Pegmatites REE Granitic pegmatites

What is a Pegmatite? A very coarse grained igneous or metamorphic rock Evans (1993) Two genetic types Metamorphic vs igneous Only Granitic pegmatites form significant ore bodies since they form major concentrations of REE and incompatible elements that otherwise occur only at trace levels.

Granitic Pegmatites: occurance

Occur singularly, fields, belts or provinces Closely associated with late orogenic granitic plutons. Abundant above subduction zones and in orogenic belts Localised in faults systems, lithological or pre-existing contacts Hosted at all crustal levels, shown by their association with all metamorphic grades of rock Generated in a single tectono-magmatic events Associated with all major tectonic events from >3000 Ma to present day

Histogram, age distribution of pegmatites

Classification of granitic pegmatites

General characteristics
Structure and shape - controlled by host rock and degree of fractionation of parent fluid. - Range from dykes, tabular, lenticular, ellipsoidal, to turnip or mushroom shaped also fracture filled Pegmatites can be unzoned or zoned - Zonation is both internal and/or regional Hydrothermal alteration - Core zone of some pegmatites show extensive hydrous and carbonate alteration Internal structure: - Unzoned - Mineralogically simple, uniform in compositon and texture usually metamorphic in origin - Rarely of economic value - Zoned - Nine characteristic mineral zones - Order of zones consistent though not all always present - Increased geochemical complexity will increase the complexity zoning - Four major zones, the core, intermediate, wall and border. - Layered zoned and homogeneous pegmatites are end-members

Pegmatite Zonation
Border to Core

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9.

Plagioclase Quartz Muscovite Plagioclase Quartz Quartz Perthite Plagioclase Perthite Quartz Quartz Perthite Plagioclase Spodumene Amblygonite Quartz Spodumene Quartz Micrcline/Perthite Quartz Lepidolite Li Mica Plagioclase Quartz Microcline

Internal structure of zoned pegmatites

Regional Zoning - Distinct chemical association to parent pluton - Regional zoning also occurs, increasingly fractiuonated groups occur further from parental granite - Distal pegmatites are most intensly fractionated and enriched in incompatible volatiles and REE

Regional zoning in Osis Lake Granite Complex and Rush Lake Pegmatite Group, Manitoba (Canada)

Mineralogy
- Fundmental assemblage is QUARTZ , PERTHITE, ALBITE and accessory MUSCOVITE/BIOTITE. - Complex mineralogy generated due to increased concentrations of REE and Incompatible elements like Be, Li, Sn, (<=1%) - Results in rare minerals such as spodumene, pollucite, beryl, tantalite - Many minerals appear several times in paragenetic sequence due to complex interplay of partition coefficents

Geochemistry
- Bulk composition similar to granite, close to the eutectic point of the Ab-Or-QtzH20 system - Main variations from granitic composition low: Fe, Mg, Ca variable: Na/K high: Li, Be, Cs, Rb, Cs and other REE

- Alteration halo often present around intrusion most intense when wallrock composition differs greatly from pegmatite, but generally fairly limited. - Fluid inclusion data is too specialized to allow generalizations Bulk composition of several economic rare element pegmaties. Note the relatively constant composition [IMAGE NOT AVAILABLE - T10S25]

Models for internal consolidation

- Numerous models proposed due to complexity of pegmatites. Igneous fractionation model is favoured. - Last gasp residual melt of granite plutons. - Pegmatite fluid forced away from parent pluton. cooling & fractionation occurs and possible interaction with host rock. - Crystallization and cooling occurs inwardly from wall zone. - Emplaced in a similar way to other igneous intrusions. Parent phases and crystallisation products during crystallisation of rare element pegmatites [IMAGE NOT AVAILABLE - T10S27]

P-T Conditions

- High P/T experiments by London showed that differences in Li and REE mineralogy is due to P/T conditions - Brecciation evidence for forceful emplacement in some cases due to high % of volatiles. Vugs indicate passive emplacement can occur also - Hydrothermal alteration due to the presence of hydrous and carbonic fluids in the last stages of pegmatite consolidation. - Supergene alteration results in alteration to clay mineralogies. This may result in the formation of large clean kaolin deposits.

Economic Aspects
[IMAGE NOT AVAILABLE - T10S30]

Key aspects for exploration

- Areas with high intrusive activity - Identify regional zoning pattern - Understanding the GEOCHEMISTRY of the field you are exploring - Geochemical surveying

Summary
- Granitic Pegmatites, residual melt of plutons - Highly fractionated magmas are internally zoned

- Occur in fields, belts and provinces that may also be zoned - Large amount of volatiles and REE cause mineralogical complexity - Generatred through igneous fractionation - Important sources of materials for developing technology industries