Principal component analysis of rare earth elements in Sechahun iron deposit, central Iran.

Abstract

Principal component analysis (PCA) is a sufficient way for finding the groups of correlated features. In geochemical exploration of precious metals, it helps to cluster the elements. Especially for rare earth elements (REEs), because of multiplicity of parameters, the proposed method helps to have a better interpretation. Geochemical exploration programs aim to find the hidden information about specific element(s), its abundance, its behavior and its relation with minerals and some other elements. REEs are a group of elements with same chemical behavior. However, some chemical characteristics of light rare earth elements (LREEs) and heavy rare earth elements (HREEs) are different. In this study, relationship between these elements was investigated by applying PC analysis method in Kiruna-type iron ore deposit of Se-Chahun in Central Iran. The four first PCs covered the most variances of the REEs. All the elements showed a correlation together with exception of La, Ce, Nd, Yb and Y. Results of PC analysis are related to the anomaly of Rare earth elements. It can be concluded that in anomalous areas, loadings of the principal components are affected by variance and anomalous content of the elements.