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Genesis of exceptionally scandium-rich clinopyroxene in magnetite ore at El Laco: Implications for the formation of iron oxide-apatite (IOA) deposits.

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Title: Genesis of exceptionally scandium-rich clinopyroxene in magnetite ore at El Laco: Implications for the formation of iron oxide-apatite (IOA) deposits.
Authors: Xie, Qiuhong1 (AUTHOR) qhxie01@163.com, Zhang, Zhaochong2 (AUTHOR), Simon, Adam3 (AUTHOR), Campos, Eduardo4 (AUTHOR), Hou, Tong2 (AUTHOR), Zhu, Xiangkun1 (AUTHOR), Wang, Yu5 (AUTHOR)
Source: Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta. May2026, Vol. 420, p175-189. 15p.
Subjects: Pyroxene, Magnetite, Ore genesis (Mineralogy), Inclusions (Mineralogy & petrology), Ore deposits
Geographic Terms: Chile
Abstract: As an important global sources of iron, the origin of iron oxide-apatite (IOA) deposits, whether magmatic or hydrothermal, has been a matter of persistent scholarly debate. To explore this issue, we conducted a detailed study of clinopyroxene in ore-hosting andesite, high-temperature hydrothermally altered andesite, and veined magnetite-apatite-clinopyroxene ore from the enigmatic Pliocene El Laco iron deposit in northern Chile, which is recognized as the youngest and best-preserved IOA deposit in the world. New data presented here show that clinopyroxene in magnetite-apatite-clinopyroxene ore at El Laco exhibits exceptionally high Sc concentrations, reaching up to 1476 μg/g (average 476 ± 666 μg/g, 2SD). These data contrast sharply with clinopyroxene from the host andesite and the high-temperature alkali-calcic hydrothermally altered andesite, which exhibit Sc concentrations of 72–174 μg/g (average 128 ± 46 μg/g, 2SD) and predominantly <10 μg/g (average 0.5 ± 0.7 μg/g for clinopyroxene in early-stage alkali-calcic altered andesite and 4.3 ± 20 μg/g for pristine clinopyroxene in late-stage alkali-calcic altered andesite), respectively. In combination with comprehensive statistical analyses of Sc concentrations in clinopyroxene from global magmatic and hydrothermal systems, and the occurrence of abundant fluorapatite and anhydrite ± magnetite inclusions in fluorapatite from veined magnetite-apatite-clinopyroxene ore at El Laco, we propose that the extremely Sc-enriched clinopyroxene, along with its host magnetite ore, precipitated at magmatic temperatures from a magmatic-hydrothermal fluid wherein Sc was dissolved and transported as Sc-sulfate and Sc-fluoride complexes. Notably, magnetite-apatite-clinopyroxene ore and the pervasive alkali-calcic alteration at El Laco likely formed from paragenetically distinct pulses of magmatic-hydrothermal fluids evolved from a common underlying magma plumbing system. This study provides compelling evidence for a magmatic-hydrothermal origin for IOA deposits, invoking multiple pulses of magmatic-hydrothermal fluids, and suggests that IOA deposits could be prospective targets for Sc exploration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Copyright of Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta is the property of Pergamon Press - An Imprint of Elsevier Science and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
Database: Engineering Source
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DbLabel: Engineering Source
An: 193397078
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PubType: Academic Journal
PubTypeId: academicJournal
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  Data: Genesis of exceptionally scandium-rich clinopyroxene in magnetite ore at El Laco: Implications for the formation of iron oxide-apatite (IOA) deposits.
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– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: As an important global sources of iron, the origin of iron oxide-apatite (IOA) deposits, whether magmatic or hydrothermal, has been a matter of persistent scholarly debate. To explore this issue, we conducted a detailed study of clinopyroxene in ore-hosting andesite, high-temperature hydrothermally altered andesite, and veined magnetite-apatite-clinopyroxene ore from the enigmatic Pliocene El Laco iron deposit in northern Chile, which is recognized as the youngest and best-preserved IOA deposit in the world. New data presented here show that clinopyroxene in magnetite-apatite-clinopyroxene ore at El Laco exhibits exceptionally high Sc concentrations, reaching up to 1476 μg/g (average 476 &#177; 666 μg/g, 2SD). These data contrast sharply with clinopyroxene from the host andesite and the high-temperature alkali-calcic hydrothermally altered andesite, which exhibit Sc concentrations of 72–174 μg/g (average 128 &#177; 46 μg/g, 2SD) and predominantly &lt;10 μg/g (average 0.5 &#177; 0.7 μg/g for clinopyroxene in early-stage alkali-calcic altered andesite and 4.3 &#177; 20 μg/g for pristine clinopyroxene in late-stage alkali-calcic altered andesite), respectively. In combination with comprehensive statistical analyses of Sc concentrations in clinopyroxene from global magmatic and hydrothermal systems, and the occurrence of abundant fluorapatite and anhydrite &#177; magnetite inclusions in fluorapatite from veined magnetite-apatite-clinopyroxene ore at El Laco, we propose that the extremely Sc-enriched clinopyroxene, along with its host magnetite ore, precipitated at magmatic temperatures from a magmatic-hydrothermal fluid wherein Sc was dissolved and transported as Sc-sulfate and Sc-fluoride complexes. Notably, magnetite-apatite-clinopyroxene ore and the pervasive alkali-calcic alteration at El Laco likely formed from paragenetically distinct pulses of magmatic-hydrothermal fluids evolved from a common underlying magma plumbing system. This study provides compelling evidence for a magmatic-hydrothermal origin for IOA deposits, invoking multiple pulses of magmatic-hydrothermal fluids, and suggests that IOA deposits could be prospective targets for Sc exploration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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  Data: &lt;i&gt;Copyright of Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta is the property of Pergamon Press - An Imprint of Elsevier Science and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder&#39;s express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.&lt;/i&gt; (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
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RecordInfo BibRecord:
  BibEntity:
    Identifiers:
      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.1016/j.gca.2026.04.003
    Languages:
      – Code: eng
        Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 15
        StartPage: 175
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Pyroxene
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Magnetite
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Ore genesis (Mineralogy)
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Inclusions (Mineralogy & petrology)
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Ore deposits
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Chile
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: Genesis of exceptionally scandium-rich clinopyroxene in magnetite ore at El Laco: Implications for the formation of iron oxide-apatite (IOA) deposits.
        Type: main
  BibRelationships:
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      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Xie, Qiuhong
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          Name:
            NameFull: Zhang, Zhaochong
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            NameFull: Simon, Adam
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            NameFull: Campos, Eduardo
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            NameFull: Hou, Tong
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            NameFull: Zhu, Xiangkun
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            NameFull: Wang, Yu
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          Dates:
            – D: 01
              M: 05
              Text: May2026
              Type: published
              Y: 2026
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            – Type: issn-print
              Value: 00167037
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              Value: 420
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            – TitleFull: Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta
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