Erik Jonsson

Fluorapatite-monazite-allanite relations in the Grängesberg apatite-iron oxide ore district, Bergslagen, Sweden

Abstract Fluorapatite-monazite-xenotime-allanite mineralogy, petrology, and textures are described for a suite of Kiruna-type apatite-iron oxide ore bodies from the Grängesberg Mining District in the Bergslagen ore province, south central Sweden. Fluorapatite occurs in three main lithological assemblages. These include: (1) the apatite-iron oxide ore bodies, (2) breccias associated with the ore bodies, which contain fragmented fluorapatite crystals, and (3) the variably altered host rocks, which contain sporadic, isolated fluorapatite grains or aggregates that are occasionally associated with magnetite in the silicate mineral matrix. Fluorapatite associated with the ore bodies is often zoned, with the outer rim enriched in Y+REE compared to the inner core. It contains sparse monazite inclusions. In the breccia, fluorapatite is rich in monazite-(Ce) ± xenotime-(Y) inclusions, especially in its cores, along with reworked, larger monazite grains along fluorapatite and other mineral grain rims. In the host rocks, a small subset of the fluorapatite grains contain monazite ± xenotime inclusions, while the large majority are devoid of inclusions. Overall, these monazites are relatively poor in Th and U. Allanite-(Ce) is found as inclusions and crack fillings in the fluorapatite from all three assemblage types as well as in the form of independent grains in the surrounding silicate mineral matrix in the host rocks. The apatite-iron oxide ore bodies are proposed to have an igneous, sub-volcanic origin, potentially accompanied by explosive eruptions, which were responsible for the accompanying fluorapatite-rich breccias. Metasomatic alteration of the ore bodies probably began during the later stages of crystallization from residual, magmatically derived HCl- and H2SO4-bearing fluids present along grain boundaries. This was most likely followed by fluid exchange between the ore and its host rocks, both immediately after emplacement of the apatite-iron oxide body, and during subsequent phases of regional metamorphism and deformation.

Redefinition of thalénite-(Y) and discreditation of fluorthalénite-(Y): A re-investigation of type material from the Österby pegmatite, Dalarna, Sweden, and from additional localities

Abstract Using type material from the Österby pegmatite in Dalarna, Sweden, the chemical composition and structural parameters of thalénite-(Y) [ideally Y3Si3O10(OH)] were examined by wavelength dispersive spectroscopy electron microprobe (WDS EMP) analysis and single-crystal X-ray diffraction. High contrast back-scatter electron images of the Österby material show at least two generations of thalénite-(Y). The formula of the primary thalénite-(Y) normalized to 11 anions is (Y2.58Dy0.11Yb0.09Gd0.06Er0.06Ho0.02 Sm0.02Tb0.02Lu0.02Nd0.01Tm0.01)Σ3.00Si3.01O10F0.97OH0.03. The secondary thalénite-(Y), replacing the primary material, is weakly enhanced in Y and depleted in the lightest and the heaviest rare-earth elements, yielding the formula (Y2.63Dy0.12Yb0.06Gd0.06Er0.05Ho0.02Sm0.02Tb0.02Tm0.01Nd0.01Lu0.01)Σ3.00 Si3.01O10F0.98OH0.02. Structural data for thalénite-(Y) from Österby clearly indicate the monoclinic space group P21/n, with a = 7.3464(4), b = 11.1726(5), c = 10.4180(5) Å, β = 97.318(4)°, V = 848.13(7) Å3, Z = 4, which is consistent with previous investigations. The structure was refined from single-crystal X-ray diffraction data to R1 = 0.0371 for 1503 unique observed reflections, and the final chemical composition obtained from the refinement, (Y2.64Dy0.36)Σ3.00F0.987[Si3O10], Z = 4, is in good agreement with the empirical formula resulting from electron microprobe (EMP) analysis. Both techniques reveal a strong dominance of F over OH, which means that the type material actually corresponds to the fluorine analogue. Moreover, new EMP analyses of samples of thalénite-(Y) from an additional seven localities (Å skagen and Reunavare in Sweden; White Cloud and Snow Flake in Colorado, USA; the Guy Hazel claim in Arizona, USA; Suishoyama and Souri in Japan) clearly show the prevalence of F over OH as well. Based on these observations, the Commission on New Minerals, Nomenclature and Classification of the International Mineralogical Association has recommended a redefinition of the chemical composition of thalénite-(Y) to represent the F-dominant species with the ideal formula Y3Si3O10F, as it has historical priority. Consequently, the later described fluorthalénite-(Y) has to be discredited.

