Characteristics of Trace Elements in Molybdenite and Its Application in Mineral Deposits

Abstract

Previous studies on molybdenite are mainly focused on Re-Os dating for a deposit, by contrast there have relatively little on trace elements in molybdenite. On the basis of statistical summarizing the previous research results, this paper discusses the variation of trace elements of molybdenite in various deposits and the combination of the different trace elements in molybdenite of different deposits, which is expected to expand its application in mineral deposit science. The results show that Re and W contents in molybdenite have the potential to be used as tracer to trace its sources. Molybdenite in different types of deposits has different trace elements composition and content, which mainly depends on the ore-forming fluids. Trace elements exist in various states in molybdenite, including isomorphic substitution, inclusion, adsorption and so on. Elements such as Re, W, Se, Te and Nb can enter the molybdenite lattice by replacing Mo or S, while Pb, Zr, Fe and REE those elements mainly appear as mineral inclusions. Most trace elements (for Fe, Cu, Te, etc.) are positively correlated, which may indicate that their sources are in similiar among each other. A few trace elements were negatively correlated with each other, which may reflect the different in their sources.