Boron vs. phosphorus in granitic pegmatites: the Cap de Creus case (Catalonia, Spain)

The Cap de Creus pegmatite field exhibits a well-defined regional zonation of four types of granitic pegmatite: barren K-feldspar-rich pegmatites (type I), beryl-columbite-subtype pegmatites (type II), beryl-columbite-phosphate-subtype pegmatites (type III) and albite-type pegmatites (type IV). Ther...

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Bibliographic Details
Authors: Alfonso Abella, María Pura|||0000-0002-1515-4999, Melgarejo Draper, Joan Carles
Format: article
Publication Date:2000
Country:España
Institution:Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC)
Repository:UPCommons. Portal del coneixement obert de la UPC
Language:English
OAI Identifier:oai:upcommons.upc.edu:2117/119960
Online Access:https://hdl.handle.net/2117/119960
Access Level:Open access
Keyword:Pegmatites--Spain--Catalonia
Tourmaline
Electron microprobe
Phosphorus
Boron
Granitic pegmatite
Pegmatites--Catalunya
Àrees temàtiques de la UPC::Enginyeria civil::Geologia::Mineralogia
Description
Summary:The Cap de Creus pegmatite field exhibits a well-defined regional zonation of four types of granitic pegmatite: barren K-feldspar-rich pegmatites (type I), beryl-columbite-subtype pegmatites (type II), beryl-columbite-phosphate-subtype pegmatites (type III) and albite-type pegmatites (type IV). There is an increase in the albite content, relative to K-feldspar, with increasing pegmatite evolution. Type-I microcline-rich pegmatites have low contents of albite, whereas in type IV, albite is the only feldspar. The K/Rb value in K-feldspar decreases progressively from type-I to type-III pegmatites. In addition, there is a progressive enrichment in P, Rb, Cs, Y, Sr, Ga, Ce, W and Sn from type-I to type-IV pegmatites. Concentrations of Pb and Zr decrease in K-feldspar from type-I to type-III pegmatites. K-feldspar from the Cap de Creus pegmatites exhibits higher contents in Ba, Rb, Cs, Nb, Y, Sn, V and Cr than albite. Albite is richer in Sr, Zr, Cu, As, Ce and Ga, Pb, Zn, W, Co and Ni have similar affinity for K-feldspar and albite. Muscovite exhibits similar geochemical evolution to K-feldspar. These progressive trends suggest a common origin for all of the Cap de Creus pegmatites by fractionation of the same parental magma. The high P content of feldspars, up to 1.67 wt.% P 2O 5 in K-feldspar and 1.75 wt.% in albite, indicates buildup in this element from the earliest stages of pegmatite crystallization. Trace-element variation in feldspars and muscovite reflects enrichments in the melt; a higher content correlates with characteristic minerals of these elements. In particular, the phosphorus content of albite is proposed as a useful mineralogical guide to niobium-tantalum-rich oxide mineralization.