Geochemical features and petrogenesis of Miaoya carbonatites, Hubei Province

Abstract

The lens-shaped Miaoya carbonatite complex, located west of the Wudang massif, Hubei Province, consists of several types of carbonatites associated with syenites. According to their composition, the carbonatites can be classified into four types, i. e., sovite, alvikite, carbon-bearing alvikite and ankeritic carbonatite. Their average composition is in agreement with the abundance values for carbonatites compiled by Gold (1966). There are three stages recognizable: the earliest sovite and alvikite followed by carbon-bearing alvikite, with ankeritic carbonatite being the latest. Some rules dominating the distribution of major and rare elements are observed with respect to the evolution of these carbonatites, for example, Nb is essentially enriched in sovite. Except for niobite and ilmenorutile, there are also pyrochlore, nioboeschynite and fersmite. RE are concentrated mainly in ankeritic carbonatite, within which bastnasite, parisite and monazite are found. In general, Ca, Nb, and Sr decrease, while Fe, Mg, Mn, and RE increase from earlier to later stages. It is suggested that the carbonatites are genetically connected with syenitic magma.