A avaliação integrada de dados de geoquímica do solo, aerogamaespectrometria (eTh), mapeamento geológico e estrutural associado à descrição de furos de sondagem e afloramentos da região de Caçapava do Sul, sul do Brasil, levou à descoberta de dois corpos de carbonatitos. Estes corpos estão localizados próximos aos limites sudeste e leste do Granito Caçapava, intrudindo o Complexo Passo Feio. O sistema é composto por alvikitos de coloração rosada seguidos por beforsitos brancos tardios, ambos na forma de corpos tabulares deformados concordantes com a xistosidade e dobras das rochas encaixantes. Análises petrográficas e avaliações utilizando microscópio eletrônico de varredura demonstraram que a calcita é o mineral predominante nos alvikitos, sendo os seguintes minerais acessórios e traço: apatita, magnetita, ilmenita, biotita, badeleita, zircão, rutilo, minerais do grupo do pirocloro e minerais de elementos terras raras (ETR). O beforsito, caracterizado pela presença abundante de dolomita, possui os mesmos minerais acessórios e traço observados nos alvikitos. A metodologia utilizada para geocronologia foi U-Pb em zircões via laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS), executada em uma amostra de beforsito. A idade de cristalização fornecida pelo método foi de 603,2 ± 4,5 Ma, colocando a intrusão em um contexto de ambiente pós-colisional ediacarano, com tectonismo transpressivo predominante e atividade vulcânica marcada por características shoshoníticas. / The integrated evaluation of soil geochemistry, aerogammaspectrometry (eTh), geological and structural mapping associated with description of boreholes and outcrops of Caçapava do Sul region, southernmost Brazil, led to the discovery of two carbonatite bodies. They are located near to the east and southeast of Caçapava Granite, intruding the Passo Feio Complex. The system is composed by early alvikite pink-colored rock followed by late white beforsite dikes in deformed tabular units concordant with the host rock schistosity and folds. Petrographic and scanning electron microscopy show that the alvikites are dominantly by calcite with subordinate apatite, magnetite, ilmenite, biotite, baddeleyite, zircon, rutile, pyrochlore-like and rare earth element minerals. Beforsites have the same minor and accessory minerals of the alvikites. U-Pb zircon geochronology via laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) was performed on a beforsite sample, yielding a 603.2 ± 4.5 Ma crystallization age, in an Ediacaran post-collisional environment with transpressive tectonism and volcanic activity market by initial shoshonitic characteristics.

