Critical metal (CM) refers to a general term regarding a class of metal elements and their deposits that include rare earth, nonferrous, and precious metals. These metals have unique material properties as well as irreplaceable and important roles in cutting-edge industries, such as new energy, information technology, and aerospace and national defense industries. Therefore, studies on metallogenic mechanism, effective exploration, and efficient utilization of CMs have been gaining soaring attention across the globe, particularly in developed countries.
The determination of the occurrence state of ore-forming elements and their source-transport-accumulation process is the core of establishing the metallogenic theory and separation theory of CMs. In comparison with traditional base metals such as iron and copper, CMs in ore deposits often have very low crustal abundance (generally below ppm level), small and few independent minerals, and are not easy to be traced, identified, and separated. Normally it requires 100 or even 10000 times of enrichment to form a mineable CM deposit. In this regard, the mineralization of CMs has experienced “supernormal enrichment”. It is thus of pivotality and necessity to unveil the processes and driving mechanisms of supernormal enrichment and integration of low abundance CMs.
CM deposits are key ore deposit types in the world, producing large amount of W, Sn, Li, Be, Nb, Ta, Rb, Zr, Hf, Re, PEG, Cr, Co, In, Ge, Ga, Se, Tl, Te, and REE each year. So far extant studies on these deposits mainly underscore two aspects. First, the genesis of mineralization-associated granitic rocks, including the determination of major/trace elements and Sr-Nd isotopes of rocks and Hf-O isotopes of related accessory minerals (e.g., zircon and apatite). These studies facilitate how to understand the tectonic background of deposits, sources, and evolutionary processes of magmas, ore-forming factors (e.g., redox environment, water content, sulfur fugacity, and temperature and pressure conditions), and interrelationship between magmas and ores. Second, with the development of in-situ analysis, the texture, trace elements, and non-traditional isotopes of a variety of metallic minerals related to mineralization have been portrayed. This sheds insights into revealing multi-stage mineralization processes.
This Research Topic aims to present and disseminate recent advances in the understanding of CM mineralization. Topics of interest for publication include, but are not limited to:
• Magma sources and evolutionary processes of mineralization-related granites
• In-situ analysis of metal-bearing assemblages and CM minerals
• Fluid exsolution and mineral precipitation processes
• Geochemistry/geochronology of typical CM deposits worldwide
Critical metal (CM) refers to a general term regarding a class of metal elements and their deposits that include rare earth, nonferrous, and precious metals. These metals have unique material properties as well as irreplaceable and important roles in cutting-edge industries, such as new energy, information technology, and aerospace and national defense industries. Therefore, studies on metallogenic mechanism, effective exploration, and efficient utilization of CMs have been gaining soaring attention across the globe, particularly in developed countries.
The determination of the occurrence state of ore-forming elements and their source-transport-accumulation process is the core of establishing the metallogenic theory and separation theory of CMs. In comparison with traditional base metals such as iron and copper, CMs in ore deposits often have very low crustal abundance (generally below ppm level), small and few independent minerals, and are not easy to be traced, identified, and separated. Normally it requires 100 or even 10000 times of enrichment to form a mineable CM deposit. In this regard, the mineralization of CMs has experienced “supernormal enrichment”. It is thus of pivotality and necessity to unveil the processes and driving mechanisms of supernormal enrichment and integration of low abundance CMs.
CM deposits are key ore deposit types in the world, producing large amount of W, Sn, Li, Be, Nb, Ta, Rb, Zr, Hf, Re, PEG, Cr, Co, In, Ge, Ga, Se, Tl, Te, and REE each year. So far extant studies on these deposits mainly underscore two aspects. First, the genesis of mineralization-associated granitic rocks, including the determination of major/trace elements and Sr-Nd isotopes of rocks and Hf-O isotopes of related accessory minerals (e.g., zircon and apatite). These studies facilitate how to understand the tectonic background of deposits, sources, and evolutionary processes of magmas, ore-forming factors (e.g., redox environment, water content, sulfur fugacity, and temperature and pressure conditions), and interrelationship between magmas and ores. Second, with the development of in-situ analysis, the texture, trace elements, and non-traditional isotopes of a variety of metallic minerals related to mineralization have been portrayed. This sheds insights into revealing multi-stage mineralization processes.
This Research Topic aims to present and disseminate recent advances in the understanding of CM mineralization. Topics of interest for publication include, but are not limited to:
• Magma sources and evolutionary processes of mineralization-related granites
• In-situ analysis of metal-bearing assemblages and CM minerals
• Fluid exsolution and mineral precipitation processes
• Geochemistry/geochronology of typical CM deposits worldwide