The highlights of our September issue include a taxonomic assessment of mineral occurrences based on their rarity and uniqueness of paragenesis, a study on the effects of mineral variability on Li contents in the Whabouchi pegmatite, and an assessment on how to correct for mass bias in H and O isotopic analyses in tourmalines by SIMS.In addition, a slew of new minerals are characterized, including two featuring lead, nitroplumbite ([Pb 4 (OH) 4 ](NO 3 ) 4 ) and matthiasweilite (PbTe 4+ O 3 ), plus two featuring siderophile transition metals, pseudodickthomssenite (Mg(VO 3 ) 2 •8H 2 O) and mengeite (Ba(Mg,Mn 2+ ) Mn 3+ 4 (PO 4 ) 4 (OH) 4 •4H 2 O).Our recently most-read publications according to GeoScience World include the following.

Lithium is a critical metal, vital for electrification of transport. Currently, around half the world's lithium is extracted from rare-metal pegmatites and understanding the genesis and evolution of these igneous rocks is therefore essential. This paper focuses on the pegmatites in the Kamativi region of Zimbabwe. A group of early pegmatites is distinguished from a late pegmatite suite which includes the ca. 1030 Ma Main Kamativi Pegmatite. Previously mined for tin, the mine tailings are now being investigated for lithium. Mineral-scale investigation of samples from the Main Kamativi Pegmatite has allowed recognition of a four-stage paragenesis: (1) an early magmatic assemblage dominated by quartz, alkali feldspar, spodumene (LiAlSi2O6) and montebrasite [LiAl(PO4)(OH, F)]; (2) partial alteration by widespread albitization, associated with growth of cassiterite and columbite group minerals; (3) irregular development of a quartz, muscovite, columbite group mineral assemblage; and (4) widespread low-temperature fluid-induced alteration of earlier phases to cookeite, sericite, analcime, and apatite. Whole-rock geochemistry indicates that the late pegmatites are enriched in Li, Cs, Ta, Sn, and Rb but depleted in Nb, Zr, Ba, Sr, and the rare earth elements relative to early pegmatites and country rock granitoids. A combination of field relationships and published dating indicates that the granitoids, and probably the early pegmatites, were emplaced toward the end of the ca. 2000 Ma Magondi Orogeny, whereas the late pegmatites are almost 1000 million years younger. The late pegmatites thus cannot be genetically related to the granitoids and are instead likely to have formed by partial melting of metasedimentary source rocks. The drivers for this melting may be related to crustal thickening along the northern margin of the Kalahari Craton during the assembly of Rodinia.

Cobalt is an essential raw material for lithium-ion batteries used in electric vehicles (EVs).Europe aims to become the world leader in battery production while also developing its own integrated value chain for EVs including mine production.However, European mine production of cobalt, accounted for only 1% of the global total in 2019 [1].There are at least 193 abandoned mines across Europe that are known to contain cobalt [2], showing that historic mine sites can be a potential new source for cobalt exploration in Europe.In this study, samples from the historic Cu-Zn mine in Løkken, Norway have been analysed to investigate the potential recovery of cobalt from the remaining ore and mine waste.The volcanogenic massive sulfide deposit has a cobalt grade of 0.07%, but it was never extracted during 300 years of intermittent mining history and may reside in mine waste.Whole rock geochemistry, scanning electron microscopy and electron microprobe analysis have been conducted to study the cobalt deportment, including the potential recovery of other metals (e.g.silver and gold), and to identify any deleterious elements such as arsenic, that may have a negative impact on the feasibility of reprocessing these materials.The results are compared with samples from a historic copper mine of the same deposit type in Cyprus (Skouriotissa) to identify common features of cobalt deportment in such deposits.Preliminary results from Løkken show that cobalt is dominantly hosted in pyrite and X-ray maps illustrate that it is particularly enriched in certain pyrite growth zones (Figure 1).Arsenic is also dominantly hosted in pyrite and could make metallurgical processing more difficult.However, discrete silver phases have also been identified in the ore and corecovery of silver could make reprocessing more profitable.

