REE geochemical anomalies in soils of the Ximeng-Lancang area in southwestern Yunnan and their discovery and their implications for ore prospecting
XIE Kui-Rui1,2(), SONG Xu-Feng1,2, ZHOU Kun1,3, ZHOU Yu-Guo2,4(), SHE Zhong-Ming5, TANG Jian1,2
1. Yunnan Institute of Geological Survey, Kunming 650214, China 2. Key Laboratory of Sanjiang Metallogeny and Resources Exploration and Utilization,Ministry of Natural Resources, Kunming 650061, China 3. Yunnan Nuclear Industry Geological Survey Institute, Kunming 650106, China 4. School of Earth Science, Yunnan University, Kunming 650091, China 5. Yunnan Geological Exploration Fund Management Center, Kunming 650224, China
The Ximeng-Lancang area in southwestern Yunnan resides in the southern section of the Nujiang-Lancangjiang-Jinshajiang orogenic belt in Southwest China. The 1∶50,000 geochemical soil survey revealed 24 rare-earth-element (REE) geochemical anomalies, which are primarily distributed in the Carboniferous Pingzhang Formation mafic volcanic rocks and the Carboniferous-Permian Yutangzhai Formation sedimentary carbonate rocks within and near the Changning-Menglian deep fault zone. Furthermore, the AP00 REE geochemical anomalies ranking high in the evaluation were analyzed in detail through a 1∶10,000 geochemical soil survey, a 1∶10,000 special geological survey, and light-duty prospecting engineering in mountainous areas. A new type of REE ores in weathering crusts has been first discovered in sedimentary carbonate strata, with preliminarily estimated REE resources reaching a medium scale, suggesting a prospecting breakthrough. This finding shows a new prospecting approach, which can be referenced for similar research. As revealed by a comprehensive analysis of the regional geological and geochemical settings and the data of AP00 REE anomalies, the AP00 REE ores in weathering crusts have undergone a gradual enrichment and mineralization process involving four different geological processes, suggesting polygenetic compound REE ores. Considering the low leaching efficiency of AP00 REE ores and significant structural (magmatic) superimposed mineralization of the heavy REE yttrium, it is inferred that yttrium-dominated primary REE ores might exist in the deep part, implying high potential for heavy-REE ores.
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XIE Kui-Rui, SONG Xu-Feng, ZHOU Kun, ZHOU Yu-Guo, SHE Zhong-Ming, TANG Jian. REE geochemical anomalies in soils of the Ximeng-Lancang area in southwestern Yunnan and their discovery and their implications for ore prospecting. Geophysical and Geochemical Exploration, 2024, 48(3): 660-667.
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