The main geochemical features of carbonatites

A great deal of data is available on the geochemistry of the carbonatite family as well as diverse sedimentary, metamorphic and endogenic carbonate rocks. The distinctive geochemical features of carbonatites are expressed first of all in their simultaneous enrichment in Sr, Ba, ree and V. Since the carbonatite family is related both to alkaline petrogenesis and a mantle origin, these associations allow distinction of carbonatites from the large variety of other carbonate rocks. At the same time, carbonatites associated with different types of alkaline rocks under different geologic-tectonic settings differ in contents of a number of elements (Sr, Ba, Nb, ree, Pb, Zn, P). These differences permit the geochemical classification of various rock associations of carbonatites. This geochemical classification is of practical interest because the ore productivity of the various associations is different.