Characteristics of carbonatites from the northern part of the Korean Peninsula: A perspective from distribution, geology and geochemistry

The present study introduces the carbonatite in the northern part of the Korean Peninsula for the first time. Recent exploration and development of the phosphorus-bearing carbonate rocks in the area have accumulated new geological data which gave us an opportunity to study origin of the carbonate rocks. We conducted geological survey, geochemical analyses of trace elements and rare earth elements, and carbon and oxygen isotope analyses for the carbonatites from Ssangryong, Pungnyon, Yongyu and Puhung districts of the northern part of the Korean Peninsula. This research confirms that the phosphorus-bearing carbonate rocks are carbonatite originating from the mantle. The studied carbonatites are distributed at the junctions of ring and linear structures or around their margins and contain a greater amount of REEs, Y, and Sr than carbonate rocks. The carbonatites in Yongyu and Puhung area show evidence that they were formed from mantle plume generated at the lower mantle and display similar fractionation characteristics to carbonatites in Barrado Itapirapua in Brazil and Kalkfeld and Ondurakorume in Namibia. REE patterns of the carbonatites are typical of carbonatites and the carbon and oxygen isotope analyses demonstrate that the carbonatites were originated from mantle. The carbonatites from the northern part of the Korean Peninsula have a great potential for sources of REE, Y, PGE (platinum group elements), copper, and gold. [Display omitted] •To clarify existence of carbonatites in the north region of Korea peninsula.•To evaluate distribution, geology and geochemistry of carbonatites in the northern region of the Korea peninsula.•Carbonatite occurrences have a good potential of prospecting and development for REE and PGEs.