Determining the genesis of uranium mineralization in Saghand anomaly-2 using geochemistry of rare earth elements in uraninite, Central Iran

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Nuclear Science and Technology Research Institute, Nuclear Fuel Cycle Research School, Tehran, Iran

2 Department of Geology, Minerals and Water Resources, Faculty of Earth Sciences, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran

Abstract

Saghand Anomaly 2 is located in 180 km NE of Yazd, 40 km east of Saghand village and east of Tashk mountain. This area is part of the Bafgh-Saghand metallogenic zone in the Central Iran Zone. The early Cambrian volcano-sedimentary unit consisting of intermediate- acidic volcanics, dolomitic limestone and small amounts of gypsum layers hosts iron-uranium mineralization in Sagand region. Uraninite is the main host of uranium associated with magnetite and pyrite. Molybdenite is rarely present in some parts f mineralization zones. Fe and U mineralizations occurr in two separate stages. coarse-grained Magnetite and pyrite are related to the Fe-mineralization stage while their fine-grained types form in the U-mineralization stage. The U content varies between 1365 and 4764 ppm in the analysed samples. As well as, Ce, Fe, Hf, Nb, S, Sc, Ta, W, Yb and Zr show enrichment, and Fe and S have the largest ranges of changes. The major and rare earth elements can be divided into two groups according to their association with U. The first group includes S, Fe, Ce, Dy, Er and Gd that show positive correlation with U and form in the same condition. The second group including Ti, Hf and Nb, have negative correlation with U and probabely form in the different condition. The rare-earth elements diagram show depletion in Eu and Pr and enrichment in Ce and Sm. The chemical composition of uraninite and the similarity of the distribution pattern of rare earth elements in uraninite of Saghand Anomaly 2 with metasomatic deposits show that the uranium mineralization in Saghand Anomaly 2 is metasomatic type and based on the chemical composition and distribution pattern of rare earth elements in the uraninite its formation temperature is between 200 and 350 ̊C.

Keywords

References

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History

  • Receive Date: 21 August 2023
  • Revise Date: 17 November 2023
  • Accept Date: 12 December 2023

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