The paper presents the detailed mineralogical and petrographic study of spinel-bearing marbles at the Luc Yen deposit, North Vietnam. The LA-ICP-MS analysis of 74 spinel grains, combined with mineralogical data, allows us to discriminate them into fve types according to mineral assemblages and trace element geochemistry. Forty seven minerals are identifed as inclusions in spinel grains and 38 minerals are described at Luc Yen deposit for the frst time including leonardsenite, tintisite, manasseite, chalcoalumite, cobaltite and spherocobaltite. The mineral assemblages, trace element pattern, and specifc mineral inclusions indicate the involvement of hydrothermal fuids related to magma intrusions in the formation of, at least, two of fve spinel types at the deposit.

We report a new occurrence of preiswerkite, the rare sodium analog of eastonite, the trioctahedral mica, from marble-hosted noble spinel deposits of the Luc Yen district, northern Vietnam. It is found in marble for the first time. The preiswerkite is anhedral and associated with phlogopite, aspidolite, sadanagaite, pargasite, spinel, corundum, dolomite and calcite. The average compositions of preiswerkite is (Na0.88Ca0.08K0.01)Σ0.97(Mg2.29Al0.72Fe0.04)Σ3.05)[(Al1.95Si2.05)Σ4.00O10](OH)2. The compositions of preiswerkite have a narrow range of Mg# values (0.96–0.99) and define a preiswerkite-aspidolite solid-solution series. Compared with other occurrences, the Luc Yen preiswerkite has a low iron content, which attains 0.09 atoms per formula unit (1.53 wt.% FeO). The formation of preiswerkite is favored by the proportion of Mg, Al and Si in the precursor rocks and the increased activity of sodium and H2O in the fluid phase.