Abstract Australia is host to a diverse range of rare earth element (REE) ore deposits, and therefore is well placed to be a major supplier of REE into the future. This paper presents a review of the geology and tectonic setting of Australia's hard-rock REE resources. The deposits can be classified into four groups: 1. Carbonatite associated; 2. Peralkaline/alkaline volcanic associated; 3. Unconformity related, and; 4. Skarns and iron-oxide‑copper‑gold (IOCG) related. With the exception of the unconformity related deposits, all of these deposit groups are directly or indirectly related to continental alkaline magmatism. Extensive fractional crystallisation and/or igneous accumulation of REE minerals were essential ore-forming processes for carbonatite-associated and peralkaline/alkaline volcanic-associated deposits, while hydrothermal transport and concentration of REE sourced from basement rocks was responsible for producing ore in unconformity-related, skarns and, potentially, IOCG deposits. The economic potential of many deposits has also been enhanced by supergene alteration processes. All of Australia's REE deposits formed in an intracontinental setting in association with crustal-scale fault zones or structures that acted as transport conduits for ore-forming magmas or fluids. Most deposits formed in the Mesoproterozoic under conditions of relative tectonic quiescence. There is little evidence for the involvement of mantle plumes, with the exception of the Cenozoic peralkaline volcanic systems of eastern Australia, and possibly the IOCG deposits. Instead, ore productive magmas were generated by melting of previously-enriched mantle lithosphere in response to disruption of the lithosphere-asthenophere boundary due to fault activation. REE minerals in many deposits also record episodes of recrystallisation/resetting due to far-field effects of orogenic activity that may significantly postdate primary ore formation. Therefore, REE orebodies can be effective recorders of intracontinental deformation events. In general, Australia's inventory of REE deposits is similar to the global record. Globally, the Mesoproterozoic appears to be a particularly productive time period for forming REE orebodies due to favourable conditions for generating ore-fertile magmas and favourable preservation potential due to a general lack of aggressive continental recycling (i.e., active plate tectonics).

中文翻译：

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澳大利亚稀土元素矿床的构造意义

摘要 澳大利亚拥有多种稀土元素 (REE) 矿床，因此很有可能成为未来 REE 的主要供应商。本文综述了澳大利亚硬岩稀土资源的地质和构造环境。矿床可分为四类： 1. 伴生碳酸岩；2. 过碱性/碱性火山伴生；3. 不合格相关，和；4. 矽卡岩和氧化铁铜金 (IOCG) 相关。除了与不整合面有关的矿床外，所有这些矿床群都与大陆碱性岩浆作用直接或间接相关。稀土矿物的广泛分馏结晶和/或火成岩积累是碳酸岩伴生和过碱性/碱性火山伴生矿床的重要成矿过程，而来自基底岩石的热液输送和 REE 的浓缩是在不整合相关的矽卡岩和潜在的 IOCG 矿床中生产矿石的原因。许多矿床的经济潜力也因表生蚀变过程而增强。澳大利亚的所有稀土矿床都形成于大陆内部环境中，与地壳规模的断层带或结构相关，这些断层带或结构充当成矿岩浆或流体的输送管道。大多数矿床形成于中元古代相对构造静止条件下。几乎没有证据表明地幔柱的参与，除了澳大利亚东部的新生代过碱性火山系统，可能还有 IOCG 沉积物。反而，由于断层激活，岩石圈-软流圈边界被破坏，先前富集的地幔岩石圈熔化，从而产生了产矿岩浆。由于造山活动的远场效应，许多矿床中的 REE 矿物也记录了重结晶/重置事件，这可能显着晚于原生矿形成。因此，稀土矿体可以成为陆内变形事件的有效记录器。总的来说，澳大利亚的稀土矿床清单与全球记录相似。在全球范围内，由于普遍缺乏积极的大陆循环（即活动板块构造），中元古代似乎是形成 REE 矿体的一个特别多产的时期，因为它具有产生富矿岩浆的有利条件和有利的保存潜力。