Mineral chemistry aspects of radioactive mineralization associated with Zr-, Nb-, and REE-bearing minerals from felsic dikes at Abu Hawis, North Eastern Desert, Egypt

Abstract The exposed rocks in Abu Hawis area, North Eastern Desert (NED), Egypt, consist of tonalite-granodiorite and monzogranite, dissected by post-granite felsic (microgranite rhyolite) mafic (basaltic-andesite) dikes. investigated radioactive minerals Zr-, Nb-, REE-bearing were restricted to dikes having E–W NE–SW trends. Uraninite, uranothorite, thorite occur as the main microgranite dikes, while is represent rhyolite Y 2 O 3 HREE are recorded zircon crystals from whereas HREEs grains below detection limit. Zircon contain high values HfO with up 9.08 wt % owing effect hydrothermal activity. Columbite has Ta/(Ta + Nb) Mn/(Mn Fe) ratios ranging between 0.0052–0.0164 0.0549–0.7010, respectively, which point manganocolumbite composition, except for two spots that show a ferrocolumbite composition. Fergusonite average Nb 5 , reaching 50.3, 22.93, 17.68 wt%, respectively. Monazite both marked enrichment ThO reaches 12.52 wt% first one, total ΣLREE reached 68.5 latter. Parisite chevkinite confined clear LREE averages 53.53 43.75