La particularité de l’Oldoinyo Lengai à émettre des laves natrocarbonatitiques fait de ce volcan un laboratoire naturel pour l’étude de la genèse de ces magmas. De nouvelles mesures isotopiques en hélium nous ont permis de constater que la signature des fumerolles est constante depuis 1988 malgré le changement morphologique considérable du cratère sommital lors de la dernière éruption subplinienne de 2007-2008. L’alternance des éruptions explosives et effusives n’engendre donc aucune modification majeure dans l’organisation du système hydrothermal qui est par conséquent profondément enraciné. Les xénolites cogénétiques qui ont été émis lors de l’éruption de 2007-2008 permettent d’étudier directement les processus magmatiques qui se déroulent dans la chambre magmatique active. La comparaison des signatures isotopiques des gaz rares (hélium) de la chambre magmatique et des volcans silicatés de la région d’Arusha montre que les deux types de magmatisme ont une source analogue identifiée comme un manteau lithosphérique subcontinental préalablement métasomatisé par des fluides asthénosphériques. De plus, ces signatures isotopiques confirment l’absence de contaminations crustale lors de la remontée du magma entre le manteau source et la surface. Une description pétrographique de détail couplée à une approche thermobarométrique, ainsi qu’à la détermination des modèles de solubilité des volatils dans les liquides phonolitiques, nous a permis d’identifier l’évolution du liquide dans la chambre magmatique et ses paramètres de stockage. Les résultats nous révèlent que le magma injecté en 2007 a une composition phonolitique et des teneurs élevées en volatils (3.2 wt.% de H2O et 1.4 wt.% de CO2) ainsi qu’une température d'environ 1060° C. Ce magma évolue ensuite dans la chambre magmatique crustale se trouvant à 11.5±3.5 km de profondeur jusqu’à atteindre une composition de néphélinite et une température de 880°C. Pendant sa différenciation, le magma silicaté s’enrichit en calcium, sodium, magnésium et fer alors que sa concentration en silice, potassium et aluminium décroit. Ces résultats concordent avec les précédents relatifs à cette éruption, ou aux produits volcaniques plus anciens émis tout au long de la vie du volcan. Cette similarité suggère qu’aucun changement majeur n’ait eu lieu dans l’organisation de la plomberie du volcan Oldoinyo Lengai au cours de son évolution. Les mesures en éléments traces (REE, HFSE et LILE) dans les minéraux cristallisés lors de cette séquence de différenciation, et les inclusions magmatiques associées montrent un enrichissement pouvant atteindre de 100 à 1000 fois la composition du manteau primitif. Une étude expérimentale préliminaire s’appuyant sur la composition du liquide de recharge (phonolite) et les conditions (P, T) identifiées pour la chambre magmatique nous a permis de reproduire l'immiscibilité entre un liquide silicaté et carbonatitique, processus à l’origine de la formation des carbonatites de l’Oldoinyo Lengai. La poursuite de ces travaux expérimentaux permettra de mieux contraindre la genèse des magmas carbonatitiques et ainsi comprendre les processus en jeux dans l’enrichissement en éléments traces des magmas carbonatitiques / The uniqueness of Oldoinyo Lengai to emit natrocarbonatite lavas makes this volcano a natural laboratory to study the genesis of these magmas. New helium isotopic data permit to assert that the signature of the fumaroles has been constant since 1988 despite the radical morphological change of the summit crater after the last sub-Plinian eruption in 2007-2008. The alternation of the effusive and explosive eruptions does not cause major modifications in the hydrothermal system architecture, which is inferred to be deeply rooted. Cognate xenoliths that were emitted during the eruption in 2007-2008 represent a unique opportunity to document the igneous processes occurring within the active magma chamber. The comparison between the noble gas (helium) isotopic compositions of the active magma chamber and those of the other silicate volcanoes of the Arusha region indicates that both types of magmatism have similar sources, identified as being a typical sub-continental lithospheric mantle, which was previously metasomatized by asthenospheric fluids. Moreover, these isotopic signatures confirm that no crustal contamination has occurred during the magma ascent from the mantle to the surface. Detailed petrographic descriptions coupled to a thermo-barometric approach, and to the determination of volatile solubility models for a phonolite composition, allow us to identify the melt evolution at magma chamber conditions and the storage parameters. These results indicate that the magma injected in 2007 has a phonolitic composition and contains a high amount of volatiles (3.2 wt.% H2O and 1.4 wt.% CO2) as well as a temperature around 1060° C. This magma subsequently evolved in the crustal magma chamber located at 11.5 ± 3.5 km depth until reaching a nephelinite composition and a temperature of 880°C. During the differentiation in the magma chamber, the silicate magma is enriched in calcium, sodium, magnesium and iron, whereas the content of silicate, potassium and aluminum decreases. Our results support previous studies related to this eruption, and are similar to the historical products emitted during the whole volcano history, permitting the suggestion that no major modification in the plumbing system has occurred during the Oldoinyo Lengai evolution. The trace elements (REE, LILE and HFSE) measured in the minerals and melt inclusions reveal a concentration reaching 100 to 1000 times the primitive mantle composition. A preliminary experimental study based on the recharge melt composition (phonolite) and identified magma chamber conditions (P, T) permits to reproduce the immiscibility between silicate and carbonatite liquids, key processes at the origin of the Oldoinyo Lengai carbonatites. The continuation of this experimental study will lead to a better comprehension of the carbonatite genesis, thus improving our understanding of the processes that are responsible for the enrichment in trace elements

Les carbonatites sont des roches magmatiques essentiellement composées de carbonates (calcite et/ou dolomite) d'origine magmatique. Leur statut pétrographique en tant que liquide magmatique ou cumulat reste à l'heure actuelle fort contreversé. Cette thèse de doctorat à pour objectif une étude pétrographique fine de ces roches couplée à des microanalyses in-situ des éléments en trace des principaux minéraux (carbonate, apatite).

