Femolite from the exogenic-epigenetic Khokhlovskoe uranium deposit (Transural Region) and hetero-organic products of its thermochemical transformation

While studying the uranium ores from the exogenic-epigenetic (infiltration) Khokhlovskoe deposit using high-resolution electron microscopy, the original mineralogical and geochemical data were obtained on Fe-bearing molybdenite—femolite (Mo,Fe)S 2 and its transformation products of a similar composition, which were formed during traditional sample preparation. Femolite is transformed into hetero-organic compounds with Mo-Fe-S polymers as inorganic constituent. Among polymer products of femolite transformation, we identified high-Fe molybdenum monosulfide (Mo,Fe)S, as well as compounds of the (Mo,Fe)S-(Mo,Fe)S 2 series termed here as metafemolites. The morphology and internal structure of femolite micropockets and phytomorphs containing hetero-organic Mo-Fe-S polymers are shown together with results of EDS analyses. The possible role of organics in the transfer of molybdenum and the geochemical transformation of Mo(Fe)-sulfides under reducing conditions are discussed.