Caracterização mineralógica com espectroscopia de reflectância por infravermelho (SWIR): exemplo do Complexo máficocarbonatítico Santana, sul do Cráton Amazônico

Abstract

On the border of the Pará and Mato Grosso states, in the Amazonian Craton, municipality of Santana do Araguaia (PA), there is a volcano-plutonism named Santana mafic-carbonatitic complex. This set houses the Serra da Capivara phosphate deposit. A lower mafic-ultramafic member reveals plutono-volcanic lithofacies with pyroxenite, ijolite, apatitite, and alkaline basalt. Autoclastic lithofacies contains poorly selected deposits of massive polymictic breccia, lapilli-tuff, crystal tuff, and ash tuff. Volcanogenic epiclastics rocks cover these lithofacies. The upper carbonatite member contains plutonic lithofacies with coarse calcite-carbonatite (sövite). Fine carbonatite veins with pervasive carbonatic and apatitic alterations crosscut this lithotype. Minor thick apatitite occcurs associated to this member and represents the protore of the deposit. Effusive volcanic lithofacies reveals fine calcite-carbonatite (alvikite) with porphyritic, equigranular, or aphanitic textures. A poorly sorted lithofacies of crystals tuff, lapilli-tuff, and massive polymictic breccia completes this member. Stocks and syenitic dykes invade these lithofacies. Detailed mapping suggests that the complex is a volcanic caldera in which large zones of hydrothermal alterations occur with reddish, brownish red, and yellowish carbonatitic rocks. Petrographic observations reveal paragenesis of barite + fluorapatite + calcite + dolomite ± quartz ± rutile ± chalcopyrite ± pyrite ± monazite ± magnetite ± hematite. The application of short wave infrared spectroscopy (SWIR) revealed the chemical characteristics and their importance in the crystallinity of most of these hydrothermal minerals, such as radicals (OH- and CO3), H2O molecule, and cation-OH bonds such as Al-OH, Mg-OH, and Fe-OH. The main mineral phases identified were dolomite, calcite, serpentine, chlorite, muscovite with low, medium, and high aluminum, montmorillonite (Ca and Na), illite, nontronite (Na0.3Fe2((Si,Al)4O10) (OH)2·nH2O), and epidote. The data suggest a control by temperature, fluids composition, and fluid/rock ratio during the evolution of the Santana mafic-carbonatitic complex. This low-cost exploratory technique, which is applied in hand-held samples or drill holes on a large scale, is promising in characterization of volcano-plutonic centers in regions subjected to severe weathering conditions, as well as helping to develop models for prospecting mineral deposits of Rare Earth Elements (e.g. Nd, La) associated with alkaline-carbonatitic complexes. We can even combine this tool with artificial intelligence algorithms for more robust and faster results.