Global demand for cobalt is increasing rapidly as we transition to a low-carbon economy. In order to ensure secure and sustainable supplies of this critical metal there is considerable interest in Europe in understanding the availability of cobalt from indigenous resources. This study reviews information on cobalt resources in Europe and evaluates the potential for additional discoveries. Based on published information and a survey of national mineral resource agencies, 509 cobalt-bearing deposits and occurrences have been identified in 25 countries in Europe. Harmonised cobalt resources, classified using the United Nations Framework Classification (UNFC), have been estimated for 151 deposits in 12 countries where data are available. The calculated total resource comprises 1 342 649 tonnes of contained cobalt metal. This includes: 114 638 tonnes in commercial projects with current cobalt extraction; 370 409 tonnes in potentially commercial projects; 111 107 tonnes in historic estimates compliant with modern reporting; and 746 495 tonnes in non-compliant historic estimates. Analysis of these data reveals that cobalt resources are widely distributed across Europe in deposits of several different types. Global mine production of cobalt is dominated by stratiform sediment-hosted copper deposits, magmatic nickel-copper deposits and nickel laterite deposits, but other deposit types may also be significantly enriched in cobalt. In Europe, current cobalt production is derived from three mines in Finland: the magmatic sulfide deposit at Kevitsa; the Kylylahti deposit of volcanogenic massive sulfide (VMS) affinity; and the black shale-hosted deposit at Sotkamo (Talvivaara). This study has identified 104 deposits in Europe that are currently being explored for cobalt, of which 79 are located in Finland, Norway and Sweden. The Fennoscandian Shield and the Caledonian Belt in these countries are high priority exploration terrains for a variety of cobalt-bearing deposits, notably magmatic Ni-Cu-Co deposits. The Svecofennian, Sveconorwegian and the Caledonian orogenies in Fennoscandia also resulted in the formation of several other cobalt-enriched deposit types. These include chiefly metasedimentand metavolcanichosted Co-Cu-Au, VMS, skarn and polymetallic vein deposits. The Kupferschiefer deposits in Poland and Germany are stratiform sediment-hosted Cu deposits with some similarities to the Central African Copperbelt, which is the predominant global producer. However, the cobalt grade in the Kupferschiefer deposits is relatively low (0.005-0.008% Co) and not currently economic to exploit without significant improvement in extraction technology. In the Balkans and Turkey cobalt grades and tonnages are known in 27 nickel laterite deposits, with several containing more than 10 000 tonnes of cobalt metal. Only nickel is currently recovered from these deposits, but new processing technologies such as high-pressure acid leaching could enable cobalt recovery in the future. Small polymetallic cobalt-bearing vein deposits in several European countries have been historic producers of cobalt. Today most are uneconomic, but new technologies and the drive towards locally-sourced raw materials could make them viable future sources of cobalt.

Rare earth elements (REE) are essential raw materials used in modern technology. Current production of REE is dominated by hard-rock mining, particularly in China, which typically requires high energy input. In order to expand the resource base of the REE, it is important to determine what alternative sources exist. REE placers have been known for many years, and require less energy than mining of hard rock, but the REE ore minerals are typically derived from eroded granitic rocks and are commonly radioactive. Other types of REE placers, such as those derived from volcanic activity, are rare. The Aksu Diamas heavy mineral placer in Turkey has been assessed for potential REE extraction as a by-product of magnetite production, but its genesis was not previously well understood. REE at Aksu Diamas are hosted in an array of mineral phases, including apatite, chevkinite group minerals (CGM), monazite, allanite and britholite, which are concentrated in lenses and channels in unconsolidated Quaternary sands. Fingerprinting of pyroxene, CGM, magnetite and zircon have identified the source of the placer as the nearby Gölcük alkaline volcanic complex, which has a history of eruption throughout the Plio-Quaternary. Heavy minerals were eroded from tephra and reworked into basinal sediments. This type of deposit may represent a potential resource of REE in other areas of alkaline volcanism.

