Ph.D. student CAO Mingjian and his teacher LI Guangming present abundances of major and trace elements of apatites in granitic rocks associated with different types of ore deposits in Central Kazakhstan on the basis of electron probe microanalysis and laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry.

Their results demonstrate that the concentrations and ratios of elements in apatites from different granitoid rocks show distinct features, and are sensitive to magma evolution, petrogenetic and metallogenetic processes.

The main objectives of their popaper are: (i) to investigate the geochemical characteristics of these elements in apatites from different types of deposits; (ii) to propose a systematic explanation for the major and trace elements in the magmatic and hydrothermal processes; and (iii) to use the chemical composition of apatites as an indicator of the metallogenesis and ore types.

Fig. 1 Map of regional geology and ore deposits distribution of the Central Kazakhstan. (Image by CAO)

Fig. 2 Chondrite-normalized REE patterns of apatites. (Image by CAO)

Cao et al. Major and Trace Element Characteristics of Apatites in Granitoids from Central Kazakhstan: Implications for Petrogenesis and Mineralization. Resource Geology. 2012, 62: 63-83(Download Here)