Distribution and Abundance of Rare Earth Elements in Magnetite from Gol-Gohar Iron Ore Deposit, Sirjan, Kerman

Gol-Gohar mining complex, located southwest of Sirjan (Kerman Province) and within the Sanandaj-Sirjan structural zone, has a number of iron-rich deposits that provides 30% of steel demand in the country. The main ore in this deposit is magnetite with subordinate amounts of hematite and accessory pyrite and chalcopyrite phases. Comparison of rare earth element (REE) distribution patterns of Gol-Gohar magnetite with those of magmatic magnetite (Kiruna) and also magnetite associated with granite and basalts show similar enrichment in light REE relative to the heavy REE and negative Eu anomaly. Such features can also be observed in apatite from Kiruna, Iron Spring, Choghar and Esfordi Fe ore deposits, the origin of all of which have been ascribed as magmatic due to a lack REE distribution patterns similar to phosphorites. Based on these characteristics, it seems that the magnetite in Gol-Gohar Fe deposit has dominantly originated from a magmatic fluid.