Research Article| September 30, 2019 The Kamativi pegmatite: an opportunity for economic development in Zimbabwe? Richard A. Shaw; Richard A. Shaw § British Geological Survey, Keyworth, Nottingham, UK § Corresponding author e-mail address: rashaw@bgs.ac.uk Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Kathryn M. Goodenough; Kathryn M. Goodenough British Geological Survey, Edinburgh, UK Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Eimear A. Deady; Eimear A. Deady British Geological Survey, Edinburgh, UK Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Paul Nex Paul Nex University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Author and Article Information Richard A. Shaw § British Geological Survey, Keyworth, Nottingham, UK Kathryn M. Goodenough British Geological Survey, Edinburgh, UK Eimear A. Deady British Geological Survey, Edinburgh, UK Paul Nex University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa § Corresponding author e-mail address: rashaw@bgs.ac.uk Publisher: Mineralogical Association of Canada First Online: 07 Oct 2019 Online Issn: 1499-1276 Print Issn: 0008-4476 © 2019 Mineralogical Association of Canada The Canadian Mineralogist (2019) 57 (5): 791–793. https://doi.org/10.3749/canmin.AB00023 Article history First Online: 07 Oct 2019 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn MailTo Tools Icon Tools Get Permissions Search Site Citation Richard A. Shaw, Kathryn M. Goodenough, Eimear A. Deady, Paul Nex; The Kamativi pegmatite: an opportunity for economic development in Zimbabwe?. The Canadian Mineralogist 2019;; 57 (5): 791–793. doi: https://doi.org/10.3749/canmin.AB00023 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Refmanager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentBy SocietyThe Canadian Mineralogist Search Advanced Search The last few years have seen a dramatic change in global attitudes to electric vehicles (Evs) with many countries and car manufacturers pledging to switch entirely to Evs before 2040. The expected growth in Evs will lead to a rapid increase in demand for raw materials such as lithium, which is essential for batteries in Evs and domestic energy storage systems. Lithium-cesium-tantalum (LCT) pegmatites are an important source of lithium, currently accounting for about 40% of global supply. Zimbabwe is currently the world's fifth largest lithium producer, after Chile, Argentina, Australia and China, and has substantial lithium resources (USGS... You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.

CCPI, SI) and the abundance of normative corundum (due to alkali leaching) and quartz. From a regional perspective, geophysical surveys and extensive soil geochemistry has identified numerous targets for exploration. At one location, King North, the local stratigraphy and hydrothermal alteration has been reconstructed through extensive RC drilling, petrography, XRD analysis and whole rock geochemistry. Cu–Au–(Zn) mineralisation has been recognised in quartz-muscovite schists with high normative corundum values, and geochemical halos are consistent with proximity to an undiscovered and overturned VHMS system. The recognition of FIII-affinity, high Zr rhyolites further highlight the prospectivity of the area.

Research Article| September 30, 2019 Economic mineralization in pegmatites: comparing and contrasting NYF and LCT examples Kathryn M. Goodenough; Kathryn M. Goodenough § British Geological Survey, Edinburgh, UK § Corresponding author e-mail address: kmgo@bgs.ac.uk Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Richard A. Shaw; Richard A. Shaw British Geological Survey, Keyworth, Nottingham, UK Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Martin Smith; Martin Smith School of Environment and Technology, University of Brighton, UK Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Guillaume Estrade; Guillaume Estrade Geosciences Environnement Toulouse, France Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Eva Marqu; Eva Marqu School of Environment and Technology, University of Brighton, UK Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Cyrielle Bernard; Cyrielle Bernard Geosciences Environnement Toulouse, France Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Paul Nex Paul Nex University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar The Canadian Mineralogist (2019) 57 (5): 753–755. https://doi.org/10.3749/canmin.AB00013 Article history first online: 07 Oct 2019 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn MailTo Tools Icon Tools Get Permissions Search Site Citation Kathryn M. Goodenough, Richard A. Shaw, Martin Smith, Guillaume Estrade, Eva Marqu, Cyrielle Bernard, Paul Nex; Economic mineralization in pegmatites: comparing and contrasting NYF and LCT examples. The Canadian Mineralogist 2019;; 57 (5): 753–755. doi: https://doi.org/10.3749/canmin.AB00013 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Refmanager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentBy SocietyThe Canadian Mineralogist Search Advanced Search Granitic pegmatites can represent superb deposits of rare metals, including some ‘critical metals' that are important for many modern technologies (Linnen et al. 2012, London 2018). Notably, the majority of ore deposits associated with granitic pegmatites are found in LCT pegmatites, which represent many of the world's resources of lithium, tantalum, cesium and beryllium. In contrast, the NYF pegmatites may be enriched in the rare earth elements (REE) and niobium, but they rarely contain economic resources of these metals. Compared with LCT pegmatites, NYF pegmatites have seen relatively little research. This contribution will compare recent work... You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.

