"Mineralogy and petrology of carbonatites, alkaline rocks and kimberlites"

拟议研究的目标是了解碱性岩石、碳酸盐岩和金伯利岩的起源和演化，以及与其相关的战略性金属经济矿藏。碱性正长岩和过碱性正长岩赋存于锆钛、稀土元素(REE)和磷矿化，碳酸盐赋存稀土、钛、铁、Th、P、F和Nb矿床，金伯利岩为金刚石来源。尽管与普通硅酸盐岩石相比，碱性岩石的体积较小，但它们的母岩浆通常来自地球上地幔比这类岩石更深的地方，通过对它们的矿物学和地球化学研究，可以深入了解岩石圈地幔和软流圈深处发生的交代过程。这项研究包括实验室和实验工作的结合，以及少量的实地工作。实验室工作使用电子束方法(BSE岩相法、能量色散X射线光谱仪、扫描电子显微镜、化学发光等)和X射线衍射法(包括Rietveld法)对矿物及其共生体进行定量分析。二次离子质谱仪和激光烧蚀电感耦合质谱仪用于矿物和熔体包裹体的原位示踪和同位素研究。实验工作包括使用快速淬火水热方法研究不同压力和温度下合成的碳酸盐岩浆模拟物，以及使用PAR反应容器进行低温水热实验，以研究某些含稀有金属矿物的分解。这项工作的成果将是更好地理解导致战略金属矿床形成的过程。这对这类矿床的找矿和评价有一定的参考价值。

The objectives of the proposed research are to understand the origin and evolution of alkaline rocks, carbonatites and kimberlites, together with their associated strategic metal economic mineral deposits. Alkaline and peralkaline syenites are host to Zr, Ti, rare earth element (REE), and P mineralization, carbonates host REE, Ti, Fe, Th, P, F and Nb deposits, and kimberlites are a source of diamond. Although alkaline rocks are of small volume relative to common silicate rocks their parental magmas are typically derived from greater depths in the Earth's upper mantle than those of such rocks, and investigation of their mineralogy and geochemistry provides insights into the metasomatic process occurring in the deeper parts of the lithospheric mantle and the asthenosphere. The research involves a combination of laboratory and experimental work with minor field work. Laboratory work uses electron beam methods (BSE-petrography, energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry, SEM, CL etc) and X-ray diffraction (including Rietveld methods) for quantitative analysis of minerals and their parageneses. Both secondary ion mass spectrometry and laser ablation inductively coupled mass spectrometry are used for in-situ trace and isotopic studies of minerals and melt inclusions. Experimental work includes studies of synthetic analogs of carbonatite magmas at diverse pressures and temperatures using rapid-quench hydrothermal methods, and low temperature hydrothermal experiments using Parr reaction vessels to investigate the decomposition of some rare metal bearing minerals. The outcomes of the work will be a better understanding of the processes which lead to the formation of strategic metal ore deposits. This is of use in prospecting for and evaluation of such ore deposits.