MINERALOGY AND ZIRCON AGE OF CARBONATITES OF THE SREDNYAYA ZIMA COMPLEX (EASTERN SAYAN)

Abstract

The Srednyaya Zima alkaline-ultramafic carbonatite complex is located in the Eastern Sayan and is a part of the area of manifestation of Neoproterozoic rare-metal alkaline-carbonatite magmatism along the southern and southeastern margins of the Siberian craton. Mineralogical studies of calciocarbonatites of the Srednyaya Zima complex have shown the presence of primary magmatic mineral phases of calcite, biotite (annite-phlogopite), ilmenite, and fluorapatite. Pyrochlore, zircon, burbankite, magnetite, rutile, titanite, strontianite, and barite were identified of the accessory minerals. The chemical composition of the magmatic minerals of the Srednyaya Zima carbonatites is similar to the mineral composition of the closely aged carbonatite complexes Belaya Zima and Arbarastakh. The rare-element and structural analysis of zircon from carbonatites showed the presence of two zones – a magmatic core and areas of recrystallization. U-Pb dating of igneous zircon showed the age interval of its crystallization – 637±4 Ma, which coincides with the geochronology of the formation of alkali-ultramafic rare-metal complexes along the southern margin of the Siberian craton. The formation of Neoproterozoic alkaline-carbonatite complexes is associated with tectonic events of the breakup of the Rodinia supercontinent.

Keywords

• carbonatites
• nepheline syenites
• neoproterozoic
• rodinia
• zircon
• u-pb
• la icp-ms