Cobalt is a technology metal used in rechargeable batteries, where the growing market for electric vehicles (EVs) is likely to significantly increase demand in the future. However, there are significant supply risks associated with this critical raw material. In Europe, only three mines in Finland currently produce cobalt, meaning that the EU is highly reliant on imports to meet current demand. However, a review of known cobalt deposits and occurrences has revealed that there are many other areas in Europe where cobalt could be produced as a by-product, including: (1) Sediment-hosted Cu deposits in Poland; (2) Ni-laterite deposits in southeastern Europe; and (3) magmatic Ni-Cu-sulfide deposits in Scandinavia. Moreover, secondary resources with high cobalt contents, such as mine tailings and smelter slags, may also have potential to supply additional cobalt. All this information will be used to produce a material flow analysis to gain a better understanding of the cobalt supply chain in Europe, which will cover future supply/demand scenarios that focus on electric vehicles.

The Republic of Liberia in West Africa is underlain mostly by Precambrian rocks of Archaean (Liberian) age in the west and of Proterozoic (Eburnean) age in the east. By analogy with similar terranes elsewhere in the world, and in West Africa in particular, the geology of Liberia is favourable for the occurrence of deposits of a wide range of metals and industrial minerals, including gold, iron ore, diamonds, base metals, bauxite, manganese, fluorspar, kyanite and phosphate. Known gold deposits, mostly orogenic in style, occur widely and are commonly associated with north-east trending regional shear zones. Gold mining commenced at the New Liberty deposit in western Liberia in 2015, while significant gold resources have also been identified at several other sites in both Archaean and Proterozoic terranes. Liberia has large resources of itabirite-type iron ores, most of which are located in the Liberian terrane, and was the largest producer in Africa prior to the onset of civil war in 1989. Production of iron ore is currently restricted to a single mine, Yekepa, in the Nimba Range. Other important deposits, some of them previously mined, include Bong, the Western Cluster, Putu and Goe Fantro. There is a long history of alluvial diamond production in western and central Liberia, together with more than 160 known occurrences of kimberlite. Most of the known kimberlites occur in three clusters of small pipes and abundant dykes, located at Kumgbor, Mano Godua and Weasua, close to the border with Sierra Leone. Many of these are considered to be part of a single province that includes Jurassic age diamondiferous kimberlites in Sierra Leone and Guinea. Deposits and occurrences of a wide range of other metals and industrial minerals are also known. Several of these have been worked on a small scale in the past, mainly by artisanal miners, but most are poorly known in detail with sub-surface information available at only a few localities. By comparison with most other countries in West Africa, the geology of Liberia is poorly known and there has been very little systematic exploration carried out for most commodities other than gold, iron ore and diamonds since the 1960s and 1970s. Further detailed field and laboratory investigations using modern techniques are required to properly evaluate the potential for the occurrence of economic deposits of many minerals and metals in a variety of geological settings. Digital geological, geochemical, geophysical and mineral occurrence datasets, including new national airborne geophysical survey data, provide a sound basis for the identification of new exploration targets, but in almost every part of the country there is a need for new and more detailed geological surveys to underpin mineral exploration.

The Ditrău Igneous Complex (NE Romania) is a tilted Mesozoic layered alkaline intrusion (~19 km diameter), with enrichments in rare earth elements (REE), niobium, tantalum and molybdenum. It has the potential to contribute to a secure and sustainable European REE mining industry, ensuring supply security for these critical metals. The complex comprises layered ultramafic rocks, alkali gabbros, diorites, syenites, nepheline syenites and alkali granites. These units have been significantly modified by sub-solidus interaction with late-stage magmatic fluids and are cut by secondary mafic dykes, which formed after the intrusion solidified. The complex was subsequently cut by REE-mineralised carbonate-rich veins. Geochemical and petrological data, including apatite mineral chemistry, from the alkaline igneous rocks, dykes and veins within the Ditrău Complex, have been used to assess the interplay of magmatic processes with late-stage magmatic and hydrothermal fluids, and the effects of these processes on element remobilisation and concentration of critical metals. Only limited critical metal enrichment was achieved by magmatic processes; the REE were preferentially incorporated into titanite and apatite in ultramafic cumulates during primary crystallisation, and were not enriched in evolved magmas. A hydrothermal system developed within the Ditrău Complex magma chamber at the later stages of magmatic crystallisation, causing localised alteration of nepheline syenites by a sodium-rich fluid. Later mafic dykes subsequently acted as conduits for late stage, buoyant potassic fluids, which leached REE and HFSE from the surrounding syenitic rocks. These fluids percolated up and accumulated in the roof zone, causing the breakdown of nepheline to K-rich pseudomorphs and the precipitation of hydrothermal minerals such as zircon and pyrochlore within veins. REE mineralisation within the Ditrău Complex is hosted in the latest hydrothermal phase, mineralised carbonate-rich veins which cross-cut the complex. Monazite is the main REE-bearing phase which crystallised from a late REE- and carbonate-rich fluid with pH controlled REE deposition.

