Research Progresses on Trace Elements in Scheelite and Their Applications for Genesis of Deposits

Scheelite (CaWO4) has a strong resistance to physical and chemical weathering, and its crystal can record important geochemical information, which can be used to infer mineralization processes. In this paper, the distribution characteristics of trace elements in scheelite and their mechanism of entering the scheelite lattice, as well as the distribution behaviors of trace elements between fluid and scheelite, are discussed on the basis of recent research results on scheelite mineral chemistry. The characteristics of molybdenum in scheelite can reflect the oxygen fugacity of mineralization, and europium in scheelite can indicate not only the redox conditions but also the pH change of the mineralizing fluid. In addition, the relationship between the trace element content and the luminescence of scheelite is summarized. The isotopic characteristics of scheelite and their applications in dating and tracing are also introduced. The Sm-Nd dating method is quite mature, but the error is large. In contrast, recently developed U-Pb dating methods have shown good accuracy, but they lack international standards. Finally, the practical applications and related analysis methods of scheelite to address the genesis of deposits are reviewed. In summary, the characteristics of trace elements in scheelite can play an important role in analyzing the genesis of deposits and evaluating the metallogenic potential, and can provide the basis for prospecting exploration and metallogenic prediction. © 2024 Science Press. All rights reserved.