• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.29 no.5
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• pp.545-559
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• 1996

Rare metal (Nb-Zr-REE) ore deposits are located in the Chungju area. Geotectonically, the rare metal ore deposits are situated in the transitional zone between Kyeonggi massif and Okcheon belt. The rare metal deposits are distributed in Kyemyeongsan Formation which consist of schist and alkaline igneous rocks. Alkali granite has suffered extensive post-magmatic metasomatism and hydrothermal processes. The ore contains mainly Ce-La, Ta-Nb, Y, Y-Nd, Nd-Th group minerals. More than 15 RE and REE minerals are found in the ore deposits. Allanite, one of the Ce-La rich REE minerals belonging to the epidote group, is the most common mineral in the studied area. The allanite- bearing rocks may be devided into seven types by features of occurrence and mineral associations; zircon type (ZT), allanite-vein type (AT), feldspar type (KT), fluorite type (FT), quartz-mica type (QT), iron-oxide type (MT), and amphibole type (HT). The allanite veins (AT) and zircon rich rocks (ZT) contain the highest total REE contents. Differences in REE abundance can be interpreted in terms of varying portions of magmatic hydrothermal fluid. Petrographical and chemical data are presented for allanites which were collected from different types. The allanites show wide variations in optical properties, due in part to differences in their chemical composition (depending on the types) and to the degree of crystallinity of the individual specimens. Allanite metamicts in biotite are generally surrounded by well developed pleochroic haloes. Usually, allanite is accompanied by zircon and other REE-bearing minerals. CaO and total REE contents $({\sum}RE_2O_3)$ range from 9.29 to 18.79% and 11.66 to 26.31%, respectively. Also, SiO, (28.87~32.61%), $Al_2O_3$ (8.30~16.88%), and $Fc_2O_3$ (16.74~24.38%) contents show varying contents from type to type. The ${\sum}RE_2O_3$ of allanite has positive relationships with $Fe_2O_3$ and negative relaton with CaO, $SiO_2$, and $Al_2O_3$ Backscattered electron microscope images (BEl) of allanite shows that the its mineral composition and texture is very complex. The allanite-bearing hosts show distinct light REE enrichment with strong negative Eu anomaly except for HI. The HT has an almost flat REE distribution pattern with a small negative Eu anomaly. The chemical variation of the allanites with occurrences and mineral association can be related to condition of temperature and oxidation states in precipitation environment.