Rare-Earth Elements (REE) and Mercury in the Historically Important Miguel Burnier Manganese-Ore District, Quadrilátero Ferrífero of Minas Gerais, Brazil

Abstract

The Miguel Burnier manganese (Mn)-ore deposit, located in the Quadrilátero Ferrífero of Minas Gerais, Brazil, has enrichments in the rare-earth elements (REE). Here, this finding is reported. Three types of REE enrichments have been identified in: (1) Cenozoic wad-like diamictite; (2) hydrothermally altered manganiferous mudstone of Cenozoic age; (3) lithiophorite-rich veinlets and pockets within Precambrian itabirite. In the latter, churchite-(Y) [Y(PO₄)·2H₂O] and rhabdophane-(La) [La(PO₄)·H₂O] are the main REE-bearing minerals. Other metals, in particular mercury (Hg), are also enriched, indicating that metalliferous overprint took place during the Cenozoic in a tectonically stable, cratonic terrane.

Keywords

hydrothermal overprint / rare-earth elements / Cenozoic / São Francisco craton / Quadrilátero Ferrífero / Minas Gerais / Brazil

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