Formation of rare-metal (Li, Be, Sn, W) deposits: GFZ

Formation of rare-metal (Li, Be, Sn, W) deposits and the Rumsveld matrix: from unknown knowns and known unknowns to known knowns

Spodumene, quartz, and elbaite-rossmanite crystals from a pocket in a pegmatite at Paprok, Afghanistan discovered in 2021. The different degree of etching (spodumene is strongly etched, quartz somewhat, tourmaline not) indicates presence of a peralkaline fluid in the late stage of the pegmatite evolution. From supplement to Liu et al., 2022 (DOI: 10.2138/am-2021-7909) *(Photo: C. Schmidt, GFZ)*

Mica schist with metamorphic cassiterite from Bockau, Erzgebirge (A). Early cassiterite in prograde biotite (Bt) (B) and later cassiterite in retrograde chlorite (Chl) (C). Qz - quartz. From Romer et al. (2022) *(Photo: R. Romer, GFZ)*

Extremely fractionated granite (albite+quartz+mica, K-feldspar absent) enriched in Li, Be, Sn, F, P, Rb, Cs, Argemela, Portugal. *(Photo: C. Schmidt, GFZ)*

Quartz-wolframite-sulfide vein, level 0, Panasqueira, Portugal. *(Photo: C. Schmidt, GFZ)*

Liu, Y., Schmidt, C., Li, J., Wang, D., Yan, Q., Stammeier, J. A., Sieber, M. J. (2024): The role of protolith composition in the formation of tin-enriched granitic melts: A modeling study using the example of the southwest China tin province. - Ore Geology Reviews, 169, 106094. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.oregeorev.2024.106094

Romer, R. L., Kroner, U., Schmidt, C., Legler, C. (2022): Mobilization of tin during continental subduction-accretion processes. - Geology, 50, 12, 1361-1365. https://doi.org/10.1130/G50466.1

Liu, Y., Schmidt, C., Li, J. (2022): Peralkalinity in peraluminous granitic pegmatites. I. Evidence from whewellite and hydrogen carbonate in fluid inclusions. - American Mineralogist, 107, 2, 233-238. https://doi.org/10.2138/am-2021-7790

Liu, Y., Schmidt, C., Li, J. (2022): Peralkalinity in peraluminous granitic pegmatites. II. Evidence from experiments on carbonate formation in spodumene-bearing assemblages. - American Mineralogist, 107, 2, 239-247. https://doi.org/10.2138/am-2021-7909

Schmidt, C., Gottschalk, M., Zhang, R., Lu, J. (2021): Oxygen fugacity during tin ore deposition from primary fluid inclusions in cassiterite. - Ore Geology Reviews, 139, Part A, 104451.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.oregeorev.2021.104451

Schmidt, C., Romer, R. L., Wohlgemuth-Ueberwasser, C., Appelt, O. (2020): Partitioning of Sn and W between granitic melt and aqueous fluid. - Ore Geology Reviews, 117, 103263. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.oregeorev.2019.103263

Schmidt, C. (2018): Formation of hydrothermal tin deposits: Raman spectroscopic evidence for an important role of aqueous Sn(IV) species. - Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, 220, 499-511. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gca.2017.10.011

Partner

Dr. Melanie Sieber, Universität Potsdam, Institut für Geowissenschaften

Rongqing Zhang, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China

Yongchao Liu, Institute of Mineral Resources, Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences, Beijing, China