Earth and Environmental Science

Research Talk

Title: “Trace element distribution in white micas: examples of Cs enrichments from Manitoba Li pegmatites”
Presented by: Dr. Tania Martins (Candidate for Tenure Track position in Earth & Environmental Science)
Location & Time: Huggins Science Hall Room 336, 4:00 p.m.

Abstract:
Manitoba is known for its many Li-rich pegmatites of economic importance, particularly the world-class Tanco pegmatite at Bernic Lake. Other examples include the pegmatites from the Wekusko Lake pegmatite field in central Manitoba and the Red Cross Lake pegmatites in eastern Manitoba. Whereas Tanco and the pegmatites at Red Cross Lake are Archean in age, the pegmatites at Wekusko Lake are of Paleoproterozoic age.
Canada released its critical minerals list in 2021, and among them, the element Li is of particular interest for its use in battery technology as well as glass and ceramics, lubricants and medical applications. Cesium is another good example of a critical element, being currently mainly used in oil and gas wells in the form of cesium formate, but also in multiple specialty applications in high tech.
Pegmatites are host to economic deposits of a variety of elements, including Li and Cs, essential to fuel and maintain our current lifestyle and use of technology, economic growth and in taking serious steps for decarbonizing of our economy.
White mica geochemistry along with petrographic observations are a robust methodology to monitor changes in pegmatite chemistry and fractionation, and are commonly used to establish the nature and evolution of enrichments in pegmatites. Examples from Manitoba will be used to elucidate different types of enrichments possibly caused by different episodes and processes.