Relationship of ore properties and alteration of the Büyük Kuluncak (Malatya) Nb - U - NTE - Zr - Li deposit

Rare Earth Elements (REE) + Niobium (Nb) + Uranium (U) + Zircon (Zr) + Lithium (Li) formations are investigated which are related with alkaline Upper Cretaceous - Lower Paleocene Kuluncak Syenitoid that settled by cutting the Kuluncak ophiolite in the north of Kuluncak (Malatya) town. The alkaline magma-related Büyük Kuluncak REE - Nb - U deposit, which is enriched with regard to rare metals (Nb, Zr, and Rb), is the first economic deposit of our country. The deposit formed related to alkaline characterized foid syenite, sodalite syenite, syenite, alkaline feldspar syenite rocks which intruded into Triassic - Lower Cretaceous limestones of the Domuzdağı Nappe. The REE and fluorites with related elements formed in magmatic rocks, the contact zone of these rocks with limestones, in pegmatitic intrusions and in fluorites formed with the effect of the contact metasomatism. The purpose of this study is to interpret ore properties and the alteration grade of the rocks which formed the deposit. The REE are enriched in argillized and highly argillized samples. However, the REE composition of fresh samples are relatively low. Therefore, the REE are enriched twice or three times due to the effects of alteration and argillization of the hydrothermal fluids in the parent rock and contact metasomatism and alterations that occur both syn- and post-emplacement of syenite.