Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
3.9
2.5
Journals
Minerals
Special Issues
High-Tech Critical Metals: Evaluation and Deposit Models
share announcement

High-Tech Critical Metals: Evaluation and Deposit Models

A special issue of Minerals (ISSN 2075-163X). This special issue belongs to the section "Mineral Deposits".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 May 2019) | Viewed by 28212

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Yasushi Watanabe

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Graduate School of International Resource Sciences, Akita University, 1-1, Tegata-Gakuenmachi, Akita 010-8502, Japan
Interests: ore deposit geology; mineral resources; critical metals; deposit model; resource potential; unconventional resource source; rare earth elements; cobalt; nickel; lithium; galium; germanium
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Our society is dramatically changing to improve daily life, with minimizing the impacts on environment, so that it is more comfortable and convenient. It is exemplified by the fact that many countries are aiming to rapidly replace gasoline and diesel vehicles with electric ones, and this causes new demands for minor metals/minerals, such as rare earths, cobalt, lithium, graphite, etc. However, resource potentials/reserves, geological deposit models, and the extraction technology of these metals and minerals have not been well investigated, and the mining sectors have to struggle to supply these materials. Although the distribution of such critical metals and minerals is highly heterogeneous around the world, and their production is commonly limited to a few places, enormous mineral potentials remain in green fields where they have not been well explored. In this Special Issue, we would like to invite papers that deal with geological models and case studies of critical metals/minerals ore deposits to provide insights for metallurgists, developers and material users.

The first round of submission deadline is 15 February 2019.

Prof. Yasushi Watanabe
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Minerals is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • Deposit model
  • Resource potential
  • Unconventional source
  • Critical metals
  • Rare earth elements
  • Cobalt
  • Nickel
  • Graphite
  • Lithium
  • Galium
  • Magnesite

Published Papers (4 papers)

Download All Papers
Order results
Result details
Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

19 pages, 13415 KiB  
Article
Magnetite Geochemistry of the Jinchuan Ni-Cu-PGE Deposit, NW China: Implication for Its Ore-Forming Processes
by Jiangang Jiao, Feng Han, Liandang Zhao, Jun Duan and Mengxi Wang
Minerals 2019, 9(10), 593; https://doi.org/10.3390/min9100593 - 28 Sep 2019
Cited by 14 | Viewed by 5798
Abstract
The Jinchuan Ni-Cu-PGE deposit is the single largest magmatic Ni-sulfide deposit in the world, with three different hypotheses on its ore-forming processes (e.g., in-situ sulfide segregation of sulfide-bearing magma, deep segregation with multiple injections of magma, and hydrothermal superimposition) mainly based on study [...] Read more.
The Jinchuan Ni-Cu-PGE deposit is the single largest magmatic Ni-sulfide deposit in the world, with three different hypotheses on its ore-forming processes (e.g., in-situ sulfide segregation of sulfide-bearing magma, deep segregation with multiple injections of magma, and hydrothermal superimposition) mainly based on study of whole-rock geochemistry and isotopes (e.g., S-Sr-Nd-Hf). In this study, we mainly concentrated on magnetite textural and geochemical characteristics from different sulfide ores to clarify the genetic types and geochemical difference of the Jinchuan magnetite, and to explore a new credible ore-forming process by magnetite formation process when combined with detailed deposit geology. Three types of magnetite from massive and disseminated sulfide ores were observed by different textural analysis, and they were shown to have different genetic types (mainly in geochemistry) and trace elemental features. Type I magnetite is subhedral to anhedral from massive Ni- (or Fe-) and Cu-rich sulfide ores, with apparent magmatic origin, whereas Type II (dendritic or laminar crystals) and III magnetite (granular crystals as disseminated structures) from disseminated Cu-rich sulfide ores may have precipitated from late stage of melts evolved from a primitive Fe-rich and sulfide-bearing system with magmatic origin, but their geochemistry being typical of hydrothermal magnetite, videlicet, depletions of Ti (< 20 ppm), Al (< 51 ppm), Zr (0.01–0.57 ppm), Hf (0.03–0.06 ppm), Nb (0.01–0.14 ppm), and Ta (0.01–0.21 ppm). Such different types of magnetite can be clearly distinguished from concentrations and ratios of their trace elements, such as Ti, V, Co, Ni, Zn, Zr, Sn, Ga, and Ni/Cr. Those different types of Jinchuan magnetite crystallized from (evolved) sulfide-bearing systems and their geochemistries in trace elements are controlled mainly by evolution of ore-related systems and geochemical parameters (e.g., T and fO2), with the former playing a predominant role. Combining the previous literature with this study, we propose that the Jinchuan deposit formed by multiple pluses of sulfide-bearing magma during fractional crystallization, with the emplacing of more fractionated and sulfide-bearing magma during sulfide segregation playing a predominant role. During this multiple emplacement and evolving of sulfide-bearing systems, Type I magmatic magnetite crystallized from primitive and evolved Fe-rich MSS (monosulfide solid solution), while Type II and III magnetite crystallized from evolved Fe-rich MSS to Cu-rich ISS (intermediate solid solution) during sulfide fractionation, with those Type II and III magnetite having much higher Cu contents compared with that of Type I magnetite. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue High-Tech Critical Metals: Evaluation and Deposit Models)
►▼ Show Figures