This thesis presents two new algorithms for doing constrained Magnetotelluric (MT) inversion based on an existing Occam 2D inversion program. The first algorithm includes borehole resistivity logs as prior information to constrain resistivity directly in the vicinity of boreholes. The second algorithm uses reflection seismic data as prior constraints to transfer structural information from seismic images to 2D resistivity models. These two algorithms are efficient (proved through tests of synthetic examples) and widely applicable. In this thesis, they have been successfully applied to the COSC (Collisional Orogeny in the Scandinavian Caledonides) MT data. The COSC project aims to study the mountain belt dynamics in central Sweden by drilling two 2.5 km deep boreholes. MT data were collected to locate the main décollement that separates the overlying Caledonian allochthons and the underlying Precambrian basement, as the main décollement is associated with very conductive Alum shale. The previous interpretation based on part of the COSC seismic profile (CSP) was that the main décollement was located along a reflection with depth of 4.5 km underneath Åre and ~3 km underneath Mörsil, in central Jämtland. The MT resistivity model reveals a very conductive layer in the central and western parts of the profile, the top of which coincides with the first seismic reflection. This means that the first conductive alum shale layer occurs at less than 1 km depth, supporting a new interpretation of the main décollement at shallower depth. In a re-interpretation of the CSP data based on the MT model, the main décollement occurs a few hundred metres below the top of the conductor and is coincident with a laterally continuous seismic reflection. Further, the overlying seismic reflections resemble imbricated alum shale of the Lower Allochthon. MT inversion using seismic constraints from CSP gives further support to the new interpretation. Moreover, MT investigations were conducted in the Alnö alkaline and carbonatite ring-intrusion complex in Sweden. 2D and 3D resistivity models inverted from MT data together with resistivity and porosity laboratory measurements delineate a fossil magma chamber as a resistive anomaly surrounded by electrically conductive up-doming and ring-shaped faults and fractures.

Rare earth elements (REE) are considered as critical and non-substitutable metals for electronics and green technology. A greater diversity of supply is needed and the REE occur in a wide range of REE- and REE-bearing minerals within different ore deposit types. The beneficiation processes for REE ores can vary widely based on their mineralogy and texture. It is, therefore, essential to understand the mineralogical characteristics when designing processing routes. Little research was carried out on this topic until the last few years, apart from bastnäsite, monazite, and xenotime, and most REE minerals in deposits currently under exploration are poorly understood in terms of processing characteristics. This geometallurgical study brings together the results of process mineralogy and minerals processing to recover synchysite-(Ce) and apatite from the carbonatite at Songwe Hill, Malawi. This deposit is unusual because it is a potential carbonatite source of both LREE and HREE. Results from previous flowsheet development studies on this deposit suggest that flotation is the most promising processing route and therefore this study concentrated on testing this hypothesis. It sought to understand the mineralogy better in order to predict processing response and carried out a series of flotation experiments to improve the processing efficiency. It also investigated the fundamental magnetic properties of the rare earth fluorcarbonate minerals (including synchysite) and established for the first time that there is a systematic variation in their properties that can be applied to minerals processing. Eight samples of REE carbonatite drill core, crushed to 1700 μm, and a composite sample ground to 53 μm and 38 μm were used throughout this research. Automated mineralogy (QEMSCAN®) was applied to determine the mineralogical characteristics of the ore deposit. This utilised a novel species identification protocol (SIP) for REE minerals in carbonatites, which was validated by electron microscopy (SEM-EDS), and electron probe microanalysis (EPMA). The principal REE minerals at Songwe are the REE fluorcarbonates, synchysite-(Ce) and also parisite-(Ce). These are challenging minerals for automated mineralogical techniques owing to their chemical similarity and common occurrence either as bladed (needle-like) crystals, which is the main textural type at Songwe Hill, or as syntaxial intergrowths. However, using the SIP developed in this study, the QEMSCAN® can distinguish between these minerals based on the Ca content and can also recognise syntaxial intergrowths on a scale of about > 20 μm. The Songwe Hill carbonatite hosts about 6 wt% to 10 wt% of REE- and REE-bearing minerals. Apatite hosts the more valuable HREE in addition to P2O5, followed by synchysite-(Ce)/parisite-(Ce) (mainly synchysite-(Ce)), and minor florencite-(Ce), which host the LREE. These minerals are commonly associated with the predominant gangue minerals, ankerite and calcite, and, to a lesser extent Fe- Ox/CO3 and K-feldspar, strontianite and baryte. Fundamental magnetic properties of pure REE fluorcarbonate single crystal minerals using a vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM) were determined. The magnetic susceptibility is highly dependent on the mineral composition. It is positive (paramagnetic) for bastnäsite-(Ce) and gradually decreases as the amount of Ca increases in parisite-(Ce), becoming negative (diamagnetic) for the Ca-rich member of the series, röntgenite. Synchysite-(Ce) in this deposit was experimentally determined by magnetic separation and behaved as a diamagnetic mineral. This can be explained by the layered structure common to the REE fluorcarbonate series minerals. Selected laboratory scale mineral processing experiments including magnetic separation and froth flotation were performed. Pre-concentration tests by magnetic separation showed a recovery of 84% for P2O5, 80% for Y2O3, and 76% for Ce2O3 in the non-magnetic product, with gangue minerals rejection of about 49% for ankerite and 48% for Fe-Ox/CO3 to the magnetic product. Apatite and synchysite-(Ce) loss to the magnetic product is mainly the result of their association with the paramagnetic minerals i.e. ankerite and Fe-Ox/CO3 as indicated by automated mineralogy. A spectrophotometer was utilised to measure the solubility of the organic chemical reagents including fatty acids and lignin sulphonate in different alkaline solutions and to determine the appropriate operating parameters for bench flotation tests. The results indicated that the solubility of fatty acids increased with increasing the pH value from 8.5 to 10.5, while the opposite was observed for lignin sulphonate. 35 bench-scale froth flotation tests under a wide range of chemical and operating conditions including pH modifiers and dosages, soluble and insoluble collectors, depressants, temperature, and conditioning time were performed. The results demonstrated that fatty acids and lignin sulphonate are sensitive to changes in pH, conditioning time, and temperature. These factors significantly affected flotation efficiency. A recovery of 86% for P2O5 and 74% for both of Y2O3 and Ce2O3 with TREO upgrading from 1.6 wt% to 3.8 wt% at a mass pull of 31% were achieved under a constant pulp pH of 9.5, elevated temperature, and long conditioning time. This study suggests that combining magnetic separation and froth flotation techniques to pre-concentrate and upgrade the REE- and REE-bearing minerals, should be considered further to minimise the cost of the chemical reagents used in froth flotation and gangue leaching.

