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Study of the Behavior of Uranium, Niobium, and Tantalum in the Granite Melt–Fluoride Fluid System at 800–950°C, 2300 Bar

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Abstract

Experimental studies were carried out on the solubility of uranium, niobium, and tantalum in acidic melts of Li–F granites and predominantly fluoride fluids at 800–950°С and 2300 bar, in order to clarify the genesis of ores in the unique Mo–U Streltsovska ore field (Eastern Transbaikalia). The experiments were carried out with a model homogeneous glass with the composition (wt %): 72.18 SiO2, 12.19 Al2O3, 1.02 FeO, 0.2 MgO, 0.33 CaO, 4.78 Na2O, 3.82 K2O, 1.44 Li2O, 2.4 F (LiF, NaF, KF, CaF2, MgF2), synthetic uranium dioxide, and natural columbite. The initial solutions contained 3.85 wt % chlorides and 5–30 wt % fluorides (Na, K, Li, Al, Si). The fugacity of O2(H2) was set by Co–CoO buffers and an Ar–H2 mixture. The solubility of Nb in F–Cl solutions depended on the concentration of the fluorides in their composition and ranged from 10–4–10–3 mol kg–1 H2O at 800°C and 10–3-10–2 mol kg–1 H2O at 950°C, while Ta is practically insoluble in the investigated solutions. The solubility of U is 10–4–10–2 mol kg–1 H2O. Electron microscope analysis of the products of experiments established that columbite dissolved incongruently in a granite melt with the formation of U- and F-bearing pyrochlores. The interaction of high-fluoride solutions in the region of fluid immiscibility with a granite melt leads to enrichment of the granite with alkalis, uranium, and niobium without significant introduction of fluorine.

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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The authors are grateful to T.N. Shurige (VIMS) for kindly providing the columbite for our experimental research; A.A. Viryus and A.N. Nekrasov (IEM RAS) for help in electron microscope analyses of solid phases with an VEGA TS 5130MM; T.N. Dokina and O.L. Samokhvalova for XRD analyses; G.P. Borodulin, L.T. Dmitrenko, and M.V. Fokeev for preparation and successful experiments on the high-hydrothermal and gas-pressure apparatus; and A.P. Aleshin (IGEM RAS) for discussion of the geology and geochemistry of uranium at the Streltsovska ore field deposits. We are grateful to A.V. Girnis (IGEM RAS) and A.V. Bobrov (Moscow State University) for their attention to our work and critical comments, which made it possible to improve the final version of the manuscript.

Funding

The study was primarily financed by the programs of the Department of Science of the Russian Academy of Sciences; the Russian Foundation for Basic Research (project no. 20-05-00307), and the Federal Scientific Research Institute of the State Academies of Sciences (topic no. 121031700049-6).

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  1. Institute of Experimental Mineralogy, Russian Academy of Sciences, 142432, Chernogolovka, Moscow oblast, Russia

    A. F. Redkin & Yu. B. Shapovalov

  2. Institute of Geology of Ore Deposits, Petrography, Mineralogy and Geochemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, 119017, Moscow, Russia

    V. I. Velichkin

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Redkin, A.F., Velichkin, V.I. & Shapovalov, Y.B. Study of the Behavior of Uranium, Niobium, and Tantalum in the Granite Melt–Fluoride Fluid System at 800–950°C, 2300 Bar. Geol. Ore Deposits 63, 300–323 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1134/S1075701521040073

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