Discovery and primary study of the lithium content in the karst-type bauxite deposit, Jajarm, Iran

Abstract

Lithium (Li) is a critical metal for global development and modern energy. Emerging sediment hosts, which contain karst-type bauxite deposits, afford a potential source of Li resources. Iran has no history in occurrence of bauxite-hosted Li deposits and no investigations have done. Therefore, that leads to the importance of further research and exploration on these deposits. In this investigation, the samples of Jajarm bauxite were analyzed by combination of X-ray diffraction (XRD), petrographic and scanning electron microscopy–energy-dispersive spectroscopy (SEM–EDS), inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), and X-ray fluorescence (XRF) techniques, with the aims to investigate the distribution and enrichment of the Li. The results show that Li concentrations in Jajarm bauxite deposit range from 91 to 1192 ppm. The maximum Li concentrations occur in shaly bauxite samples. Oolitic bauxite mainly consists of diaspore and chamosite, with small amounts of anatase and boehmite. Shaly bauxite dominantly consists of kaolinite, diaspore with small amounts of mica, quartz, and anatase, and kaolinitic bauxite predominantly consists of kaolinite. Kaolinite, diaspore, anatase, and mica minerals were identified by SEM–EDS analysis. Independent Li minerals were not found in mineralogical analysis. The correlation coefficient of Li with other mineralogical and geochemical parameters shows that kaolinite and mica are the most likely host minerals of Li in the studied bauxites. Therefore, Jajarm bauxite deposit, located in northeastern Iran, serves as a bauxite resource and an independent Li resource, making it valuable for development and utilization.