The Iron and Manitou Islands complexes are 560 m.y. old. They were associated with a magma chamber lying at moderate depth below these complexes, On a regional scale the emplacement is controlled by the Nipissing graben system, an extension of the St. Lawrence rift system, along which an alkaline igneous province, 560 m.y. old, is well developed. A variety of rock types is developed in these complexes in spite of their small size. This is a result of extensive differentiation, interaction of late fractions with already crystallized early fractions, interaction of a "fluid phase" with country rocks, partial melting of country rocks, and finally various late hydrothermal alterations. The high degree of differentiation is probably a consequence of the high amount of volatile components in the magma which lowers its viscosity, extends its crystallization range, and consequently enhances fractional crystallization. In addition, liquid immiscibility played an important role in the differentiation. During differentiation the pyroxenes changed in composition from Ca-rich varieties through aegirine-augite to acmite, There is no evidence of an immiscibility gap between Ca-rich and Na-rich pyroxenes as has been proposed by Aoki (1964) but criticized by later investigators, Members of the phlogopite-biotite solid solution series exhibit a compositional range from annite-12 to annite-63. The characteristic assemblage melilite; Ca-rich pyroxene, and olivine (partially or completely replaced olivine phenocrysts) occurring in some lamprophyres indicates low silica activity, 10^(-1.6) to 10^(-1.2). However, the silica activity of the Lamprophyres is not restricted to the above range since the presence of sphene in some Lamprophyre dykes indicates silica activity above this range. The required condition of excess sodium silicate for the crystallization of acmite in synthetic melts seems to be required in nature too. Lamprophyres have a crystallization temperature of about 950°C. Fenitization of the country rocks takes place from relatively low temperature, probably 480°F, to about 740°C where partial melting of the rocks occur. The development of the graben system and the alkaline igneous activity are both believed to be related to devolatilization processes in the mantle. / Thesis / Master of Science (MSc)

No description available.

