Rare earth element geochemistry of Cambrian phosphorites from the Yangtze Region

Analysis on P2O5 and REE (rare earth elements) in basal Cambrian phosphorites from the Yangtze Region, showed that the phosphorites from Bailongtan in Yunnan Province, Zhijin, Jinsha, Xishui, Zunyi, Tianzhu and Tongren in Guizhou Province, Shangrao in Jiangxi Province, Jiangshan in Zhejiang Province and Nanjing in Jiangsu Province contained high REE contents in phosphorites, especially those from Tianzhu and Tongren in Guizhou Province, Shangrao in Jiangxi Province, Jiangshan in Zhejiang Province and Nanjing in Jiangsu Province. Among them, the highest REE contents reached up to 1361.59×10−6 and P2O5 contents up to 29.45%. In contrast, phosphorites from Kaiyang, Qingzhen and Zhenyuan in Guizhou Province had relatively low total REE contents and low P2O5 contents, with the lowest total REE content of 53.19×10−6, and the lowest P2O5 content of 0.07%. REE contents exhibited a positive correlation with phosphorous contents, indicating a close genetic relationship between REE and phosphorous element. The main reason was the difference of the sedimentary environments and the contents of phosphorous and REE in deep water mass formed in upwelling currents, at an upper slope facies (Slu) in reducing condition due to relatively closed sedimentary environment. It was very difficult for the upswelling phosphorous and REE to deposit, massive phosphorous deposits were hard to be formed. At a deep water ramp facies (DRa) in the ascending process of currents, phosphorus and REE underwent differentiation rather than sedimentation. Consequently, the contents of P2O5 sediments and REE were low. At a shallow water ramp facies (including shoals and tidal flats) (SRa), with active seawater circulation and phosphatic supplement, sunny weather, high nutrition and rapid growth of algae, were benefitial for the physical enrichment of carbonate sediments. Therefore, massive phosphorite deposits were easy to be formed with abundant REE minerals, and finally turned into high REE bearing phosphorous deposits.