Biogeochemical expressions of buried REE mineralization at the Norra Kärr Alkaline Complex, southern Sweden

Biogeochemical exploration is an effective but underutilized method for delineating covered mineralization. Plants are capable of accumulating rare earth elements (REEs) in their tissue, and ferns (pteridophytes) are especially adept because they are one of the most primitive land plants, therefore lack the barrier mechanisms developed by more evolved plants. The Norra Kärr Alkaline Complex, located in southern Sweden approximately 300km southwest of Stockholm, is a peralkaline nepheline syenite enriched in heavy rare earth elements (HREEs). The deposit, roughly 300m wide, 1300m long, and overlain by up to 4 m of Quaternary sediments, has been well-defined by diamond drilling. The inferred REE mineral resource, over 60 million tonnes averaging 0.54% Total Rare Earth Oxide (TREO), is dominantly hosted within the pegmatitic “grennaite” unit, a eudialyte-catapleiite-aegerine nepheline syenite. Vegetation and soil samples were collected from the surficial environment above Norra Kärr to address four key questions: which plant species is the most effective biogeochemical exploration medium; what are the annual and seasonal REE variations in that plant; how do the REEs move through the soil profile; and into which part of the plant are they concentrated. Athyrium filix-femina (lady fern) has the highest concentration of LREEs and HREEs (up to 125.17ppm Ce and 1.03ppm Dy) in its dry leaves; however, there is better contrast between background and anomalous areas in Dryopteris filix-mas (wood fern), which makes it the preferred biogeochemical sampling medium. The REE content in all fern species was shown to decrease from root > frond > stem, and chondrite normalized REE patterns within the plant displayed preferential fractionation of the LREEs in the fronds relative to the roots. Samples collected from an area directly overlying the deposit had up to five times greater HREE content (0.74ppm Dy) in August than the same plants did in June (0.14ppm Dy). The elevated REE content and distinct contrast to background demonstrate that biogeochemical sampling is an effective method for REE exploration in this environment.Science, Faculty ofEarth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences, Department ofGraduat