Rachid Benaouda | Constructor University Bremen gGmbH (original) (raw)
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Journal of African Earth Sciences
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The present work provides the first basic knowledge to better understand the nature and the distr... more The present work provides the first basic knowledge to better understand the nature and the distribution of ore minerals in the recently discovered REE and Nb deposits in carbonatites and associated iron oxides in the Oulad Dlim massive (South Morocco)
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Journal of Geochemical Exploration, 2017
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Journal of African Earth Sciences, 2017
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The igneous rocks of Jbel Boho emerged in three phases: an initial phase with alkaline volcanism ... more The igneous rocks of Jbel Boho emerged in three phases: an initial phase with alkaline volcanism followed by the intrusion of a syenitic pluton and later the emplacement of a dyke swarm. The Jbel Boho alkaline complex shows some interesting aspects of hydrothermal REE mineralization in the late differentiation stage. REE mineralization is found in a rhyolitic dyke and some late hydrothermal veins. Synchysite-(Ce), which was identified by EPMA analysis, is the main REE mineral.
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Ore Geology Reviews
Abstract The recently discovered REE and Nb mineralization in the Twihinat area in the western pa... more Abstract The recently discovered REE and Nb mineralization in the Twihinat area in the western part of the Oulad Dlim Massif (Adrar Souttouf) in South Morocco is linked to a Cretaceous calciocarbonatite intrusion which was likely formed in an intracontinental rift setting and crops out locally within a ring structure that mainly consists of massive Fe-oxide mineralization and silica breccia. The carbonatite shows intensively metasomatized zones, which contain bastnaesite and pyrochlore-group minerals as the main REE and Nb ore minerals. They are usually associated with apatite, quartz and Fe-oxides, or trapped in calcite voids, suggesting a secondary ore formation. Within the associated Fe-oxide mineralization, pyrochlore and monazite-(Ce) are the main ore minerals occurring closely associated with quartz and magnetite or hematite. The silica breccia also shows significant subsequent infill of barite, bastnaesite-(Ce) and hydrated ceriopyrochlore, which was identified by EPMA and Raman spectroscopy. Bastnaesite commonly forms prismatic aggregates whereas pyrochlore and ceriopyrochlore usually display subhedral grains along tiny fractures. Structural and textural relationships clearly indicate epigenetic ore formation induced by multiple stages of hydrothermal fluid flow and fracturing. Ore precipitation likely resulted from interaction between low-pH mineralizing hydrothermal fluids and the wall-rock. The latter efficiently buffered the acidity of the fluids and allowed significant amounts of REE and Nb ore minerals to precipitate. Trace element ICP-MS analyses show very high REE and Nb concentrations of up to 0.76 wt% ΣREE and 0.21 wt% Nb in carbonatite and up to 3 wt% ΣREE and 1.3 wt% Nb in the associated silica and Fe-oxide mineralization. The results clearly demonstrate that the Twihinat REE-Nb deposits are significant and represent a potential new high-grade resource for these critical metals.
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Gondwana Research
Abstract Recent exploration work in South Morocco revealed the occurrence of several carbonatite ... more Abstract Recent exploration work in South Morocco revealed the occurrence of several carbonatite bodies, including the Paleoproterozoic Gleibat Lafhouda magnesiocarbonatite and its associated iron oxide mineralization, recognized here as iron-oxide-apatite (IOA) deposit type. The Gleibat Lafhouda intrusion is hosted by Archean gneiss and schist and not visibly associated with alkaline rocks. Metasomatized micaceous rocks occur locally at the margins of the carbonatite outcrop and were identified as glimmerite fenite type. Rare earth element (REE) and Nb mineralization is mainly linked to the associated IOA mineralization and is represented by monazite-(Ce) and columbite-(Fe) as major ore minerals. The IOA mineralization mainly consists of magnetite and hematite that usually contain large apatite crystals, quartz and some dolomite. Monazite-(Ce) is closely associated with fluorapatite and occurs as inclusions within the altered parts of apatite and along cracks or as separate phases near apatite. Monazite shows no zonation patterns and very low Th contents (
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The world's largest mined rare-earth element deposits are associated with alkaline magmatism, mak... more The world's largest mined rare-earth element deposits are associated with alkaline magmatism, making it important to understand the mechanisms leading to magmatic and hydrothermal element enrichment. We present results from late-differentiation-stage hydrothermal veins of the Jbel Boho alkaline complex in the district of Bou Azzer in the Anti-Atlas of Morocco, which show high light-REE enrichments. The REE mineralized veins occur around a syenitic pluton at the centre of the complex and consist of quartz-jasper and quartz veins which contain at least two silica generations. Only the second quartz generation is associated with LREE mineralization. The predominant REE-host mineral is the Ca-LREE-fluorcarbonate synchysite-(Ce), mainly present as anhedral crystals up to 200 μm. Some very small anhedral rhabdophane-(Ce) grains were also found in a synchysite-bearing quartz vein. Thermometric studies on mainly liquid-vapour-solid fluid inclusions in quartz crystals in the synchysite-bearing veins suggest very high salinity (32 to 37 wt% NaCl equiv.) of the mineralizing fluid. Homogenization temperatures from 150° to 250 °C provide the minimum temperature conditions in which the quartz veins were formed.
