Geochemical distribution of Li/Be in Pakistan: Implications for Li/Be prospecting

doi:10.13745/j.esf.sf.2024.10.32

Abstract

Abstract:

Lithium (Li) and beryllium (Be) are strategic metal resources with significant applications in emerging industries such as new materials and information technology. Pakistan is located at the convergence of the Eurasian, Indian and Arabian tectonic plates with favorable Li/Be mineralization conditions. However, due to limited geological investigations the full scope of Li/Be resource potential in Pakistan remains unknown. Low-density geochemical survey (1∶1 million scale) is an effective method for the study of Li/Be mineral distribution and rapid delineation of Li/Be prospective areas. In this paper, the geochemical background of Li/Be in Pakistan is analyzed based on a 1∶1 million low-density geochemical survey. Combined with analysis of the geological background of Li/Be mineralization, the paper aims to determine the prospective areas of Li/Be ore deposits to provide a basis for the prospecting and exploration of rare metal resources in Pakistan. In stream sediments of outcrop areas throughout Pakistan, Li concentrations ranged from 1.56 to 118.2 μg/g, with an average of 20.06 μg/g, while Be concentrations ranged from 0.07 to 7.16 μg/g, averaging 1.22 μg/g. Using 92% cumulative frequency data, 18 lithium and 12 beryllium geochemical anomaly areas were delineated, and prospective areas were selected accordingly. The Karakorum terrane and the Himalayan Fold Belt were identified as prospective areas for pegmatite-type lithium ore deposits, while the eastern part of the Chagai magmatic arc was identified for saline brine-type lithium ore deposits. The Karakorum terrane was found to be the most favorable area for further exploration of lithium and beryllium mineral resources.

Key words: lithium and beryllium, rare metals, resource potential, geochemical survey, prospective areas prediction, Pakistan

CLC Number:

P632

HONG Jun, Tahseenullah KHAN, LI Wenyuan, Yasir Shaheen KHALIL, MA Zhongping, ZHANG Jing, WANG Zhihua, ZHANG Huishan, ZHANG Haidi, LIU Chang, Asad Ali NAREJO. Geochemical distribution of Li/Be in Pakistan: Implications for Li/Be prospecting[J]. Earth Science Frontiers, 2025, 32(1): 127-141.

Figures/Tables 10

References 58

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序号	1	2		3	4		5	6		7	8		9	10	11		12	13		14	15		16	17		18	19
频数/%	0.5	1.2		2.0	3.0		4.5	8.0		15	25		40	60	75		85	92		95.5	97		98	98.8		99.5	100
分级	内带		中带			外带			低背景			背景				高背景			外带			中带			内带
异常	负异常								背景										正异常

序号	1	2		3	4		5	6		7	8		9	10	11		12	13		14	15		16	17		18	19
频数/%	0.5	1.2		2.0	3.0		4.5	8.0		15	25		40	60	75		85	92		95.5	97		98	98.8		99.5	100
分级	内带		中带			外带			低背景			背景				高背景			外带			中带			内带
异常	负异常								背景										正异常

元素	样品数/件	最小值/(μg·g^-1)	P2.5/(μg·g^-1)	P25/(μg·g^-1)	P75/(μg·g^-1)	P95/(μg·g^-1)
锂	2 547	1.56	5.09	11.15	20.68	40.13
铍	2 547	0.07	0.27	0.65	1.27	2.48
元素	样品数/件	最大值/(μg·g^-1)	平均值/(μg·g^-1)	标准差/(μg·g^-1)	异常下限/(μg·g^-1)
锂	2 547	118.20	20.06	11.94	43.94
铍	2 547	7.16	1.22	0.70	0.35

元素	样品数/件	最小值/(μg·g^-1)	P2.5/(μg·g^-1)	P25/(μg·g^-1)	P75/(μg·g^-1)	P95/(μg·g^-1)
锂	2 547	1.56	5.09	11.15	20.68	40.13
铍	2 547	0.07	0.27	0.65	1.27	2.48
元素	样品数/件	最大值/(μg·g^-1)	平均值/(μg·g^-1)	标准差/(μg·g^-1)	异常下限/(μg·g^-1)
锂	2 547	118.20	20.06	11.94	43.94
铍	2 547	7.16	1.22	0.70	0.35

元素	单元代号	样品数/件	平均值/ (μg·g^-1)	最小值/ (μg·g^-1)	最大值/ (μg·g^-1)	标准离差/ (μg·g^-1)	均方差/ (μg·g^-1)
锂	1	214	48.61	12.97	83.95	464.46	21.55
	2	600	35.94	1.83	89.44	330.57	18.18
	3	492	15.42	1.96	62.77	61.53	7.84
	4	758	26.18	3.78	68.49	174.90	13.23
	5	290	18.86	4.85	118.16	139.77	11.82
	6	398	19.69	1.96	48.04	52.75	7.26
	7	2 176	24.31	8.86	77.60	179.10	13.38
	8	142	19.38	1.56	79.44	214.60	14.65
铍	1	214	3.92	2.07	7.16	2.48	1.57
	2	600	2.64	0.07	6.13	0.94	0.97
	3	492	1.28	0.26	6.69	0.56	0.75
	4	758	2.03	0.19	6.28	0.94	0.97
	5	290	1.16	0.20	2.72	0.22	0.46
	6	398	0.86	0.08	2.32	0.19	0.44
	7	2 176	1.08	0.37	3.23	0.20	0.45
	8	142	0.90	0.04	3.25	0.41	0.64