Hydrothermal metasomatism of a peralkaline granite pegmatite, Khaldzan Buragtag massif, Mongolian Altai; complex evolution of REE-Nb minerals

Abstract

The low-temperature hydrothermal alteration of certain rare-metal minerals is recorded in a quartz-epidote metasomatite from the Tsakhirin Khuduk occurrence in the Khaldzan-Buragtag Nb-REE-Zr deposit, Mongolian Altai. A peralkaline granitic pegmatite was metasomatized by hydrothermal fluids released from associated intrusions, with the formation of, inter alia, chevkinite-(Ce), fergusonite-(Nd) and minerals of the epidote group. The textural pattern indicates recrystallization and coarsening of these phases. Later, low-temperature alteration by fluids resulted in the chevkinite-(Ce) being replaced by complex titanite-TiO₂-cerite-(Ce)-hingganite-hydroxylbastnäsite-(Ce) assemblages. Calcite formed late-stage veins and patches. The hydrous fluids were poor in F and CO₂ but had high Ca contents.