Abstract

We performed reconnaissance survey on Dashinchilen Nb-Ta REE area and Sant Cu area which are located in southeastern part of Khangai rare metals mineralized belt. In Dashinchilen area, Nb and Ta have been found in pegmatitic granite that is largely distributed in the survey area and muscovite in pegmatite which is an intrusion in paleozoic sedimentary rocks which are mostly composed of sandstone. While grades of Nb and Ta are not high, an outcrop that has high Th and U contents (542 ppm of Th and 56.9 ppm of U) has been found. Average and maximum REE contents in the survey area is three times and seven times, respectively, larger than average REE contents in the crust of the Earth. In Sant area, copper oxides such as malachite has been found in quartzite in paleozoic sedimentary rocks. A sedimentary rock formation that has high grade of Mn (12.4-34.6 %) has been found in the survey area. This sedimentary rock formation is the same formation with that of Ugii Nuur Fe-Mn mineralization which is located about 200 km northwest of the survey area. Average and maximum REE contents in the survey area is two and half times and seven times, respectively, larger than average REE contents in the crust of the Earth. According to the factor analysis for the data of the geochemical analysis, Nb and Ta in Dashinchilen area are highly correlated with muscovite and Cu in Sant area is highly correlated with Mo, Sn, and Bi. Furthermore, the factor analysis results show that Fe in Sant area was deposited with rare earth elements.

Keywords Mongolia, Khangai, Nb, Ta, Cu