First Data on Noble Metal–Rare Earth Mineralization in Graphite-Bearing Rocks of the Northern Margin of the Khanka Terrain

Abstract

High-carbon rocks at the northern margin of the Khanka terrane (Primorskii krai) have been found to host new occurrences of noble and rare-earth metals: the largest of them is the Filinskoye deposit. The graphite ores, hosting copper-bearing high-grade gold, silver, monazite, xenotime, sulfides, rutile, barite, and uraninite, demonstrate high ties of carbon with gold and rare earths. The graphite demonstrates δ¹³C from–2.1 to–5.5‰, corresponding to the mantle isotope composition. This suggests that the primary sources of the ore-forming system were deep carbon-bearing fluids.