Development of mineralogical and geochemical exploration techniques for carbonatite-related Nb (±Ta) and REE deposits in the Canadian Cordillera

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dc.contributor.authorMackay, Duncan Alisdair Robert
dc.contributor.supervisorSimandl, George J.
dc.contributor.supervisorCanil, Dante
dc.date.accessioned2015-04-23T16:54:57Z
dc.date.available2016-03-27T11:22:08Z
dc.date.copyright2015en_US
dc.date.issued2015-04-23
dc.degree.departmentSchool of Earth and Ocean Sciences
dc.degree.levelMaster of Science M.Sc.en_US
dc.description.abstractNiobium and rare earth elements (REE) are considered as strategic metals in industrialised countries, and are mainly derived from carbonatite-related deposits. Indicator mineral methods for carbonatites using of portable XRF and Quantitative Evaluation of Materials by Scanning Electron Microscopy (QEMSCAN®), shows promise in exploration for Nb and REE. Portable XRF analysis of stream sediments from the Aley, Lonnie, and Wicheeda carbonatites identified 125-250 μm as the ideal size fraction for indicator mineral studies. QEMSCAN® provides (with no additional processing) detection and characterisation of indicator minerals (when found in high concentrations) from carbonatite deposits. Preconcentration by Mozley C800 separator is recommended for sediment samples with low concentrations of indicator minerals. Discrimination diagrams for pyrochlore supergroup and columbite-tantalite series minerals show that minerals from carbonatites occupy the pyrochlore field and extend slightly into the betafite field. Columbite-tantalite series minerals from carbonatites have Mn/(Mn+Fe) atomic ratios ≤0.25 and Ta/(Ta+Nb) ≤0.20. The compositional fields for pyrochlore supergroup and colubmite-tanatlite series minerals from different deposit types partially overlap.en_US
dc.description.proquestcode0996en_US
dc.description.proquestcode0411en_US
dc.description.proquestcode0372en_US
dc.description.scholarlevelGraduateen_US
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/1828/5991
dc.languageEnglisheng
dc.language.isoenen_US
dc.rightsAvailable to the World Wide Weben_US
dc.rights.tempAvailable to the World Wide Weben_US
dc.subjectIndicator mineralsen_US
dc.subjectExplorationen_US
dc.subjectCarbonatiteen_US
dc.subjectSpecialty metalsen_US
dc.subjectNiobiumen_US
dc.subjectRare earth elementsen_US
dc.titleDevelopment of mineralogical and geochemical exploration techniques for carbonatite-related Nb (±Ta) and REE deposits in the Canadian Cordilleraen_US
dc.typeThesisen_US

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