REE-bearing minerals in Drava river sediments, Slovenia, and their potential origin

Abstract

Monazite and xenotime are major ore minerals for rare earth elements (REE), Y, and actinides, a powerful tool for radiometric dating and indicators of the geological genesis of the parent rock. In this contribution, we present results of microanalysis of monazite and xenotime mineral grains found in heavy mineral sand fraction from Drava river. Investigated grains of monazite(-Ce) were found to be exhibiting varying concentrations of Th, indicating mixed hydrothermal (or greenschist-amphibolite grade) and igneous origin. Monazite was found to be isomorphically replaced by cheralite (CaTh(PO4)2) and subordinately by huttonite (ThSiO4), forming monazitecheralite and monazite-huttonite solid Solution. Chemical composition and the degree of isomorphic replacement of monazite grains are indicating their source from rocks of Eclogite belt and Granatspitz massif in Tauern Window, Austria. On the other hand xenotime(-Y) shows consistent concentrations of Y while concentrations of associated heavy rare earth elements (HREE) vary, indicating the origin of mixed affinities.