Genesis of the REE Ore Deposits, Chungju District, Korea: Occurrence Features and Geochemical Characteristics

충주지역 희토류 광상의 성인: 산출상태와 지화학적 특성

Some REE ore deposits are located in the middle part the of Korean peninsula. Geotectonically, the REE ore deposits situated on the Kyemyeongsan Formation of northern margin of the Okcheon geosynclinal belt and in the transitional zone between Kyeonggi massif and the Okcheon belt, with a deep-seated fracture separating the two tectonic units. The Kyemyeongsan Formation are different in lithology and metamorphic grade from the Gyeonggi massif and the Okcheon super group. The sequence of Kyemyeongsan Formation is dominantly composed of acidic metavolcanic and volcaniclastic rocks associated with alkaline igneous rocks which are related to volcano-plutonism. The REE ore deposits contain mainly Ce-La, Ta-Nb, Y, Y-Nd and Nd-Th group minerals. More than 15 RE and REE minerals have been found in the deposits, such as allanite, fergusonite, thorite bestnaesite, euxenite, polyclase, monazite, columbite, (Nb)-rutile, okanoganite, sphene, zircon, illmenite and some other unknown minerals. According to the characteristics of the mineral association, the REE ore deposits may be divided into 4 ore types; Zircon-REE, allanite-REE, feldspar-REE and fluorite-REE type. The Sm-Nd isochron age of the REE ore is 330 Ma, and the Sm-Nd model age is 1.11 Ga with ${\varepsilon}_{Nd(t)}$ being - 2.9. This data suggest that the REE ore deposit was formed in the early Carboniferous, and the ore-forming material came from the mantle. The REE ores show distinct light REE enrichment with strong negative Eu anomaly. The REE patterns of schistose rocks from Kyemyeongsan Formation are similar to felsic volcanics from rifts or back arc basins in or near continental crust. The genesis of the REE ore deposit is quite complicated. Different geologic processes are displayed in the studied area; sedimentation, volcanic activity, metamorphism and hydrothermal replacement. Alkali granite has suffered extensive post-magmatic metasomatism of a high temperature to produce alkali metasomatites. Geochemical charateristics show that metasomatism of alkaline fluid was probably the dominant ore-forming process in Chungju district.