and field excursions. Especial thanks extend to Eng. Dehghan, Eng. Zahed, Dr. Asgari, Eng Nakini, and Eng. Zaefarani for their useful advices and discussions on petrography, geochemistry, and mineralogy. I also express my thanks to the staff of Iran Central Iron Ore Company, for access to instrumental facilities. The authors would like to thank Prof. M. Al-Amri for helpful suggestions that greatly improved the manuscript. Prof. Armstrong and an anonymous reviewer are also thanked for their constructive comments.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Mining and Metallurgical Engineering, Amirkabir University of Technology (Tehran Polytechnic), 424 Hafez Ave., Tehran, 15916-34311, Iran

    Younes Shekarian, Ardeshir Hezarkhani & Arash Nikvar Hassani

  2. Department of Mining, Petroleum and Geophysics Engineering, University of Shahrood, Shahrood, 36199-95161, Iran

    Nima Najafi Anaraki

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  1. Younes Shekarian
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Correspondence to Younes Shekarian.

Appendices

Appendix 1

Appendix 2

Fig. 12
figure 12

Systematic sampling from north-northeast side of the Choghart Mine pit

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Appendix 3

Fig. 13
figure 13

Hand specimens showing magnetite (black)—apatite (pink) intergrowth in euhedral (first type) (a) and anhedral (second type) apatites (b). Under microscope, the apatite sample shows brecciated apatite filled by calcite (c, d). The section of 3NAP-01 implies amphibole minerals (from blue to yellow due to deceasing of pyroxenes), apatite (gray) and oxides of iron (magnetite) in ×200 magnification of XPL in the switch angle (e) and the light angle of apatite (f). The inclusions of rare earth elements include bastnasite, which is brown to red with a high relief in magnification of ×200 in light XPL (g) and ×200 in PPL (h)

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Appendix 4

Fig. 14
figure 14

BSE image of 3NCH-02 section shows magnetite, apatite and carbonate gangue (a), ilmenite blades in the rim of magnetite (b), inclusions of rare earth minerals are shown in 3NCH-03 section (c). The monazite in the mass ground of apatite is magnified in (d), and, also, element maps of cerium, lanthanum is shown for another white spot inclusions in apatie (e, f). (Mt magnetite; Ilm ilmenite; Mon monazite; Ap apatite)

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Appendix 5

Fig. 15
figure 15

LREE contents of apatite from Choghart apatite samples obtained from EMPA analysis

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Shekarian, Y., Hezarkhani, A., Anaraki, N.N. et al. Geochemistry and petrography of REE-bearing Fe-oxide assemblages in Choghart iron deposit, Yazd, Iran. Arab J Geosci 10, 273 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12517-017-2986-0

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