Geochemical Studies of Lithium Mineralization in Pegmatites

The increasing strategic importance of Li- and Ta-ores during the last decades due to the strong consumption growth for rechargeable batteries and high temperature and corrosion-resistant capacitors reactivated the interest of studies in pegmatite fields around the world because these rocks supply respectively 25% and 100% of the world consumption in these elements. The study was carried out to determine the Lithium concentration potential of some pegmatites in Komu area. Rock samples were collected from mining pits in the study area. A total of twenty-nine (29) samples were collected. Petrographic and geochemical analysis for major, trace and rare earth elements were carried out on fifteen and ten samples respectively. The trace element data shows enrichment in Li, Ba, Rb, Cs, Sr, Be, with an average of 947.78ppm, 212.67ppm, 693.94ppm, 245.99ppm, 108.3ppm and 13.04ppm respectively, and low concentration of rare earth elements. The pegmatites in the study area are rich in rare-elements and Lithium is highest of all the rare element which further concludes that the pegmatite is of LCT family and of the rare element class.