Characterising lithium host minerals within the lateritic duricrust, Greenbushes, Western Australia

Abstract

Whilst detailed geochemical analyses have been conducted to mitigate the complications regolith cover poses to modern exploration efforts, less attention has been directed to the mineralogical associations that exist between lateritic residuum and potentially underlying intrusive-hosted Li-deposits. The characterisation of mineral hosts for Li in the lateritic duricrust would assist exploration efforts within poorly outcropping regions of Australia, by providing early indication and characterisation of potentially concealed deposits. Pisolitic laterite and lateritic duricrust from Greenbushes, Western Australia, was analysed as an example, using a suite of lab and field mineralogical analytics, to understand the regolith mineralogical signature of buried Li ore. The major and minor mineral phases, including the Li host minerals, in the regolith and underlying pegmatites are identified and compared. This provides insight into the distribution and mobility of Li in this setting, and the evolution of the Greenbushes ore deposit.