Continental hydrothermal sedimentary siliceous rock and genesis of superlarge germanium (Ge) deposit hosted in coal: A study from the Lincang Ge deposit, Yunnan, China

Concentration and distribution of trace elements in lignite from the Shengli Coalfield, Inner Mongolia, China: Implications on origin of the associated Wulantuga Germanium Deposit

“…The Rb/Cs ratio lignites from WGD varies from 0.2 to 2.1, which is similar to that (0.9-2.1) of the Gebearing lignite from Spetsugli Germanium Deposit, Russian Far East (Seredin, 2003) and that (0.74-1.8) of Ge-bearing lignite from LGD, Yunnan, China (Qi et al, 2004), but distinctly lower than that (5.9-9.1) of the sandstone from WGD and that (8.3-9.2) of the lignite from Hongqi Coal Mine, as well as the ratios (8.2-14.0) of the low sulfur Amos coal, Western Kentucky coalfield, USA (Hower et al, 2002) and that (19) of the average coal of the USA (Finkelman, 1993). However, lower Rb/Cs ratios are not the unique characteristics of Ge-bearing lignite.…”

“…Nearly 70% of all 42 samples have U/Th ratios higher than 1, while the remaining samples have U/Th ratios less than 1. Similar ratios (generally higher than 1) also can be found in Ge-bearing lignite from LGD and Luzanovka of GDRFE (Qi et al, 2004;Seredin, 2006). It is found that most coals, as well as sandstone from WGD and upper continental crust (Taylor and McLennan, 1985), have U/Th ratios less than 1: for example, lignite from Hongqi Coal Mine; Amos (Hower et al, 2002); Anatolia (Querol et al, 1997); the average of the USA coals (Finkelman, 1993); thermally metamorphosed bituminous coal (Finkelman et al, 1998); and the Fire Clay coal bed, Eastern Kentucky (Hower et al, 1999).…”

“…12III), but distinctly lower than that (average ratio of 27 lignite samples is up to 459) of the Ge-bearing lignites from LGD (Qi and Hu, 2002;Qi et al, 2004).…”

“…There is abundant literature on Ge occurrence in coal (Weber, 1973;Smimov, 1977;Bouška, 1981;Valkovic, 1983;Bernstein, 1985;Hower et al, 2002;Yudovich, 2003; and the references therein). However, coal-hosted Ge deposits, with unusual reserves N1000 Mt and concentration up to 3000 ppm were reported from three areas: Russian Far East (Seredin and Danilcheva, 2001); the Lincang Ge Deposit, Western Yunnan of China (Zhuang et al, 1998;Qi et al, 2004); and the Wulantuga Ge Deposit, Inner Mongolia, China (Wang, 1999;Qing, 2001;Du et al, 2003Du et al, , 2004Zhuang et al, 2006).…”

“…The geological distribution of Ge contents in the coal seam of WGD are quite different from those of the Lincang Ge Deposit (LGD) (Qi et al, 2004), and Ge deposits (such as Bikin, Pavlovka, Rakovka, and Shkotovo) in the Russian Far East (GDRFE) (Seredin and Danilcheva, 2001), and the genetic mechanism of the WGD needs to be studied. Open pit minning operations are active in Wulantuga, providing an excellent site for detailed sampling and an ideal case for examining the mechanism of Ge enrichment.…”