Geochemical behaviour of LREE, Y and Zr in uranium mineralized and non-mineralized granite from Darshanapur area, in the Gogi-Kurlagere fault zone, Bhima basin, Yadgiri district, Karnataka

Abstract

Granite core samples (n=14) from the Gogi-Kurlagere fault zone in the central part of the Bhima basin were studied in terms of LREE, Y and Zr mobility during uranium mineralization. LREE, Zr and Y along with LILE (Ba, Rb) and P show behavioral differences in the mineralised and the non-mineralised samples. Average ΣLREE in mineralised granite (240 ppm) is higher than in non-mineralised samples (157 ppm). The average Zr and Y in the mineralised granite are 193 ppm and 17 ppm, while the corresponding abundances of these elements in non-mineralised portion are 148 ppm and 11 ppm respectively. Besides enrichment of U, Th, Ba, Pb and Rb and depletion of Sr are observed in mineralized granite in comparison to non-mineralized granite. Hydrothermal alteration has led to the mobility of these elements, which again dependent on the overall geochemical behavior of the migrating fluid. REE and Y in association with uranyl [(UO2)2+] ion were transported as carbonate complexes like [UO2(CO3)3]4- and [REE (CO3)3]3- and were later incorporated into favourable structural loci by precipitating minerals like pitchblende and coffinite.