Mineralogy, paragenesis, and mineral chemistry of REEs in the Olserum-Djupedal REE-phosphate mineralization, SE Sweden

Abstract The rapidly growing use of rare earth elements and yttrium (REE) in modern-day technologies, not least within the fields of green and carbon-free energy applications, requires exploitation of new REE deposits and deposit types. In this perspective, it is vital to develop a fundamental understanding of the behavior of REE in natural hydrothermal systems and the formation of hydrothermal REE deposits. In this study, we establish a mineralogical, textural, and mineral-chemical framework for a new type of deposit, the hydrothermal Olserum-Djupedal REE-phosphate mineralization in SE Sweden. An early, high-temperature REE stage is characterized by abundant monazite-(Ce) and xenotime-(Y) coexisting with fluorapatite and subordinate amounts of (Y,REE,U,Fe)-(Nb,Ta) oxides. During a subsequent stage, allanite-(Ce) and ferriallanite-(Ce) formed locally, partly resulting from the breakdown of primary monazite-(Ce). Alteration of allanite-(Ce) or ferriallanite-(Ce) to bastnäsite-(Ce) and minor synchysite-(Ce) at lower temperatures represents the latest stage of REE mineral formation. The paragenetic sequence and mineral chemistry of the allanites record an increase in Ca content in the fluid. We suggest that this local increase in Ca, in conjunction with changes in oxidation state, were the key factors controlling the stability of monazite-(Ce) in the assemblages of the Olserum-Djupedal deposit. We interpret the alteration and replacement of primary monazite-(Ce), xenotime-(Y), fluorapatite, and minor (Y,REE,U,Fe)-(Nb,Ta) oxide phase(s), to be the consequence of coupled dissolution-reprecipitation processes. These processes mobilized REE, Th, U, and Nb-Ta, which caused the formation of secondary monazite-(Ce), xenotime-(Y), fluorapatite, and minor amounts of allanite-(Ce) and ferriallanite-(Ce). In addition, these alteration processes produced uraninite, thorite, columbite-(Fe), and uncharacterized (Th,U,Y,Ca)-silicates. Textural relations show that the dissolution-reprecipitation processes affecting fluorapatite preceded those affecting monazite-(Ce), xenotime-(Y), and the (Y,REE,U,Fe)-(Nb,Ta) oxide phase(s). The mineralogy of the primary ore mineralization and the subsequently formed alteration assemblages demonstrate the combined mobility of REE and HFSE in a natural F-bearing high-temperature hydrothermal system. The observed coprecipitation of monazite-(Ce), xenotime-(Y), and fluorapatite during the primary REE mineralization stage highlights the need for further research on the potentially important role of the phosphate ligand in hydrothermal REE transporting systems.

Långbanshyttanite, a new low-temperature arsenate mineral with a novel structure from Långban, Sweden

