Mineralogy of a Radioactive-Rare Earth Elements Occurrence in the Paleozoic Batholith, South-Central Chile

摘要

South-central Chile has some potential mineral resources including radioactive and rare earth elements (REE) minerals. This study reports some basic characteristics of the mineralogy of a radioactive-rare earth elements occurrence, related to a pegmatitic outcrop “Vertientes Pegmatite” hosted on Paleozoic granitic rocks of the South Coastal Batholith and discusses potential areas for REE deposits, particularly beach placers along the coastline of the BioBío region. In this pegmatite, X-ray diffraction analysis shows uranium-bearing minerals such as coffinite and metaschoepite, along with microcline, anorthoclase, albite, quartz and illite. Through optical microscopy and electron probe micro-analyzer (EPMA), rare earth minerals (monazite and xenotime) and radioactive minerals (thorite and thorium silicate ± uranium) were identified. Additionally, granitic rocks of the South Coastal Batholith around this pegmatite show rare earth minerals (monazite and allanite).