Vinogradov Institute of Geochemistry, SB RAS (Irkutsk, Russia):

Zhaboedov A. P., Junior Researcher, rover2808@yandex.ru
Zimin M. D., Research Engineer, zima.dom@mail.ru
Nepomnyashchikh A. I., Chief Researcher, Doctor of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, Professor, ainep@igc.irk.ru
Sapozhnikov A. N., Senior Researcher, sapozh@igc.irk.ru

The paper presents the results of a comprehensive geochemical and X-ray structural study of quartzite of the Gargan block of East Sayan, aimed at expanding the mineral resource base of high-grade quartz raw materials.Within the region, three quartzite-bearing blocks were established and studied, namely, Urengenursky, Oka-Uriksky, and Urda-Gargansky. A comparison of the blocks rendered the most promising types of quartzites. For each type, a processing flow diagram was developed, taking into account the specific features of their mineral and fluid inclusions and textural and structural characteristics. The concentrations of impurity elements in quartzites and quartz concentrates were established by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Using the results of powder X-ray structural analysis, the crystallinity index of quartz for each type of quartzite was calculated. It was found that high contents of impurities in the initial rock had practically no effect on the crystallinity index and concentration potential. This enables the use of this method for direct comparisons of the crystal structure of quartz grains in quartzites, regardless of the amount of host minerals. Crystallinity index calculations for the quartz structure based on powder X-ray structural analysis data enable efficient and high-quality identification of the most promising types of quartz raw materials due to the inversely proportional relationship between the crystallinity index and the decimal logarithm of the total impurity content in the quartz concentrate.

The study was conducted as part of the state assignment under project IX.125.3.2.

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