Low-Temperature Fluorocarbonate Mineralization in Lower Devonian Rhynie Chert, UK

John Parnell; Temitope O. Akinsanpe; John W. Still; Andrea Schito; Stephen A. Bowden; David K. Muirhead; Joseph G. T. Armstrong

doi:10.3390/min13050595

Low-Temperature Fluorocarbonate Mineralization in Lower Devonian Rhynie Chert, UK

John Parnell^* (Corresponding Author), Temitope O. Akinsanpe, John W. Still, Andrea Schito, Stephen A. Bowden, David K. Muirhead, Joseph G. T. Armstrong

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

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Abstract

Rare earth element (REE) fluorocarbonate mineralization occurs in lacustrine shales in the Lower Devonian Rhynie chert, Aberdeenshire, UK, preserved by hot spring silicification. Mineralization follows a combination of first-cycle erosion of granite to yield detrital monazite grains, bioweathering of the monazite to liberate REEs, and interaction with fluorine-rich hot spring fluids in an alkaline sedimentary environment. The mineral composition of most of the fluorocarbonates is referable to synchysite. Mineralization occurs at the surface, and the host shales subsequently experience maximum temperatures of about 110 ℃. Most fluorocarbonate mineralization originates at much higher temperatures, but the Rhynie occurrence emphasizes that low-temperature deposits are possible when both fluorine and REEs are available from granite into the sedimentary environment.

Original language	English
Article number	595
Number of pages	17
Journal	Minerals
Volume	13
Issue number	5
Early online date	25 Apr 2023
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.3390/min13050595
Publication status	Published - 25 Apr 2023

Bibliographical note

Funding: J.G.T.A was partially funded by the Natural Environment Research Council, grant number NE/T003677/1.
Acknowledgments: We are grateful to W. Ritchie, J. Johnston, and J. Bowie for skilled technicalsupport. Samples were archived by N.H. Trewin, C.M. Rice and S. Fayers.

Keywords

rare earth elements
synchysite
Rhynie chert
Scotland
hot spring

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Parnell_etal_M_Low_Temperature_Fluorocarbonate_VoR
© 2023 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
Final published version, 3.31 MBLicence: CC BY

Cite this

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title = "Low-Temperature Fluorocarbonate Mineralization in Lower Devonian Rhynie Chert, UK",

abstract = "Rare earth element (REE) fluorocarbonate mineralization occurs in lacustrine shales in the Lower Devonian Rhynie chert, Aberdeenshire, UK, preserved by hot spring silicification. Mineralization follows a combination of first-cycle erosion of granite to yield detrital monazite grains, bioweathering of the monazite to liberate REEs, and interaction with fluorine-rich hot spring fluids in an alkaline sedimentary environment. The mineral composition of most of the fluorocarbonates is referable to synchysite. Mineralization occurs at the surface, and the host shales subsequently experience maximum temperatures of about 110 ℃. Most fluorocarbonate mineralization originates at much higher temperatures, but the Rhynie occurrence emphasizes that low-temperature deposits are possible when both fluorine and REEs are available from granite into the sedimentary environment.",

keywords = "rare earth elements, synchysite, Rhynie chert, Scotland, hot spring",

author = "John Parnell and Akinsanpe, {Temitope O.} and Still, {John W.} and Andrea Schito and Bowden, {Stephen A.} and Muirhead, {David K.} and Armstrong, {Joseph G. T.}",

note = "Funding: J.G.T.A was partially funded by the Natural Environment Research Council, grant number NE/T003677/1. Acknowledgments: We are grateful to W. Ritchie, J. Johnston, and J. Bowie for skilled technicalsupport. Samples were archived by N.H. Trewin, C.M. Rice and S. Fayers.",

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T1 - Low-Temperature Fluorocarbonate Mineralization in Lower Devonian Rhynie Chert, UK

AU - Parnell, John

AU - Akinsanpe, Temitope O.

AU - Still, John W.

AU - Schito, Andrea

AU - Bowden, Stephen A.

AU - Muirhead, David K.

AU - Armstrong, Joseph G. T.

N1 - Funding: J.G.T.A was partially funded by the Natural Environment Research Council, grant number NE/T003677/1. Acknowledgments: We are grateful to W. Ritchie, J. Johnston, and J. Bowie for skilled technicalsupport. Samples were archived by N.H. Trewin, C.M. Rice and S. Fayers.

PY - 2023/4/25

Y1 - 2023/4/25

N2 - Rare earth element (REE) fluorocarbonate mineralization occurs in lacustrine shales in the Lower Devonian Rhynie chert, Aberdeenshire, UK, preserved by hot spring silicification. Mineralization follows a combination of first-cycle erosion of granite to yield detrital monazite grains, bioweathering of the monazite to liberate REEs, and interaction with fluorine-rich hot spring fluids in an alkaline sedimentary environment. The mineral composition of most of the fluorocarbonates is referable to synchysite. Mineralization occurs at the surface, and the host shales subsequently experience maximum temperatures of about 110 ℃. Most fluorocarbonate mineralization originates at much higher temperatures, but the Rhynie occurrence emphasizes that low-temperature deposits are possible when both fluorine and REEs are available from granite into the sedimentary environment.

AB - Rare earth element (REE) fluorocarbonate mineralization occurs in lacustrine shales in the Lower Devonian Rhynie chert, Aberdeenshire, UK, preserved by hot spring silicification. Mineralization follows a combination of first-cycle erosion of granite to yield detrital monazite grains, bioweathering of the monazite to liberate REEs, and interaction with fluorine-rich hot spring fluids in an alkaline sedimentary environment. The mineral composition of most of the fluorocarbonates is referable to synchysite. Mineralization occurs at the surface, and the host shales subsequently experience maximum temperatures of about 110 ℃. Most fluorocarbonate mineralization originates at much higher temperatures, but the Rhynie occurrence emphasizes that low-temperature deposits are possible when both fluorine and REEs are available from granite into the sedimentary environment.

KW - rare earth elements

KW - synchysite

KW - Rhynie chert

KW - Scotland

KW - hot spring

U2 - 10.3390/min13050595

DO - 10.3390/min13050595

M3 - Article

SN - 2075-163X

VL - 13

JO - Minerals

JF - Minerals

IS - 5

M1 - 595

ER -

Low-Temperature Fluorocarbonate Mineralization in Lower Devonian Rhynie Chert, UK

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Keywords

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