Genesis, classification, tectonic setting and economic potential of global granitic pegmatites: A review

P.L. Dharmapriya , D.W.M. Disanayaka , H.M.T.G.A. Pitawala , Sanjeewa P.K. Malaviarachchi , N.D. Subasinghe
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Abstract

Granitic pegmatites have attracted a significant interest of petrologists and mineralogists due to their complex genetic characteristics and substantial economic value. Although numerous reviews addressed specific aspects such as genesis, classification, economic potential, and tectonic setting, a comprehensive review integrating all these facets in a single article has been lacking. This study fills that gap by offering a holistic review that synthesizes these key dimensions. It examines prevailing theories on pegmatite genesis, traces the evolution of classification systems, and assesses the economic importance of pegmatites as sources of industrial minerals, strategic metals, and gemstones, as well as their association with different tectonic settings.
The crystallization of the majority of granitic pegmatites is widely acknowledged to occur in the presence of a viscous, volatile-rich polymerized silicate magma, concomitant with supercritical aqueous fluids. Consequently, granitic pegmatites can frequently be conceded as a hybrid rock derived through igneous and hydrothermal processes. Various criteria, such as the emplacement depth of granitic pegmatites, their association with metamorphism and granitic plutons, geochemical signatures, and their relationships with host rocks, have traditionally been employed for the classification of granitic pegmatites. However, none of the classifications has been accepted unequivocally.
Pegmatitic melt is often rich in chemical constituents (including volatiles) that are incompatible in common rock-forming minerals. In addition to rare earth elements, pegmatites are commonly enriched in rare elements such as Li, B, Be, Cs, and Ta. Because they are incompatible in common rock-forming minerals, these elements tend to create specific mineral phases that can host themselves. As a result, the concentration of trace elements such as Li, B, Cs, Ta, and Bi in these bodies are enriched to levels as high as a thousand times higher than the typical crustal abundance.
Granitic pegmatites encompass a diverse array of economic commodities, serving as repositories for industrial minerals and sources for strategic metals like Ta, Cs, Sn, Nb, Be, Sb, W, Co, and rare earth elements. Furthermore, they contribute as reservoirs of fluxing components, including Li, P, F, and B, while serving as sources of precious and semi-precious gemstones and some radioactive minerals. The global distribution of pegmatite ages suggests a linkage between the age of pegmatite formation and supercontinent assembly. The Li, Ce and Ta enriched (LCT) granitic pegmatites form part of the orogenic suites associated with crustal shortening in zones of subduction and instances of continental collision. The Nb, Y, and F-enriched (NYF) pegmatites are mainly interpreted as products of anorogenic suites and formed mainly in extensional settings.
全球花岗质伟晶岩成因、分类、构造背景及经济潜力综述
花岗伟晶岩以其复杂的成因特征和巨大的经济价值引起了岩石学家和矿物学家的极大兴趣。尽管有许多综述讨论了成因、分类、经济潜力和构造背景等具体方面,但在一篇文章中整合所有这些方面的全面综述一直缺乏。这项研究提供了一个综合这些关键维度的整体回顾,填补了这一空白。它考察了伟晶岩成因的流行理论,追溯了分类系统的演变,并评估了伟晶岩作为工业矿物、战略金属和宝石来源的经济重要性,以及它们与不同构造环境的联系。人们普遍认为,大多数花岗伟晶岩的结晶是在粘性的、富含挥发物的聚合硅酸盐岩浆中发生的,并伴有超临界水流体。因此,花岗伟晶岩通常被认为是火成岩和热液作用形成的混合岩。花岗质伟晶岩的定位深度、与变质作用和花岗质岩体的关系、地球化学特征及其与宿主岩石的关系等标准,传统上被用于花岗质伟晶岩的分类。然而,没有一种分类得到明确的接受。伟晶岩熔体通常富含化学成分(包括挥发物),这在普通的造岩矿物中是不相容的。伟晶岩除富含稀土元素外,还富含Li、B、Be、Cs、Ta等稀有元素。因为它们在普通的造岩矿物中是不相容的,这些元素倾向于创造出可以容纳自己的特定矿物相。因此,这些岩石中Li、B、Cs、Ta和Bi等微量元素的富集水平比典型的地壳丰度高1000倍。花岗伟晶岩包含各种各样的经济商品,作为工业矿物的储存库和战略金属的来源,如Ta、Cs、Sn、Nb、Be、Sb、W、Co和稀土元素。此外,它们是Li、P、F和B等助熔剂成分的储层,同时也是珍贵宝石和半珍贵宝石以及一些放射性矿物的来源。伟晶岩年龄的全球分布表明伟晶岩形成年龄与超大陆组合之间存在联系。富李、铈和钽(LCT)花岗伟晶岩是与俯冲带和大陆碰撞实例中地壳缩短有关的造山带的一部分。富铌、富Y、富f伟晶岩主要为造山带的产物,主要形成于伸展环境。
本文章由计算机程序翻译,如有差异,请以英文原文为准。
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