Graphical abstract

41 pages, 21795 KiB  
Article
Factors Controlling Hydrothermal Nickel and Cobalt Mineralization—Some Suggestions from Historical Ore Deposits in Italy
by Marilena Moroni, Piergiorgio Rossetti, Stefano Naitza, Lorenzo Magnani, Giovanni Ruggieri, Andrea Aquino, Paola Tartarotti, Andrea Franklin, Elena Ferrari, Daniele Castelli, Giacomo Oggiano and Francesco Secchi
Minerals 2019, 9(7), 429; https://doi.org/10.3390/min9070429 - 12 Jul 2019
Cited by 13 | Viewed by 8936
Abstract
We compare three poorly known, historical Ni–Co-bearing hydrothermal deposits in different geological settings in Italy: The Ni–Co–As–Sb–Au-bearing Arburese vein system (SW Sardinia), the Co–Ni–As-rich Usseglio vein system (Piedmont), and the small Cu–Ag–Co–Ni–Pb–Te–Se stockwork at Piazza (Liguria). These deposits share various (mineralogical, chemical, thermal, [...] Read more.
We compare three poorly known, historical Ni–Co-bearing hydrothermal deposits in different geological settings in Italy: The Ni–Co–As–Sb–Au-bearing Arburese vein system (SW Sardinia), the Co–Ni–As-rich Usseglio vein system (Piedmont), and the small Cu–Ag–Co–Ni–Pb–Te–Se stockwork at Piazza (Liguria). These deposits share various (mineralogical, chemical, thermal, and stable isotopic) similarities to the Five Element Vein-type ores but only the first two were economic for Co–Ni. The Sardinian Ni-rich veins occur in Paleozoic basement near two Variscan plutons. Like the Co-rich Usseglio vein system, the uneconomic Piazza deposit is hosted in an ophiolite setting anomalous for Co. The Sardinian and Usseglio deposits share a polyphasic assemblage with Ni–Co–As–Sb–Bi followed by Ag-base metal sulfides, in siderite-rich gangue, whereas Piazza shows As-free, Ag–Pb–Te–Se-bearing Co–Ni–Cu sulfides, in prehnite–chlorite gangue. Fluid inclusions indicated Co–Ni arsenide precipitation at ≈170 °C for Usseglio, whereas for the Sardinian system late sulfide deposition occurred within the 52–126 °C range. Ore fluids in both systems are NaCl-CaCl2-bearing basinal brines. The chlorite geothermometer at Piazza provides the range of 200–280 °C for ore deposition from CO2-poor fluids. Enrichments in Se and negative δ13C in carbonates suggest interaction with carbonaceous shales. These deposits involve issues about source rocks, controls on Co/Ni and possible role of arsenic and carbonate components towards economic mineralization. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue High-Tech Critical Metals: Evaluation and Deposit Models)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

