Critical Metals from Magmatic–Hydrothermal and Supergene Systems: From Genesis to Comprehensive Utilization

A special issue of Geosciences (ISSN 2076-3263). This special issue belongs to the section "Geochemistry".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 July 2026 | Viewed by 1622

Special Issue Editors

School of Earth Sciences, Yunnan University, Kunming 650500, China
Interests: rare-metal (Li-Be) mineralization pegmatite; Sn-W-(Indium) mineralizaiton associated with granite; ion-adsorption rare earth element (iREE) deposits

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Geosciences and Info-Physics, Central South University, Changsha 410083, China
Interests: W-Sn deposit; Li-Be deposit; Nb-Ta deposit; highly evolved granite; pegmatite
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Earth Sciences and Resources, Chang’an University, Xi’an 710054, China
Interests: metal stable isotopes; Cu-Ni sulfide deposits; Pb-Zn hydrothemal systems

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Earth Science and Resources, Chang’an University, Xi’an 710054, China
Interests: comprehensive utilization of critical minerals; leaching and extraction; occurrence state of element; industrial minerals valorization

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Critical metals are widely used in emerging industries such as new materials, renewable energy, information technology, aerospace, and national defense. With the rapid advancement of science, technology, and emerging industries, global demand for critical metals is expected to grow sharply in the coming decades, leading to increasingly pronounced supply-demand imbalances. However, the natural reserves of these metals are relatively limited and unevenly distributed, resulting in high supply risks. Therefore, strengthening research on the metallogenesis of critical metals is of great importance for guiding regional exploration of critical mineral resources and ensuring a stable supply of these metals.

In this Special Issue, we focus on magmatic-related mineralization of critical metals, including Li, Be, Sn, W, Ge, In, Cd, Ga, and ion-adsorption rare earth element (iREE), with an emphasis on the sources of ore-forming materials, occurrence states, ore-forming processes, controlling factors, and the links between major geological events and mineralization. It should be noted that the articles focusing on ‘comprehensive utilization’ should emphasize their connection to geological processes. We recommend that authors clearly articulate how their work on extraction or processing is informed by, and linked to, ore-forming processes and mineralogy.

Dr. Xiaohu He
Dr. Yiqu Xiong
Prof. Dr. Chuanwei Zhu
Prof. Dr. Hannian Gu
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Geosciences is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1800 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • critical metal
  • source region
  • occurrence state
  • ore-forming processes
  • controlling factors
  • extraction
  • comprehensive utilization

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • Reprint: MDPI Books provides the opportunity to republish successful Special Issues in book format, both online and in print.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (2 papers)

Order results
Result details
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

19 pages, 20217 KB  
Article
Permian Crustal Reworking and Rare-Metal Mineralization in the Halajun Area, the Southwest Tianshan, NW China
by Haiquan Li, Huanhuan Wu, He Huang, Guoqing Wang, Zhanlin Ge, Ming Liu and Di Hao
Geosciences 2026, 16(5), 181; https://doi.org/10.3390/geosciences16050181 - 1 May 2026
Viewed by 435
Abstract
Permian A-type granites and associated rare-metal mineralization are widespread in the Halajun area, southwestern Tianshan; however, petrogenetic controls on rare-metal enrichment and mineralization remain under-constrained. Here, we integrate zircon and monazite geochronology, whole-rock geochemistry, and zircon Hf-O isotopes from Halajun I and II [...] Read more.
Permian A-type granites and associated rare-metal mineralization are widespread in the Halajun area, southwestern Tianshan; however, petrogenetic controls on rare-metal enrichment and mineralization remain under-constrained. Here, we integrate zircon and monazite geochronology, whole-rock geochemistry, and zircon Hf-O isotopes from Halajun I and II plutons to constrain the origin of these granites and their metallogenic significance. Zircon U–Pb and monazite ages indicate emplacement at 274–273 Ma, coeval with regional magmatism associated with the Tarim large igneous province. Geochemical signatures—high SiO2, alkali, and rare-earth element (REE) contents, enrichment of HFSE (e.g., Nb, Zr, and Hf), coupled with LILE (e.g., Ba and Sr) depletion—classify these granites as highly differentiated alkaline A-type rocks. Positive εHf(t) values and intermediate δ18O compositions of zircons suggest derivation from partial melting of Neoproterozoic lower crust with input from mantle-derived melts, reflecting significant crust–mantle mixing. Magmatic differentiation, in concert with regional crustal reworking driven by mantle plume activity, produced granites enriched in Nb, Ta, Zr, and REEs, which host the rare-metal mineralization in the region. These results indicate that Permian crustal reworking in the southwestern Tianshan was a driver of high-differentiation magmatism and rare-metal enrichment, highlighting the potential of similar A-type granitic systems in Central Asia for rare-metal exploration. Full article
Show Figures

Figure 1

14 pages, 2010 KB  
Article
The Mineral Chemistry Networks of Tin and Tungsten Reflect Metallogenic Events of the Mesozoic
by Eli K. Moore, Shaunna M. Morrison and Amber Hatter
Geosciences 2026, 16(4), 158; https://doi.org/10.3390/geosciences16040158 - 14 Apr 2026
Viewed by 731
Abstract
Continental remobilization is a crucial driver of metallogenesis and the formation of ore deposits. Some of the world’s largest mineral deposits of the economically valuable elements tin (Sn), tungsten (W), gold (Au), copper (Cu), lead (Pb), and zinc (Zn) formed during the Mesozoic [...] Read more.
Continental remobilization is a crucial driver of metallogenesis and the formation of ore deposits. Some of the world’s largest mineral deposits of the economically valuable elements tin (Sn), tungsten (W), gold (Au), copper (Cu), lead (Pb), and zinc (Zn) formed during the Mesozoic Era. Additionally, the chemistry and distribution of the elements Sn and W have been investigated in previous studies to understand planetary formation and differentiation processes. These two elements are largely co-located during certain South China Mesozoic metallogenic events but are not co-located during other time periods in the same regions. Here, we investigated the mineral chemistry network similarities and dissimilarities of Sn and W to understand their mineral formation and distribution during the Mesozoic Era and throughout Earth history. Mineral chemistry network community detection analysis and electronegativity associations among mineral constituent elements of Sn minerals and W minerals indicate that the elements have similar chemistry among their oxide minerals. However, Sn forms a much wider range of minerals that also contain S compared to W, which occurs in a limited number of S-containing minerals. The divergent constituent element interactions among S-containing Sn minerals and W minerals reflect the redox sensitivity and importance of oxygen (O) fugacity in Sn mineral formation. Conversely, extensive W mineral deposits are known to form at both high and low O fugacities. The similarities and differences between the mineral chemistry networks of Sn and W reflect the mineral distribution of the two elements in the Sn-W mineralization event from 160 to 139 Ma vs. the Sn–uranium (U) mineralization event from 125 to 98 million years ago (Ma). The mineral chemistry and distribution of Mesozoic Sn and W deposits illustrate the contrasting importance of redox and O fugacity on the mineral formation of different elements, and the dynamic crustal evolution that took place during this period of Earth history. Full article
Show Figures

Figure 1

Back to TopTop