Boron, carbon, oxygen and radiogenic isotope investigation of carbonatite from the Miaoya complex, central China: Evidences for late-stage REE hydrothermal event and mantle source heterogeneity

The Miaoya carbonatite complex (MCC) is located within the southern edge of the Qinling orogenic belt in central China, and is associated with significant rare earth element (REE) and Nb mineralization. The MCC consists of syenite and carbonatite that were emplaced within Neo- to Mesoproterozoic-aged supracrustal units. The carbonatite intruded the associated syenite as stocks and dikes, and is mainly composed of medium- to fine-grained calcite and abundant REE-bearing minerals. Carbonatite melt generation and emplacement within the MCC occurred during the Silurian (at ~440 Ma), and was subsequently impacted by a late-stage hydrothermal event (~232 Ma) involving REE-rich fluids/melt. This study reports trace element and stable (B, C, and O) and radiogenic (Nd, Pb, and Sr) isotope data for the MCC carbonatite, and these have been subdivided into three groups that represent different REE contents, interpreted as varying degrees of hydrothermal interaction. Overall, the group of carbonatites with the lowest enrichment in LREEs (i.e., least affected by hydrothermal event) is characterized by δ11B values that vary between −7 (typical asthenospheric mantle) and + 4‰; δ11B values and B abundances (~0.2 to ~1 ppm) do not correlate with LREE contents. The Sm-Nd and Pb-Pb isotope systems have both been perturbed by the late-stage, REE-rich hydrothermal activity and corroborate open-system behavior. Contrarily, initial 87Sr/86Sr ratios (vary between ~0.70355 and 0.70385) do not correlate significantly with both LREEs and Sr abundances, nor with initial 143Nd/144Nd ratios. The late-stage hydrothermal event overprinted the Nd and Pb isotope compositions for most of the carbonatite samples examined here, whereas a majority of the samples preserve their variable B and Sr isotope values inherited from their mantle source. The B and Sr isotope data for carbonatites exhibiting the least LREE enrichment correlate positively and suggest carbonatite melt generation from a heterogenous upper mantle source that records the input of recycled crustal material. This finding is consistent with those previously reported for young (<300 Ma old) carbonatites worldwide.