Conditions of accumulation of radioactive metals in the process of differentiation of ultrabasic alkaline-carbonatite rock associations

Abstract

The distribution of radioactive elements in alkaline rocks from Polar Siberia and Ukraine shows that U and Th are markedly concentrated in carbonatite complex and nepheline syenite as final products of magma fractionation. Peralkaline nepheline syenites from Polar Siberia are characterized by very high contents of radioactive elements, which are close to the economic level. Radioactive elements are also concentrated in rocks of the carbonatite complex. For example, some soevites contain up to 294 × 10−4%U and 916 × 10−4% Th. In late dolomite carbonatites, the contents of radioactive elements are appreciably lower. The Th/U ratio in alkaline rocks of Polar Siberia is close to the chondrite value in primary high-Mg rocks and increases in late derivatives: phoscorite, calcite and dolomite carbonatites. The main amount of radioactive elements is contained in rare-metal accessory minerals: perovskite, pyrochlore, calzirtite, and apatite. Rock-forming minerals are distinguished by very low concentrations of radioactive elements. In alkaline series of the Chernigovka massif (Ukraine), U and Th also accumulate in the course of crystal fractionation, especially in phoscorites from the carbonatite complex. Mantle xenoliths and alkaline rocks from Ukraine reveal uranium specialization. Most likely, the discrepancy in fractionation of radioactive elements between Polar Siberia and Ukraine is caused by different geodynamic regimes of these provinces. The Mesozoic alkaline magmatism of Polar Siberia is a part of the Siberian superplume, whereas the Proterozoic alkaline complex in Ukraine is related to subduction of the oceanic crust.