Rare earth elements, S and Sr isotopes and origin of barite from Bahariya Oasis, Egypt: Implication for the origin of host iron ores

• Barite mineralizations in the Bahariya Oasis associate the sedimentary iron ores.
• Barites occur as fragmented, interstitial and disseminated.
• A mixed seawater and hydrothermal fluid is suggested for the associated iron ores.
• Bahariya Formation and Basement Complex could be the possible sources of the hydrothermal fluids.
• Similarity in their compositions suggests the simultaneous origin of the three barite types.

Based on their occurrences and relation to the host iron ores, barites are classified into: (1) fragmented barite occurs as pebble to sand-size white to yellowish white barite along the unconformity between the Bahariya Formation and iron ores, (2) interstitial barite is present as pockets and lenses of large and pure crystals inside the iron ores interstitial barite inside the iron ores, and (3) disseminated barite occurs at the top of the iron ores of relatively large crystals of barite embedded in hematite and goethite matrix. In the current study, these barites have been analyzed for their rare earth elements (REE) as well as strontium and sulfur isotopes to assess their source and origin as well as the origin of host iron ores.Barite samples from the three types are characterized by low ΣREE contents ranging between 12 and 21 ppm. Disseminated barite shows relatively lower ΣREE contents (12 ppm) compared to the fragmented (19 ppm) and interstitial (21 ppm) barites. This is probably due to the relatively higher Fe2O3 in the disseminated barite that might dilute its ΣREE content. Chondrite-normalized REE patterns for the three barite mineralizations exhibit enrichment of light rare earth elements (LREE) relative to heavy rare earth elements (HREE) as shown by the high (La/Yb)N ratios that range between 14 and 45 as well as pronounced negative Ce anomalies varying between 0.03 and 0.18. The 87Sr/86Sr ratios in the analyzed samples vary between 0.707422 and 0.712237. These 87Sr/86Sr values are higher than the 87Sr/86Sr ratios of the seawater at the time of barite formation (Middle Eocene with 87Sr/86Sr ratios of 0.70773 to 0.70778) suggesting a contribution of hydrothermal fluid of high Sr isotope ratios. The δ34S values in the analyzed barites range between 14.39‰ and 18.92‰. The lower δ34S ratios in the studied barites compared with those of the seawater at the time of barite formation (Middle Eocene with δ34S ratios of 20–22‰) is attributed to a possible contribution of hydrothermal fluid of low δ34S values that lowered the δ34S values in the studied barites.Rare earth elements distribution and patterns, as well as strontium and sulfur isotopes suggest a mixing of seawater and a hydrothermal fluid as possible sources for barite mineralizations in the Bahariya Oasis. The seawater source is suggested from the low Ce/La ratios, “V” shape of the rare earth patterns and pronounced negative Ce anomalies. On the other hand, the hydrothermal fluid contribution is evident from the low concentrations of rare earth and the deviation in both S and Sr isotopic compositions from those of the seawater during the time of barites formation (Middle Eocene). The relatively heterogeneous Sr and S isotope ratios among the studied barites suggest the Bahariya Formation and Basement Complex as possible sources of the hydrothermal fluids. The similarity in the REE as well as S and Sr isotopic compositions of the three types of barite suggest that they form simultaneously.As the geology and occurrence of the barites suggest a genetic relationship between these barites and the host iron ores, the mixed seawater and hydrothermal sources model of the barites is still applicable for the source of the host iron ores.