The study of the mineralogy and Rare Earth Elements (REE) behavior in the hydrothermal alteration zones of the Astaneh granitoid massif (SW Arak, Markazi province, Iran)

The Astaneh granitoid massif is located about 40 km to Arak city, central Iran, is a part of Sanandaj-Sirjan structural Zone. These intrusive rocks which are mainly composed of grnodioritic rocks, widely affected under hydrothermal alteration. The alteration zones, on the basis of field studies and mineralogy as well as the study of the REE behavior, are investigated in this paper. Eight alteration zones including phyllic (sericitic) with quartz, sericite and pyrite; chloritic with quartz, sericite and chlorite; propylitic with chlorite, epidot, calcite and albite; argillic with clay minerals (chlorite and illite); silicic with abundant quartz; albitic with albite, chlorite and quartz; hematitisation with hematite, Fe-carbonates (ankerite and siderite) and tourmalinisation with tourmaline (dravite) are identified. The results demonstrate notable differences in the REE behavior in the different alteration zones. Accordingly, comparison with the fresh rocks, in the phyllic (sericitic) alteration, LREE are enriched, but HREE, except Yb which enriched, unchanged. Also in chloritic alteration zone, LREEs are depleted, but HREEs represent different behaviors. In the argillic and propylitic alteration zones, all REE are depleted, but compared with HREE, the LREE represent more depletion. In the silicic and hematitisation alteration zones, compared with HREE, the LREE are enriched. Finally, in the albitic and tourmalinisation alteration zones all REE are depleted. These features indicate that the behavior of REE in the hydrothermal alteration zones of the Astaneh granitoid rocks is mainly controlled by PH, availability of complexing ions in the fluid as well as the presence of secondary phases as host REE minerals.