Geochronology and mineralogy of the Weishan carbonatite in Shandong province, eastern China

The Weishan REE deposit is located at the eastern part of North China Craton (NCC), western Shandong Province. The REE-bearing carbonatite occur as veins associated with aegirine syenite. LA-ICP-MS bastnaesite Th-Pb ages (129 Ma) of the Weishan carbonatite show that the carbonatite formed contemporary with the aegirine syenite. Based on the petrographic and geochemical characteristics of calcite, the REE-bearing carbonatite mainly consists of Generation-1 igneous calcite (G-1 calcite) with a small amount of Generation-2 hydrothermal calcite (G-2 calcite). Furthermore, the Weishan apatite is characterized by high Sr, LREE and low Y contents, and the carbonatite is rich in Sr, Ba and LREE contents. The δ¹³C_V-PDB (-6.5‰ to -7.9‰) and δ¹³O_V-SMOW (8.48‰-9.67‰) values are similar to those of primary, mantle-derived carbonatites. The above research supports that the carbonatite of the Weishan REE deposit is igneous carbonatite. Besides, the high Sr/Y, Th/U, Sr and Ba of the apatite indicate that the magma source of the Weishan REE deposit was enriched lithospheric mantle, which have suffered the fluid metasomatism. Taken together with the Mesozoic tectono-magmatic activities, the NW and NWW subduction of Izanagi plate along with lithosphere delamination and thinning of the North China plate support the formation of the Weishan REE deposit. Accordingly, the mineralization model of the Weishan REE deposit was concluded: The spatial-temporal relationships coupled with rare and trace element characteristics for both carbonatite and syenite suggest that the carbonatite melt was separated from the CO₂-rich silicate melt by liquid immiscibility. The G-1 calcites were crystallized from the carbonatite melt, which made the residual melt rich in rare earth elements. Due to the common origin of G-1 and G-2 calcites, the REE-rich magmatic hydrothermal was subsequently separated from the melt. After that, large numbers of rare earth minerals were produced from the magmatic hydrothermal stage.