The Canakli deposit, a part of the Aksu Diamas project in western Turkey, owned by AMR Mineral Metal Inc., has an inferred resource of 494 million tonnes at 0.07% TREO (total rare earth oxide) in u...

"Timing and source of rare earth element mineralisation in the Ditrău alkaline complex, Romania." Applied Earth Science, 126(2), p. 93

Security of supply of a number of raw materials is of concern for the European Union; foremost among these are the rare earth elements (REE), which are used in a range of modern technologies. A number of research projects, including the EURARE and ASTER projects, have been funded in Europe to investigate various steps along the REE supply chain. This paper addresses the initial part of that supply chain, namely the potential geological resources of the REE in Europe. Although the REE are not currently mined in Europe, potential resources are known to be widespread, and many are being explored. The most important European resources are associated with alkaline igneous rocks and carbonatites, although REE deposits are also known from a range of other settings. Within Europe, a number of REE metallogenetic belts can be identified on the basis of age, tectonic setting, lithological association and known REE enrichments. This paper reviews those metallogenetic belts and sets them in their geodynamic context. The most well-known of the REE belts are of Precambrian to Palaeozoic age and occur in Greenland and the Fennoscandian Shield. Of particular importance for their REE potential are the Gardar Province of SW Greenland, the Svecofennian Belt and subsequent Mesoproterozoic rifts in Sweden, and the carbonatites of the Central Iapetus Magmatic Province. However, several zones with significant potential for REE deposits are also identified in central, southern and eastern Europe, including examples in the Bohemian Massif, the Iberian Massif, and the Carpathians.

Many rare metals used today are derived from granitic pegmatites, but debate continues about the origin of these rocks. It is clear that some pegmatites represent the most highly fractionated products of a parental granite body, whilst others have formed by anatexis of local crust. However, the importance of these two processes in the formation of rare-metal pegmatites is not always evident.The Lewisian Gneiss Complex of NW Scotland comprises Archaean meta-igneous gneisses which were highly reworked during accretional and collisional events in the Palaeoproterozoic (Laxfordian orogeny). Crustal thickening and subsequent decompression led to melting and the formation of abundant granitic and pegmatitic sheets in many parts of the Lewisian Gneiss Complex. This paper presents new petrological, geochemical and age data for those pegmatites and shows that, whilst the majority are barren biotite-magnetite granitic pegmatites, a few muscovite-garnet (rare-metal) pegmatites are present. These are mainly intruded into a belt of Palaeoproterozoic metasedimentary and meta-igneous rocks known as the Harris Granulite Belt.The rare-metal pegmatites are distinct in their mineralogy, containing garnet and muscovite, with local tourmaline and a range of accessory minerals including columbite and tantalite. In contrast, the biotite-magnetite pegmatites have biotite and magnetite as their main mafic components. The rare-metal pegmatites are also distinguished by their bulk-rock and mineral chemistry, including a more peraluminous character and enrichments in Rb, Li, Cs, Be, Nb and Ta. New U-Pb ages (c. 1690-1710 Ma) suggest that these rare-metal pegmatites are within the age range of nearby biotite-magnetite pegmatites, indicating that similar genetic processes could have been responsible for their formation.The peraluminous nature of the rare-metal pegmatites strongly points towards a metasedimentary source. Notably, within the Lewisian Gneiss Complex, such pegmatites are only found in areas where a metasedimentary source is available. The evidence thus points towards all the Laxfordian pegmatites being formed by a process of crustal anatexis, with the formation of rare-metal pegmatites being largely controlled by source composition rather than solely by genetic process. This is in keeping with previous studies that have also challenged the widely accepted model that all rare-metal pegmatites are formed by fractionation from a parental granite, and raises questions about the origin of other mineralised pegmatites worldwide. (C) 2016 British Geological Survey, NERC. Published by Elsevier B.V.

"Rare earth element placer deposits and alkaline volcanics: a case study from Aksu Diamas, Çanakli, Turkey." Applied Earth Science, 125(2), pp. 79–80