Based on recent experimental data, we propose a model for the formation of hydrothermal REE-Ca-F carbonate deposits in the veins, involving the transport of REE as chloride complexes at low pH conditions in the presence of fluoride ions. The deposition of synchysite is proposed to result from neutralization of this fluid by mixing of hydrothermal ore fluids with carbonate-rich meteoric water or by interaction with already existing carbonates in the vein, As well as raising the pH, this interaction also provides the Ca+ and CO32– ions needed for REE precipitation as Ca-F carbonates.
The barren veins show two types of mineralogy and REE patterns: quartz-carbonate veins with enrichment of LREE over HREE and iron-rich jasper-bearing veins with quite flat REE pattern and high HREE. The LREE/HREE fractionation in these veins seems to be controlled by an interplay of two factors: 1) a low activity of ligands like Cl, which favours LREE transport and (2) the mineralogical control, by which HREE having similar ionic radii to Fe2 + will be preferred over LREE.
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The Jbel Boho complex (Anti-Atlas/Morocco) is an alkaline magmatic complex that was formed during... more The Jbel Boho complex (Anti-Atlas/Morocco) is an alkaline magmatic complex that was formed during the Precambrian-Cambrian transition, contemporaneous with the lower early Cambrian dolomite sequence. The complex consists of a volcanic sequence comprising basanites, trachyandesites, trachytes and rhyolites that is intruded by a syenitic pluton. Both the volcanic suite and the pluton are cut by later microsyenitic and rhyolitic dykes.
Although all Jbel Boho magmas were probably ultimately derived from the same, intraplate or plume-like source, new geochemical evidence supports the concept of a minimum three principal magma generations having formed the complex. Whereas all volcanic rocks (first generation) are LREE enriched and appear to be formed by fractional crystallization of a mantle-derived magma, resulting in strong negative Eu anomalies in the more evolved rocks associated with low Zr/Hf and Nb/Ta values, the younger syenitic pluton displays almost no negative Eu anomaly and very high Zr/Hf and Nb/Ta. The syenite is considered to be formed by a second generation of melt and likely formed through partial melting of underplated mafic rocks. The syenitic pluton consists of two types of syenitic rocks; olivine syenite and quartz syenite. The presence of quartz and a strong positive Pb anomaly in the quartz syenite contrasts strongly with the negative Pb anomaly in the olivine syenite and suggests the latter results from crustal contamination of the former. The late dyke swarm (third generation of melt) comprises microsyenitic and subalkaline rhyolitic compositions. The strong decrease of the alkali elements, Zr/Hf and Nb/Ta and the high SiO2 contents in the rhyolitic dykes might be the result of mineral fractionation and addition of mineralizing fluids, allowing inter-element fractionation of even highly incompatible HFSE due to the presence of fluorine. The occurrence of fluorite in some volcanic rocks and the Ca-REE-F carbonate mineral synchysite in the dykes with very high LREE contents (Ce ∼720 ppm found in one rhyolitic dyke) suggest the fluorine-rich nature of this system and the role played by addition of mineralizing fluids.
The REE mineralization expressed as synchysite-(Ce) is detected in a subalkaline rhyolitic dyke (with ΣLREE = 1750 ppm) associated with quartz, chlorite and occasionally with Fe-oxides. The synchysite mineralization is probably the result of REE transport by acidic hydrothermal fluids as chloride complex and their neutralization during fluid-rock interaction.
The major tectonic change from compressive to extensional regime in the late Neoproterozoic induced the emplacement of voluminous volcaniclastic series of the Ediacran Ouarzazate Group. The alkaline, within-plate nature of the Jbel Boho igneous complex implies that this extensional setting continued during the early Cambrian.
