Compositional Variations of Pyrochlore Group Minerals in Ongonite and Zwitter of the Verkhneurmiysky Pluton, Russian Far East

Abstract

The pyrochlore-group minerals in ongonite and zwitter of the Verkhneurmiysky granite pluton in the Badzhal district, Russian Far East are reported. The composition, genesis, and crystallization sequence are characterized. Three rare species of pyrochlore, pyrochlore-I and pyrochlore-II in ongonite, and pyrochlore-III in zwitter are found for the first time in the Russian Far East. Pyrochlore-I is a possible new member of the pyrochlore group, bismuth-bearing “oxyferropyrochlore”; pyrochlore-II is an uranium-bearing and iron-bearing hydrokenopyrochlore; and pyrochlore-III is a lead-and iron-bearing hydrokenopyrochlore. All three pyrochlore species result from an alteration of early accessory minerals: niobium wolframite, samarskite, ishikawaite, wolframoixiolite, scheelite, and fergusonite. The Far East pyrochlore is characterized by extremely high Ta, W, and Fe contents. Compositional variations in pyrochlore are caused by substitution of Nb, Ta, W at the B site of the crystal structure and exchange of U, Pb, Bi, and Fe at the A site. The Ta, Bi, and Th concentrations decrease during transition from the late magmatic to greisen stage; the mineral forming significance of Nb, W, U, Y, Pb, and H₂O increases as followed: Ta, Nb, Bi, Fe, Th, As, P, Ca, Ti → Nb, Ta, W, U, Fe, HREE, Sc, Mn, Na, H₂O → Nb, Pb, W, Fe, Y, H₂O.