A method for locating ore bodies by geochemical indexes of pegmatite-type lithium deposits in the Ke'eryin area, western Sichuan, China

The Ke'eryin area in Sichuan province is one of the large rare metal ore concentration areas in the Songpan–Garze metallogenic belt. Numerous granite pegmatite dikes spread around the Ke'eryin mass. However, locating rare metal dikes in such a large pegmatite field has always been one of t...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: TANG Wenchun, DUAN Wei, ZOU Lin, YANG Guibing, ZHANG Wei, XIONG Guan
Format: Article
Language:zho
Published: Institute of Geomechanics, Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences 2022-10-01
Series:Dizhi lixue xuebao
Subjects:
Online Access:https://journal.geomech.ac.cn//article/doi/10.12090/j.issn.1006-6616.20222812
Description
Summary:The Ke'eryin area in Sichuan province is one of the large rare metal ore concentration areas in the Songpan–Garze metallogenic belt. Numerous granite pegmatite dikes spread around the Ke'eryin mass. However, locating rare metal dikes in such a large pegmatite field has always been one of the challenges in this region. This paper summarized the geochemical element distribution in the Ke'eryin pegmatite and put forward geochemical indexes, e.g., characteristic element indexes, indicator indexes and grade indexes, to locate rare metal ore in the Ke'eryin area based on a systematic petrogeochemical analysis of two-mica granite, pegmatite microcline albite granite, different pegmatite types and typical deposits. Characteristic element indexes include Li, B, Sn, Rb, Be, Nb and Ta, etc. Indicator indexes for lateral variation are Cs, Tl, F, Zr, Y and ΣREE elements as well as values, e.g., TiO2/Ta, Zr/Hf, Ta/Zr, Nb/Ta, K/Na, etc., while indicator indexes for vertical variation include B, U, Zr, Be, Sn, Rb, Sr, Ba, Tl and In, etc. The variation in these indexes can be used to locate rare-metal-mineralized pegmatite, indicating ore bodies in a deep basin. Grade indexes are aluminum saturation index(A/CNK, A/NK)and rittmann index(σ), etc. Li ore grade is positively correlated with aluminum saturation but is negatively correlated with alkalinity. Grade index variation is a good indicator of lithium enrichment in ore bodies.
ISSN:1006-6616