Abstract
Tantalite, occurring as intergranular tabular crystals, was reported for the first time in the Suzhou granite. Electron microprobe analyses show that it is rich in W and Ti, with a Ta/(Ta + Nb) ratio ranging from 0.5 to 0.73 and a Mn/(Mn + Fe) ratio between 0.20 and 0.40. It is structurally distinct from isomorphic tapiolite by a remarked Ag Raman peak at 880 cm−1. The associated zircon is striking by significant enrichment of Hf, with the HfO2 content amounting up to 35% – 40%. The discovery of tantalite suggests that the Suzhou granite should be classified as a S-type granite instead of A-type as considered previously.
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This project was financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 48900013) and the State Education Commission Foundation for Those Who Have Turned Back from Abroad.
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Wang, R., Xu, S., Francois, F. et al. Tantalite in Suzhou granite: Mineralogy and geological implications. Chin. J. Geochem. 16, 353–358 (1997). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02870920
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02870920