Abstract:
BACKGROUNDWith the increasing consumption of lithium resources in recent years, the boom of lithium exploration and development has grown worldwide. At present, three main types of lithium deposits have been explored and utilized in the world:brine-type, pegmatite-type and sedimentary-type. Among them, sedimentary-type lithium deposits have important geological significance and economic value due to their huge reserves.
OBJECTIVESTo understand the distribution and status of exploration and development for domestic and foreign sedimentary-type lithium deposits, and provide experience for the exploration of sedimentary-lithium deposits in China.
METHODSThe cores of borehole ZK001 and borehole ZK601 in the Huangjinkou area in Eastern Sichuan Province were continuously sampled and 196 samples were taken. Those samples were used to study lithium enrichment characteristics and depositional environment. Element content of samples was determined by Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS).
RESULTSSedimentary-type lithium deposits were mainly distributed in North America, but a few were distributed in South America and Europe. The ore was mainly composed of clay minerals. The study of cores from Huangjinkou area revealed that lithium was mainly enriched in the anhydrite of the Jialingjiang Formation and the carbonate rocks of the Leikoupo Formation, with a maximum content of 103.25μg/g.
CONCLUSIONSThe enrichment of lithium in the two strata may be due to the dual effects of depositional environment changes and provenance changes, but the specific provenance and occurrence of lithium were still unclear and need further investigation. The discovery of high-lithium strata provide important clues for the exploration of sedimentary-type lithium deposits in the Sichuan Basin, and provide scientific basis for further study on the source, migration, enrichment and occurrence of lithium.
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