Conference Proceedings
Critical Minerals Conference Proceeding 2025
Conference Proceedings
Critical Minerals Conference Proceeding 2025
Characterisation of lithium pegmatites in the Ajmer Region, Rajasthan - an integrated geochemical, mineralogical, and isotopic approach
India hosts lithium resources primarily in Lithium-Caesium-Tantalum (LCT) type pegmatites, concentrated in Karnataka, Bihar-Jharkhand, Rajasthan, Odisha, and West Bengal. However, the country lacks the domestic lithium production required for future battery production capacity. Characterising mineralised pegmatites and understanding their origin will improve exploration strategies, aid in identifying economic lithium deposits, and reduce India's dependence on future imports. This study focuses on the ajmer region (Rajasthan) pegmatites, where Li-pegmatites are spatially associated with the Neoproterozoic Erinpura granites. Located within the aravalli-Delhi Fold Belt, the ajmer region hosts extensive pegmatite swarms within metasedimentary, metavolcanic, and igneous rocks of the Palaeoproterozoic to Mesoproterozoic Delhi Supergroup. This study applies a multidisciplinary approach to identify and characterise Li-bearing pegmatites across 11 sites by combining field mapping, geochemistry, mineralogy, and isotopic analyses. Geochemical and mineralogical characterisation using X-ray florescence (XRF), X-ray diffraction (XRD), laser induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS), scanning electron microscope (SEM) (automated mineralogy), optical petrography, and hyperspectral analysis confirmed lithium enrichment, with Li2O concentrations reaching up to 5 wt per cent in the assay. The mineral assemblage includes spodumene, lepidolite, beryl, coloured tourmaline, and apatite, indicating advanced magmatic fractionation supported by low K/Rb and K/Cs ratios in the assay data. Preliminary geochronology (U/Th in zircon, Rb/Sr in mica, and K/ar in micas and feldspars) suggests possible temporal relationships between the pegmatites and the surrounding regional granites, offering insights into their mineral system controls. SHRIMP-SIMS (Sensitive High-Resolution lon MicroProbe - Secondary lon Mass Spectrometry) analyses of stable oxygen isotopes (180/15O) in quartz were performed on six pegmatite samples to gain insights into the source of the pegmatite-forming melts. This integrative analytical approach enhances the understanding of pegmatite genesis in ajmer, India. It provides analytical tools to refine exploration strategies, improve vectoring toward fertile pegmatites, and support the identification of economically viable lithium resources in India, while also contributing to the global advancement of lithium pegmatite exploration.
Contributor(s):
M Iglesias-Martinez, R Manton, L Schoneveld, R Wang, E Ramanaidou
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- Published: 2025
- Pages: 2
- PDF Size: 0.1 Mb.
- Unique ID: P-04706-L4M7J0