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Journal of African Earth Sciences
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Bookmarks Related papers MentionsView impact
The present work provides the first basic knowledge to better understand the nature and the distr... more The present work provides the first basic knowledge to better understand the nature and the distribution of ore minerals in the recently discovered REE and Nb deposits in carbonatites and associated iron oxides in the Oulad Dlim massive (South Morocco)
Bookmarks Related papers MentionsView impact
Journal of Geochemical Exploration, 2017
Bookmarks Related papers MentionsView impact
Journal of African Earth Sciences, 2017
Bookmarks Related papers MentionsView impact
The igneous rocks of Jbel Boho emerged in three phases: an initial phase with alkaline volcanism ... more The igneous rocks of Jbel Boho emerged in three phases: an initial phase with alkaline volcanism followed by the intrusion of a syenitic pluton and later the emplacement of a dyke swarm. The Jbel Boho alkaline complex shows some interesting aspects of hydrothermal REE mineralization in the late differentiation stage. REE mineralization is found in a rhyolitic dyke and some late hydrothermal veins. Synchysite-(Ce), which was identified by EPMA analysis, is the main REE mineral.
Bookmarks Related papers MentionsView impact
Ore Geology Reviews
Abstract The recently discovered REE and Nb mineralization in the Twihinat area in the western pa... more Abstract The recently discovered REE and Nb mineralization in the Twihinat area in the western part of the Oulad Dlim Massif (Adrar Souttouf) in South Morocco is linked to a Cretaceous calciocarbonatite intrusion which was likely formed in an intracontinental rift setting and crops out locally within a ring structure that mainly consists of massive Fe-oxide mineralization and silica breccia. The carbonatite shows intensively metasomatized zones, which contain bastnaesite and pyrochlore-group minerals as the main REE and Nb ore minerals. They are usually associated with apatite, quartz and Fe-oxides, or trapped in calcite voids, suggesting a secondary ore formation. Within the associated Fe-oxide mineralization, pyrochlore and monazite-(Ce) are the main ore minerals occurring closely associated with quartz and magnetite or hematite. The silica breccia also shows significant subsequent infill of barite, bastnaesite-(Ce) and hydrated ceriopyrochlore, which was identified by EPMA and Raman spectroscopy. Bastnaesite commonly forms prismatic aggregates whereas pyrochlore and ceriopyrochlore usually display subhedral grains along tiny fractures. Structural and textural relationships clearly indicate epigenetic ore formation induced by multiple stages of hydrothermal fluid flow and fracturing. Ore precipitation likely resulted from interaction between low-pH mineralizing hydrothermal fluids and the wall-rock. The latter efficiently buffered the acidity of the fluids and allowed significant amounts of REE and Nb ore minerals to precipitate. Trace element ICP-MS analyses show very high REE and Nb concentrations of up to 0.76 wt% ΣREE and 0.21 wt% Nb in carbonatite and up to 3 wt% ΣREE and 1.3 wt% Nb in the associated silica and Fe-oxide mineralization. The results clearly demonstrate that the Twihinat REE-Nb deposits are significant and represent a potential new high-grade resource for these critical metals.
Bookmarks Related papers MentionsView impact
Gondwana Research
Abstract Recent exploration work in South Morocco revealed the occurrence of several carbonatite ... more Abstract Recent exploration work in South Morocco revealed the occurrence of several carbonatite bodies, including the Paleoproterozoic Gleibat Lafhouda magnesiocarbonatite and its associated iron oxide mineralization, recognized here as iron-oxide-apatite (IOA) deposit type. The Gleibat Lafhouda intrusion is hosted by Archean gneiss and schist and not visibly associated with alkaline rocks. Metasomatized micaceous rocks occur locally at the margins of the carbonatite outcrop and were identified as glimmerite fenite type. Rare earth element (REE) and Nb mineralization is mainly linked to the associated IOA mineralization and is represented by monazite-(Ce) and columbite-(Fe) as major ore minerals. The IOA mineralization mainly consists of magnetite and hematite that usually contain large apatite crystals, quartz and some dolomite. Monazite-(Ce) is closely associated with fluorapatite and occurs as inclusions within the altered parts of apatite and along cracks or as separate phases near apatite. Monazite shows no zonation patterns and very low Th contents (
Bookmarks Related papers MentionsView impact
Bookmarks Related papers MentionsView impact
The world's largest mined rare-earth element deposits are associated with alkaline magmatism, mak... more The world's largest mined rare-earth element deposits are associated with alkaline magmatism, making it important to understand the mechanisms leading to magmatic and hydrothermal element enrichment. We present results from late-differentiation-stage hydrothermal veins of the Jbel Boho alkaline complex in the district of Bou Azzer in the Anti-Atlas of Morocco, which show high light-REE enrichments. The REE mineralized veins occur around a syenitic pluton at the centre of the complex and consist of quartz-jasper and quartz veins which contain at least two silica generations. Only the second quartz generation is associated with LREE mineralization. The predominant REE-host mineral is the Ca-LREE-fluorcarbonate synchysite-(Ce), mainly present as anhedral crystals up to 200 μm. Some very small anhedral rhabdophane-(Ce) grains were also found in a synchysite-bearing quartz vein. Thermometric studies on mainly liquid-vapour-solid fluid inclusions in quartz crystals in the synchysite-bearing veins suggest very high salinity (32 to 37 wt% NaCl equiv.) of the mineralizing fluid. Homogenization temperatures from 150° to 250 °C provide the minimum temperature conditions in which the quartz veins were formed.
