Geochemical Characterization of Mineralized Pegmatites around Wowyen Areas, Akwanga, Northcentral Nigeria

This study aims to account for the petrogenesis and mineralization of pegmatites around the Wowyen area, northcentral basement complex,Nigeria. Field studies, petrography and whole rock geochemistry (Major oxides were estimated by X-Ray Fluorescence while the trace elements were estimated by Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry) where the methods adopted. The pegmatites around Wowyen area are emplaced in the remobilized belt of the Nigerian Basement complex. They are predominantly complex pegmatites (rare-metal pegmatites) which are intruded in the biotite-muscovite gneiss while the simple pegmatites intruded more in the migmatitic banded gneiss. The major components of the complex pegmatites are quartz, albite and muscovite and tourmaline.The accessory constituents are garnet; ilmenites; cassiterite-columbitetantalite oxides in contrast to quartz, microcline and biotite of the simple pegmatites. The complex pegmatites show higher peraluminous than the simple pegmatites, however, higher fractionation is observed in the complex pegmatites than the simple pegmatites. The complex pegmatites are rather enriched in rare elements such as Li, Rb, B, Cs, Sn, Nb, Be and Ta and show low ratios in Al/Ga and K/Rb than the simple pegmatites. The pegmatites are likely product of sedimentary origin and originated from post-collisional tectonic event.

Investigation of Environmental and Biological Effects of Rare Earth Elements (REEs) with a Special Focus on Industrial and Mining Pollutions in Iran: A Review

The present article is a review study on the types of rare earth elements (REEs), environmental and biological effects as well as the sources of emission of these elements as pollution in nature. The purpose of this study is to provide a vision in environmental planning and control of pollution caused by REEs. The evaluation of rare earth elements was studied in human life and its environmental and biological effects, which have particular importance and are entering the life cycle through industrial and mining pollution sources. Since mining activities intensify the dispersion of these elements in the environment and the existence of industrial factories located around urban drainage system plays a unique role in creating and spreading pollution caused by rare earth elements; As a result, two case studies were conducted on two mining and industrial areas. The first case is the Choghart mine in Yazd province as an example of mining pollution,and the second case study is performed on the Kor river as an example of industrial pollution which is caused by industrial activities around it, Then the results are well explained to show both two environments of litho and hydro. Due to this fact that produced environmental pollution can cause exchange pollutant compounds with the surrounding environment besides its long-lasting destructive effects; It can cause irreversible biological effects on living organisms. By targeting this evaluation, several techniques can be proposed to prevent the entry and dispersal of rare earth elements from pollution sources besides methods to reduce the damage of these elements to the ecosystem.