Mapping REE distribution in scheelite using luminescence

Abstract

In situ laser ablation high resolution ICP-MS analyses of scheelite from hydrothermal veins at the Archaean Mt. Charlotte gold deposit (Western Australia) show inhomogeneous REE distribution at small scale (<100 μm). In a limited number of samples, variations of the cathodoluminescence (CL) colours from blue to yellow are linked to the REE content of scheelite, and reveal oscillatory zoning of the REE with zone widths between 1 μm and 100 μm. However, CL failed to reveal the zoning in most inhomogeneous schelite samples. A nuclear microprobe has been used to characterize the distribution of REE in these samples. No reasonable map for the distribution of REE could be obtained by particle indu..