Based on recent experimental data, we propose a model for the formation of hydrothermal REE-Ca-F carbonate deposits in the veins, involving the transport of REE as chloride complexes at low pH conditions in the presence of fluoride ions. The deposition of synchysite is proposed to result from neutralization of this fluid by mixing of hydrothermal ore fluids with carbonate-rich meteoric water or by interaction with already existing carbonates in the vein, As well as raising the pH, this interaction also provides the Ca+ and CO32– ions needed for REE precipitation as Ca-F carbonates.
The barren veins show two types of mineralogy and REE patterns: quartz-carbonate veins with enrichment of LREE over HREE and iron-rich jasper-bearing veins with quite flat REE pattern and high HREE. The LREE/HREE fractionation in these veins seems to be controlled by an interplay of two factors: 1) a low activity of ligands like Cl, which favours LREE transport and (2) the mineralogical control, by which HREE having similar ionic radii to Fe2 + will be preferred over LREE.
Bookmarks Related papers MentionsView impact
The Jbel Boho complex (Anti-Atlas/Morocco) is an alkaline magmatic complex that was formed during... more The Jbel Boho complex (Anti-Atlas/Morocco) is an alkaline magmatic complex that was formed during the Precambrian-Cambrian transition, contemporaneous with the lower early Cambrian dolomite sequence. The complex consists of a volcanic sequence comprising basanites, trachyandesites, trachytes and rhyolites that is intruded by a syenitic pluton. Both the volcanic suite and the pluton are cut by later microsyenitic and rhyolitic dykes.
Although all Jbel Boho magmas were probably ultimately derived from the same, intraplate or plume-like source, new geochemical evidence supports the concept of a minimum three principal magma generations having formed the complex. Whereas all volcanic rocks (first generation) are LREE enriched and appear to be formed by fractional crystallization of a mantle-derived magma, resulting in strong negative Eu anomalies in the more evolved rocks associated with low Zr/Hf and Nb/Ta values, the younger syenitic pluton displays almost no negative Eu anomaly and very high Zr/Hf and Nb/Ta. The syenite is considered to be formed by a second generation of melt and likely formed through partial melting of underplated mafic rocks. The syenitic pluton consists of two types of syenitic rocks; olivine syenite and quartz syenite. The presence of quartz and a strong positive Pb anomaly in the quartz syenite contrasts strongly with the negative Pb anomaly in the olivine syenite and suggests the latter results from crustal contamination of the former. The late dyke swarm (third generation of melt) comprises microsyenitic and subalkaline rhyolitic compositions. The strong decrease of the alkali elements, Zr/Hf and Nb/Ta and the high SiO2 contents in the rhyolitic dykes might be the result of mineral fractionation and addition of mineralizing fluids, allowing inter-element fractionation of even highly incompatible HFSE due to the presence of fluorine. The occurrence of fluorite in some volcanic rocks and the Ca-REE-F carbonate mineral synchysite in the dykes with very high LREE contents (Ce ∼720 ppm found in one rhyolitic dyke) suggest the fluorine-rich nature of this system and the role played by addition of mineralizing fluids.
The REE mineralization expressed as synchysite-(Ce) is detected in a subalkaline rhyolitic dyke (with ΣLREE = 1750 ppm) associated with quartz, chlorite and occasionally with Fe-oxides. The synchysite mineralization is probably the result of REE transport by acidic hydrothermal fluids as chloride complex and their neutralization during fluid-rock interaction.
The major tectonic change from compressive to extensional regime in the late Neoproterozoic induced the emplacement of voluminous volcaniclastic series of the Ediacran Ouarzazate Group. The alkaline, within-plate nature of the Jbel Boho igneous complex implies that this extensional setting continued during the early Cambrian.
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