Investigation on geochemistry and genesis of Qahr-abad fluorite deposit, southeast of Saqqez, Kordestan province

Qahr-abad fluorite deposit is located 58 km southeast of Saqqez, in northwestern Kordestan province and in northern end of Sanandaj-Sirjan Zone. The factors such as change in physicochemical conditions of mineralization environment (pH and Eh), variation in pressure and temperature, alteration, metamorphism, oxidation of organic matters, adsorption, activity and solubility of associated anions, residual enrichment, and leaching of clay minerals have played important roles in distribution of major, trace and rare earth elements as well as development of the deposit. Further geochemical consideration using distribution of rare earth elements indicates that the bulk contents of REE in the samples are few and violet fluorites formed in early-stage mineralization along with enrichment of LREE (as a result of assimilation and replacement of wall rock) and blue and colorless fluorites in the late-stage mineralization along with enrichment of MREE and HREE (as a result of recrystallization and remobilization). The mineralization of violet fluorites in the deposit occurred in a relatively oxidizing-basic condition, while colorless to light yellow and blue to greenish blue fluorites occurred in a relatively reducing-acidic condition. Using Tb/Ca vs. Tb/La diagram, it can be deduced that fluorites are from hydrothermal types and the genetic model for the deposit is as replacement in carbonate rocks.