METHOD OF PROSPECTING FOR EU-MONAZITE PLACERS Russian patent published in 1995 - IPC

FIELD: geologogeochemical prospecting of placers of the specific thorium-free variety of monazite enriched with europium. SUBSTANCE: method involves taking heavy-concentrate samples from placers disposed in the region of development of black shale masses, sampling of concentrate for the content of Eu-monazite and determining the placer location on the basis of its abnormal contents. But first the samples are taken of black shale bedrocks for the content of Σ TR+Y and CaO then the placers of the nearest wash-down are investigated of only those black-shale masses which are characterized by the values Σ TR+Y ≥ 0,025% CaO ≅ 0,5% Thus, first the potential monazite-bearing capacity of the primary deposits, i.e. Eu-monazite-black-shale masses is determined and the next samples are taken not from all nearest wash-down placers but only from those adjoining the promising deposit. EFFECT: higher efficiency. 1 dwg, 2 tbl