20 pages, 5965 KiB  
Article
Chemical Characteristics of Zircon from Khaldzan Burgedei Peralkaline Complex, Western Mongolia
by Nergui Sarangua, Yasushi Watanabe, Takuya Echigo and Mihoko Hoshino
Minerals 2019, 9(1), 10; https://doi.org/10.3390/min9010010 - 24 Dec 2018
Cited by 11 | Viewed by 3915
Abstract
The Khaldzan Burgedei peralkaline complex is one of the potential rare metal (Zr–Nb–REE) deposits in Mongolia. The complex consists mainly of quartz syenite and granite, and zircon is the most common accessory mineral in the rocks. Based on texture and mineral paragenesis, zircon [...] Read more.
The Khaldzan Burgedei peralkaline complex is one of the potential rare metal (Zr–Nb–REE) deposits in Mongolia. The complex consists mainly of quartz syenite and granite, and zircon is the most common accessory mineral in the rocks. Based on texture and mineral paragenesis, zircon is classified into three types. Type-I zircons in the quartz syenite and granite are generally isolated and euhedral to subhedral, 25–100 μm in size, enclosed by albite, K-feldspar, and quartz. Type-II zircons occur as subhedral to euhedral 20–150 μm grains, with quartz, and fluorite in the metasomatized zone in the quartz syenite as well as an upper part of the granite near the contact with the quartz syenite. These zircons contain porous core parts (Type-I) or remnants of corroded xenotime-(Y) and synchysite-(Ce). Type-III zircons are observed in the hydrothermally altered zone in quartz syenite and pegmatite. These zircons are anhedral, fine-grained, 10–30 μm in size, and occur in amphibole pseudomorphs which were replaced by quartz, fluorite, chlorite, and hematite. Laser Raman spectra show that Type-I and Type-II zircons contain high amounts of water. Among these, three types of zircons, Type-II zircons are most enriched in REE, Nb, and Th. The texture and composition of the three types of zircons indicate that Type-I, Type-II, and Type-III zircons are magmatic, metasomatic and late hydrothermal in origin, respectively, and they experienced remobilization and recrystallization during the transition from a magmatic to a hydrothermal system. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue High-Tech Critical Metals: Evaluation and Deposit Models)
►▼ Show Figures

Graphical abstract

15 pages, 5364 KiB  
Article
Kriging Interpolation for Evaluating the Mineral Resources of Cobalt-Rich Crusts on Magellan Seamounts
by Dewen Du, Shijuan Yan, Fengli Yang, Zhiwei Zhu, Qinglei Song and Gang Yang
Minerals 2018, 8(9), 374; https://doi.org/10.3390/min8090374 - 29 Aug 2018
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 8840
Abstract
The evaluation of mineral resources on seamounts by geostatistics faces two key challenges. First, the conventional distance/orientation- and the simple distance-based variogram functions used are ineffective at expressing the spatial self-correlation and continuity of cobalt-rich crust thicknesses on seamounts. Second, the sampling stations [...] Read more.
The evaluation of mineral resources on seamounts by geostatistics faces two key challenges. First, the conventional distance/orientation- and the simple distance-based variogram functions used are ineffective at expressing the spatial self-correlation and continuity of cobalt-rich crust thicknesses on seamounts. Second, the sampling stations used for a single seamount are generally very sparsely distributed because of the high survey costs, which results in an insufficient number of information points for variogram fitting. Here, we present an alternative geostatistical method that uses distance/gradient- and distance/relative-depth-based variograms to process data collected from several neighboring seamounts, allowing the variogram fitting. The application example reported for the Magellan seamounts demonstrates the suitability of the method for evaluating the mineral resources of cobalt-rich crusts. The method could be effective also for the analysis of surface data obtained from mountain slopes on land (e.g., soil). Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue High-Tech Critical Metals: Evaluation and Deposit Models)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:
 
Displaying articles 1-4
Back to TopTop