The Alnö Complex is a Late Precambrian alkaline and carbonatite intrusion (c. 30km2) into Early Proterozoic country rock that extends from the north east, to the north western shoulder of Alnö Island. Carbonatites are rare among volcanic provinces, with Oldoinyo Lengai of northern Tanzania being the only active carbonatite volcano in the world today. The high carbonate mineral volumes and rare earth element (REE) concentrations of carbonatites, in combination with the intrusive-extrusive nature of their suites contribute to the rarity of these rocks. Carbonatites, through their peculiar petrological and geochemical compositions, provide vital insights to the composition and condition of the Earth’s mantle. The genesis of the Alnö carbonatites and their relation to other lithological units at the complex is however, only partially understood. This stems from the epistemological division of carbonatites as having either a ‘magmatic’ or ‘reactive’ origin. This study focuses on sampled carbonatites from the Alnö Complex, employing an oxygen and carbon isotope approach on their native calcite, complemented with petrological and mineralogical methods in order to constrain petrogenesis. As a reference, oxygen and carbon isotope data of calcite from an earlier Alnö investigation as well as from an array of data from comparative alkaline complexes elsewhere are also discussed. The combined data and the derived findings support a scenario that is consistent with the ‘magmatic’ model wherein carbonatites have a primary mantle-derived origin, and prospectively stem from a parent magma akin to that of Oldoinyo Lengai, but have experienced a degree of silicate and sedimentary assimilation. The extraction of the Alnö carbonatites for their rare earth metals is a looming possibility due to the current volatility in the rare earth market. The risks and opportunities involved in this kind of natural resource extraction provide a context wherein sustainable development paradigms can be applied. The capacity of the Alnö environment to withstand the impact of development in the mining sector is discussed through a perspective of establishing a quarry, and quarry-related methods for rare earth extraction.

Carbonatites are unique and enigmatic magmatic rocks of unclear origin, with very specific mineralogy and geochemical properties. They are predominantly composed of magmatic calcite or other carbonate minerals (Le Bas 1987) and have low content of SiO2 (Le Maitre 2002). Origin of these peculiar magmas is still not clear but they appear to represent an important "window" into processes in Earth's mantle. They are considered either as residual melts from a fractionated carbonated nephelinite or melilitite (Gittins 1989; Gittins and Jago 1998), as immiscible fractions of CO2-saturated silicate melts (Freestone and Hamilton 1980; Amundsen 1987; Kjarsgaard and Hamilton 1988, 1989; Brooker and Hamilton 1990; Kjarsgaard and Peterson 1991; Church and Jones 1995; Lee and Wyllie 1997; Dawson 1998; Halama et al. 2005; Brooker and Kjarsgaard 2011), or as primary melts which are were generated from CO2-bearing peridotite through partial melting (Wallace and Green 1988; Sweeney 1994; Harmer and Gittins 1998; Harmer et al. 1998; Ying et al. 2004). Abundances of rare earth elements (REE) are often high in carbonatites because carbonatitic magmas can dissolve these elements much easily than silicate magmas (Nelson et al. 1988). Carbonatitic magma can also dissolve large quantities of Sr, Ba, P and mainly Zr and Nb,...

The tectonic significance and age of carbonatite intrusions in the western Foreland Belt of the Canadian Cordillera are poorly constrained. Recent 1:5,000 scale field mapping of one of these carbonatite intrusions, the Aley carbonatite (NTS 94 B/5), has demonstrated that it was emplaced as a syn-kinematic sill, coeval with a major nappe-forming tectonic event. Determining the age of the Aley carbonatite therefore provides a means of directly dating tectonism related to carbonatite magmatism. A U-Pb titanite age of 365.9 +/- 2.1 Ma was obtained from the Ospika pipe, an ultramafic diatreme spatially and genetically related to the carbonatite. We interpret the Late Devonian age of the Ospika pipe to be the minimum possible age of the carbonatite and syn-magmatic nappe-forming tectonic event. The maximum possible age of the carbonatite is constrained by the Early Devonian age of the Road River Group (ca. 410 Ma), the youngest strata intruded by carbonatite dykes and involved in the nappe forming event. Our dating results for the Aley carbonatite closely correlate with U-Pb zircon and perovskite ages obtained for the Ice River carbonatite complex in the western Foreland Belt of the southern Canadian Cordillera, and support the interpretation of carbonatite intrusions of the western Foreland Belt as genetically linked components of an alkaline-carbonatitic magmatic province. Structural, stratigraphic, and geochronological data from the Aley area indicate that deformation was similar in style to, and coeval with, structures attributable to the Antler Orogeny, and are consistent with the Antler orogen having extended the length of Cordilleran margin from the southern United States to Alaska. Deformed alkaline-carbonatite intrusions that characterize continental suture zones in Africa and Tibet may provide an analogue for the Aley carbonatite and correlative alkaline-carbonatite complexes in the western Foreland Belt. / Graduate / 0372 / mcleish@uvic.ca