SU Zhi-liang1, DU Lin1*, GONG Xin1, GUN Min-shan1, WEN Yuan-yun2, LI Yang2
(1. Geological and Mineral Exploration Institute, Non-ferrous Metals and Nuclear Industry Geological Exploration Bureau of Guizhou, Guiyang 550005, China;
2. Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guiyang 550081, China)
Abstract: The Wuchuan-Zheng’an-Daozhen bauxite metallogenic belt in the northern Guizhou is an important bauxite resource area in Guizhou Province. The Xinmin bauxite deposit in Daozhen County is a newly discovered large bauxite deposit with resources of associated critical metals of Li, Ga, Sc, REE and other elements. The bauxite-bearing rocks of the Xinmin bauxite deposit have been chosen for analyzing contents of critical metals of Li, Ga, Sc and REE in order to systematically summarize enrichment characteristics of those critical metals and to evaluate their resource potentials in the deposit. The results show that critical metals of Li, Ga, Sc, REE and other elements are enriched, to varying degrees, in bauxite-bearing rocks in the Xinmin bauxite deposit. On the vertical profile of the bauxite-bearing rock series, Li is enriched in the upper part, Ga is enriched in the middle part, and REE are enriched in the lower part, but Sc contents are limitedly changed among all parts. In terms of rock (ore) types, Li, Ga, and REE are mainly concentrated in bauxite-bearing rocks, bauxite, and chlorite mudstone, respectively. In terms of bauxite types, Li is mainly concentrated in compact bauxite, Ga is relatively concentrated in earthy bauxite, bean and oolitic bauxite, and detrital bauxite, the REE is relatively enriched in compact bauxite and earthy bauxite. However, Sc contents in various types of rocks (ores) are not changed significantly. In the different types of rocks (ores) of the bauxite-bearing rock series in the study area, Li is positively correlated with SiO2, Ga and Sc are positively correlated with Al2O3, TiO2, REE is positively correlated with Fe2O3. However, there is no correlation among Li, Ga, Sc, and REE. The degree of weathering of the original rocks could be one of the key factors controlling the enrichment of these elements. The bauxite-bearing rock series of the Xinmin bauxite deposit have huge resource potential of critical metals of Li, Ga, Sc and REE with great economic values. It is predicted the potential resources of Li, Ga, Sc and REE in the bauxite-bearing rocks of the Xinmin bauxite deposit are about 3.2, 3.8, 669, 2.1 times of their theoretical values of the large scale deposits, respectively.
Keywords: Bauxite-bearing rock series; critical metals; enrichment characteristics; resource potential; Xinmin; Northern Guizhou
ACTA MINERALOGICA SINICA Vol. 41, No.4/5, 2021, page 400-412
