SPODUMENE AND BERYL FROM CONȚU LITHIUM - PEGMATITES, CINDREL (CIBIN) MOUNTAINS, CENTRAL GROUP, SOUTH CARPATHIANS, ROMANIA

Abstract

Spodumene, now in the everyday life, represent a critical source of the chemical element known as lithium. For principle reducing emissions of CO2, now and in the future, we can find an alternative resource like green resources – spodumene. The first step is to identify the field with minerals - prospecting, then the second is exploration, and culminates with exploitation. In Romania, we find probably the only fields with lithium pegmatites in Conțu. Pegmatitic bodies are known as Conțu Superior and Conțu Inferior. Spodumene appears in the form of crystals and massive aggregates, with long habitus – prismatic, sometimes tabular, and with dimensions of 25 cm – 70 cm. Its color varies from white–greenish with vitreous luster, to gray – greenish, color due to the alteration processes, which led to the appearance in green – yellow colors on the spodumene has a good cleavage on the plane (010). Spodumene has monoclinic symmetry and C2/c space group (15), and cell parameters: a = 9.466 Å, b = 8.394 Å, c = 5.221 Å. The analytical method (EPMA) indicated a lithium oxide content between 7.43 % and 7.50 %, these percentages were calculated. Beryl (the emerald variety) macroscopically, has a greasy luster, colors in light green to dark green tones, in the mass of quartz and albite. Beryl crystallizes in the hexagonal system, space group P6/mcc (192), and the cell parameters are a = 9.267 Å, b = 9.187 Å. Infrared transmittance spectroscopy indicated the presence of beryl. BeO4 vibrates at frequencies around 900 cm-1 and 1000 cm-1, we find in sample N118, valence vibrations at: 1094 cm-1, 1039 cm-1, and 957 cm-1.