Mineralogy, Geochemistry and Industrial Applications of Darzi-Vali Bauxite Ores, East of Bukan, NW of Iran

The Darzi-Vali bauxite deposit is located in ~20 km east of Bukan, south of West Azarbaidjan province (NW Iran). This deposit developed as stratiform layers and lenses within carbonate rocks of the Ruteh Formation (middle Permian). The mineralogical studies indicated that the surface waters with oxidizing-acidic nature and the underground waters with reducing-basic nature played an important role during the development and evolution of this deposit. Based on field evidences and geochemical studies, the basaltic rocks are the most probable parent rock of this deposit. Calculations of enrichment factor revealed that the elements of Si, Ca, Mg, Na, K, Mn, Co, Rb and Hf were leached during development of this deposit and the elements of Al, Ti, V, Th, Ga, Zr, Nb, U, and Cr were enriched. This is while the elements of Fe, P, Ni, Ba, and Y have borne leaching-fixation processes. The obtained data indicated that the factors such as adsorption, scavenging, residual concentrations, buffering of weathering solutions by carbonate bedrock, mineralogical control, differences in intense of alteration, organic matter, and fluctuation of underground water tables have played pronounced roles in distribution of major, minor, and trace elements in this deposit. This study also revealed that the Fe-poor and Fe-rich ores of this deposit have appropriate properties for being used in refractory and cement industries, respectively.