Spodumene from Rare-Metal Pegmatites of the Kolmozerskoe Lithium Deposit (kola Peninsula)

The paper presents data on morphology and chemical composition of spodumene from rare-metal pegmatites of the Kolmozerskoe lithium deposit. Spodumene is the main rock-forming mineral (~ 20 %) and the major Li-bearing mineral in pegmatites. There are three generations of spodumene, and the intraphase heterogeneity of spodumenes of the first and second generations has been detected in the study for the first time. This heterogeneity is appearing in the presence of spots and zones differing by chemical composition — with high and low Fe/Mn ratio: 10.75—17.57 and 4.63—9.80, respectively. Any heterogeneity has not been revealed in the third generation spodumene. The second generation spodumene is the most widespread there, and the Li 2 O content in it varies from 7.11 to 8.08 wt %. As the common distinctive feature, the Kolmozerskoe deposit spodumenes have elevated contents of iron and rubidium in their chemical composition.