The new mineral langbanshyttanite was discovered in a specimen from the Langban mine (59.86°N, 14.27°E), Filipstad district, Varmland County, Bergslagen ore province, Sweden. Associated minerals are calcite, Mn-bearing phlogopite, spinels of the jacobsite-magnetite series, antigorite and trigonite. The mineral is named after the old name of the mine, smelter and mining village: Langbanshyttan. Langbanshyttanite is transparent, colourless. It occurs in late-stage fractures or corroded pockets, forming soft, radial and random aggregates (up to 1 mm) of acicular crystals up to 5 × 20 × 400 μm. D calc is 3.951 g/cm 3 . The new mineral is biaxial (+), α = 1.700(5), β = 1.741(5), γ = 1.792(5), 2V (meas.) ≈ 90°, 2V (calc.) = 86°. Dispersion is strong, r v . The IR spectrum is given. The chemical composition is (electron microprobe, mean of five analyses, wt%): PbO 44.71, MgO 3.79, MnO 13.34, FeO 1.89, P 2 O 5 0.65, As 2 O 5 22.90, H 2 O (determined by gas chromatographic analysis of the products of ignition at 1200 °C) 14.4; total 101.68. The empirical formula based on 18 O atoms is: Pb 1.97 Mn 1.85 Mg 0.93 Fe 0.26 (AsO 4 ) 1.96 (PO 4 ) 0.09 (OH) 3.87 ·5.93H 2 O. The simplified formula is: Pb 2 Mn 2 Mg(AsO 4 ) 2 (OH) 4 ·6H 2 O. Single-crystal diffraction data obtained using synchrotron radiation indicate that langbanshyttanite is triclinic, P 1, a = 5.0528(10), b = 5.7671(6), c = 14.617(3) A, α = 85.656(14), β = 82.029(17), γ = 88.728(13)°, V = 420.6(2) A 3 , Z = 1, and is a representative of a new structure type. In the structure, edge-sharing MnO 2 (OH) 4 octahedra form zig-zag columns that are linked by isolated AsO 4 tetrahedra. Pb cations having six-fold coordination are located between the AsO 4 tetrahedra. Isolated Mg(H 2 O) 6 octahedra are located in the inter-block space. The strongest lines of the powder diffraction pattern [ d , A ( I , %) ( hkl )] are: 14.48 (100) (001), 7.21 (43) (002), 4.969 (34) (100, 101), 4.798 (28) (003), 3.571 (54) (112, 1-1-1, 01–3, 11-1), 2.857 (45) (020, 021, 114), 2.800 (34) (11-3). Parts of the holotype specimen are deposited in the Fersman Mineralogical Museum of Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia, with the registration number 4032/1 and in the collections of the Swedish Museum of Natural History, Stockholm, Sweden, under catalogue number NRM 20100076.

On the occurrence of gallium and germanium in the Bergslagen ore province, Sweden

ABSTRACT The presence of the critical and sought-after (semi-)metals gallium (Ga) and germanium (Ge) has previously been reported from mineralisations in the Bergslagen ore province, south central Sweden. Some of these reports were however recently shown to be questionable or erroneous. Here we summarise early analytical work on these metals in mineral deposits of the Bergslagen province, as well as briefly report new analytical data for Ga and Ge from recent, in part on-going work on different mineralisation types. The new data show that the sampled sulphide and iron oxide mineralisations in the Bergslagen province are overall not particularly enriched in Ga, and even less so with regards to Ge. One major exception is the significant Ga enrichment observed in skarn-hosted Fe-REE(-polymetallic) deposits of Bastnäs type. Notably, these mineralisations also host increased contents of Ge. Based on this broader suite of sampled deposits, the suggested correlation between Ga and Al contents in previously studied material with relatively increased Ga grades, is in part contradicted, indicating that Ga is only in part sequestered through straightforward Al-substitution into aluminium silicate and oxide minerals. The mineralisations that do exhibit significantly increased Ge contents, in addition to the Bastnäs-type deposits, are represented by both sulphide-dominated ones and Fe (-Mn) oxide-rich systems.

Roymillerite, Pb24Mg9(Si9AlO28)(SiO4)(BO3)(CO3)10(OH)14O4, a new mineral: mineralogical characterization and crystal chemistry

The new mineral roymillerite Pb24Mg9(Si9AlO28)(SiO4)(BO3)(CO3)10(OH)14O4, related to britvinite and molybdophyllite, was discovered in a Pb-rich assemblage from the Kombat Mine, Grootfontein district, Otjozondjupa region, Namibia, which includes also jacobsite, cerussite, hausmannite, sahlinite, rhodochrosite, barite, grootfonteinite, Mn–Fe oxides, and melanotekite. Roymillerite forms platy single-crystal grains up to 1.5xa0mm across and up to 0.3xa0mm thick. The new mineral is transparent, colorless to light pink, with a strong vitreous lustre. Cleavage is perfect on (001). Density calculated using the empirical formula is equal to 5.973xa0g/cm3. Roymillerite is optically biaxial, negative, αxa0=xa01.86(1), βxa0≈xa0γxa0=xa01.94(1), 2V (meas.)xa0=xa05(5)°. The IR spectrum shows the presence of britvinite-type tetrahedral sheets,

Stable isotope (B, H, O) and mineral-chemistry constraints on the magmatic to hydrothermal evolution of the Varuträsk rare-element pegmatite (Northern Sweden)

{text{CO}}_{3}^{2 - }

Origin of the high-temperature Olserum-Djupedal REE-phosphate mineralisation, SE Sweden: A unique contact metamorphic-hydrothermal system

CO32-,