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Ataullah Yosufzai
Ataullah Yosufzai
Postgraduate Student
Empress Catherine II Saint Petersburg Mining University
Assistant Lecturer
Kabul Polytechnic University
Postgraduate Student
Empress Catherine II Saint Petersburg Mining University
Saint Petersburg
Russia
Assistant Lecturer
Kabul Polytechnic University

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Articles

Article
Geology
  • Date submitted
    2024-04-25
  • Date accepted
    2025-01-28
  • Online publication date
    2025-06-18

Geochemistry of spodumene from pegmatites of the Laghman granitoid complex, Afghanistan

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The article presents the first data on the rare element contents in the compositions of spodumene from pegmatites of the Laghman granitoid complex in Eastern Afghanistan, the Kolatan, Digal, Gulsalak, and Tsamgal deposits. The analyses were performed by SIMS method. The paragenetic features of spodumene were determined. It is present in spodumene-microcline-albite, spodumene-albite, and spodumene-lepidolite-clevelandite pegmatites in amounts of 10-35 %. The crystals range in size from a few mm to 1.5-2 m, sometimes to 3 m long. The crystals are prismatic, board-shaped, and rectangular. The contents of minor and rare elements in spodumene vary significantly from the centre to the edge of the crystals. The increase in the contents of Li (36,571-51,040), Na (378-1542), Mn (103-2877), Ga (24.4-90.1), Sn (5.52-382), Ti (1.3-79.5), Zn (0.37-38.4) ppm is accompanied by a decrease in the concentrations of K (3.86-147), Ca (1.39-105), Mg (0.26-276), B (1.69-57.3), Cr (2.75-15.1), Cu (0.65-11.6), Cs (0.0-8.75), Be (0.03-9.54), Ta (0.03-2.09), Sr (0.03-3.09), V (0.07-3.11), Rb (0.02-1.56), Ba (0.03-3.17), Zr (0.01-1.6) ppm. The amount of Fe decreases from the centre to the edge, and Mn and Sn increase from the centre to the edge in all crystals. In the pinkish-violet zone of the crystal, Mn content is significantly higher than Cr and Fe. A positive correlation is observed between Li and Na, Mn, Fe, Ga, Sn, B, Cr, Ti, Be and a negative correlation with K, Cs, Ta, and Nb. Spodumene from the Dara-e-Pech deposit contains more gallium than from the Kolatan and Tsamgal deposits, which is of practical importance. Sharp boundaries between growth zones indicate a diffusion rate that was less than the rate of crystal growth that occurred in conditions of pegmatite melt crystallization. As a result of the exchange with the residual melt, insignificant post-crystallization diffusion and restoration of equilibrium between the crystal and the environment took place.

How to cite: Evdokimov A.N., Yosufzai A. Geochemistry of spodumene from pegmatites of the Laghman granitoid complex, Afghanistan // Journal of Mining Institute. 2025. Vol. 274. p. 45-62.