Implications of the structural setting, magma-wallrock interaction and postemplacement evolution of postorogenic carbonatites for their rare-metal (REE, Nb, Zr, U) potential

碳酸盐岩及其成因岩石是稀有金属的重要经济来源。近年来，人们越来越认识到碳酸岩可能具有多种成因，并因其构造环境和地幔来源而表现出根本的差异。碳酸岩的岩石成因与地球化学之间的这种关系至今尚未得到系统的研究。虽然已经认识到一些碳酸岩与造山过程有关，但目前对这种岩浆作用的原因和矿物潜力还不清楚。碳酸盐岩岩石学的其他未充分研究的方面是岩浆-围岩相互作用对稀有金属（稀土元素、Nb、Ta、Zr和U）的运输和封存的影响，以及沉积后过程对碳酸盐岩所含矿体的几何形状和成分的影响。拟议的研究计划将解决这些现有的知识差距，试图确定的主要因素，有助于发展可回收的经济浓度的稀有金属碳酸岩位于造山环境。所提出的方案的新奇在于，它将涉及对来自不同时代造山系统的碳酸岩的系统研究，以及在构造和结构背景下的成岩和成矿分析。该计划将建立在申请人对这些岩石的丰富经验以及他与加拿大，俄罗斯，中国，摩洛哥和欧盟科学家的持续合作基础上。这项研究将包括一个大的培训部分，并将基于多分析方法，以确保不同类型的矿化可以在碳酸盐岩演化的背景下进行解释。这项工作的三个主要成果将是：（1）提高对造山后碳酸岩形成的来源和过程的认识;（2）完善这些岩石所含矿床的勘探标准;（3）培训具有稀有金属勘探专门知识和实地和仪器技术实用知识的高素质人员。马尼托巴大学具有提供此类培训的独特工具能力。

Carbonatites and genetically related rocks are an economically important source of rare metals. In recent years, it has been increasingly recognized that carbonatites may have multiple origins and show fundamental differences specific to their tectonic setting and mantle sources. These relations between the petrogenesis and geochemistry of carbonatites have not been systematically studied to date. Although it has been recognized that some carbonatites are linked to orogenic processes, neither the causes nor mineral potential of this magmatism are presently understood. Other inadequately studied aspects of carbonatite petrology are the effect of magma-wallrock interaction on the transport and sequestration of rare metals (rare-earth elements, Nb, Ta, Zr and U), and the impact of postemplacement processes on the geometry and composition of ore bodies hosted by carbonatites. The proposed research program will address these existing knowledge gaps in an attempt to identify the principal factors that contribute to the development of recoverable economic concentrations of rare metals in carbonatites situated in orogenic settings. The novelty of the proposed program in that it will involve a systematic study of carbonatites from orogenic systems of different age and their petrogenetic and metallogenic analysis in a tectonic and structural context. The program will build on applicant's extensive experience with these rocks and his ongoing collaboration with scientists in Canada, Russia, China, Morocco and the European Union. This research will include a large training component and will be based on a multi-analytical approach to ensure that different styles of mineralization can be interpreted in the context of carbonatite evolution. The three major outcomes of this work will be: (1) an improved understanding of the sources and processes responsible for the formation of postorogenic carbonatites; (2) refined exploration criteria for ore deposits hosted by these rocks, and (3) training of highly qualified personnel with a know-how in rare-metal exploration and practical knowledge of field and instrumental techniques. The University of Manitoba has unique instrumental capabilities for providing this type of training.