Geochemistry, Petrogenesis and Exploration of Li-Rich Granite-Pegmatite Systems
A special issue of Minerals (ISSN 2075-163X). This special issue belongs to the section "Mineral Deposits".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 June 2026 | Viewed by 2187
Special Issue Editors
Interests: mineralogy; petrology; geochemistry; economic geology
Interests: exploration geochemistry; exploration targeting; economic geology
2. School of Geography, Environment, and Earth Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand
Interests: exploration geochemistry; economic geology; structural geology
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Lithium-rich granites, and their very coarse (>2 cm)-grained variants, pegmatites (also referred to as lithium–cesium–tantalum (LCT) pegmatites), are magmatic rock types generated from highly evolved, typically peraluminous, silicic melts. The high Li concentrations in granitic melts can accumulate through fractional crystallization leading to Li enrichment in residual melts. Lithium-rich pegmatites can crystallize from the residual melts of larger granitic plutons, or from low-degree partial melting of metasedimentary rocks during high-grade metamorphism (anatexis), where Li mobilizes from the host rock into melts that are emplaced at structurally higher levels. Lithium-rich granite–pegmatites can host a variety of magmatic (e.g., pegmatite) to hydrothermal (e.g., greisen, vein) deposit types containing Li minerals such as spodumene, petalite, eucryptite, amblygonite, lepidolite and zinnwaldite, and are also commonly rich in a range of other rare metals of economic importance (e.g., Be, Cs, Nb, Si, Sn, Ta). Lithium-rich granite–pegmatites have gained notable interest in the past decade due to the demand for battery-grade lithium for the electric vehicle (EV) market and the ‘green transition’. As a result, commercial exploration for Li-rich granite–pegmatite deposits has dramatically increased, and innovation in exploration techniques for targeting such deposit types has also increased. A better understanding of granite–pegmatite systems and further refinement of exploration tools, especially in areas of transported overburden, will be needed to keep pace with the market demand for Li and accompanying rare metals.
The aim of this Special Issue is to spotlight studies on the geochemical and petrological attributes of Li-rich granite–pegmatite systems and their exploration. We look forward to receiving your contributions.
Dr. William Keyser
Dr. Benedikt Steiner
Dr. Benjamin Hines
Guest Editors
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Keywords
- granite and pegmatite
- lithium-cesium-tantalum (LCT)
- residual melts
- highly evolved peraluminous silicic melts
- high-grade metamorphism
- anatexis
- greisen alteration
- spodumene–petalite–lepidolite–zinnwaldite
- incompatible elements
- rare metal exploration
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