Mineral systems, evolutionary patterns, and spatial mineral prospecting methods for rare-metal mineralization
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摘要: 稀有金属是战略性关键金属的重要组成，其成矿作用主要与花岗岩、伟晶岩体系密切相关。作为成矿作用的直接产物，稀有金属矿物的结晶行为和演化规律，是理解成矿机制、资源潜力和预测成矿区域的重要依据。文章通过确定（氢）氧化物、硅酸盐和磷酸盐作为主要稀有金属成矿矿物类型，系统分析了稀有金属矿物特征；在全球尺度上，追溯重要地质时期稀有金属矿物的演化特征，探讨稀有金属成矿与超大陆聚合−裂解之间的耦合关系；基于元素电负性差异，建立稀有元素化学行为与稀有金属成矿能力之间的关系，阐明稀有金属富集和成矿路径的本质；在成矿体尺度上，系统分析锂矿物的结晶序列，构建稀有金属伟晶岩的普适性锂成矿演化规律；同时，利用铌−钽矿物、锆−铪矿物成分演变信息，构建多维度成矿示踪体系。文章构建了稀有金属成矿的矿物系统，形成了“以矿物为核心”的成矿系统，并深化了对稀有金属成矿演化规律的认识。文章的认识将推动形成基于矿物学响应的空间找矿方法体系，为稀有金属资源勘查提供理论支撑。Abstract:
Objective Rare metals are an important subset of critical strategic metals, and their mineralization is closely related to the granite–pegmatite system. As direct products of mineralization, the crystallization behavior and evolutionary patterns of rare-metal minerals provide an essential basis for understanding metallogenic mechanisms, assessing resource potential, and predicting ore-forming districts. Methods A systematic analysis of rare-metal minerals in different geological and metallogenic settings has been carried out. Results This study identifies (hydro)oxides, silicates, and phosphates as the main types of rare-metal ore minerals and systematically analyzes their mineralogical characteristics. At the global scale, it investigates the evolutionary features of these minerals during key geological periods, revealing the relationship between rare-metal mineralization and supercontinent assembly–breakup cycles. Based on differences in element electronegativity, it establishes the relationship between the chemical behavior of rare elements and their mineralization potential, elucidating the fundamental processes of rare-metal enrichment and mineralization. At the orebody scale, it systematically analyzes the crystallization sequence of lithium minerals and develops a generalized evolutionary framework for lithium mineralization in rare-metal pegmatites. Furthermore, from the perspective of compositional evolution in Nb–Ta and Zr–Hf minerals, it develops a multi-dimensional tracing system for rare-metal mineralization. Conclusions This study establishes a comprehensive mineral system for rare-metal mineralization and develops a mineral-centered mineralization processes, thereby advancing our understanding of the evolutionary patterns of rare-metal mineralization. Significance This work will promote the establishment of a spatial prospecting methodology based on mineralogical responses and offer theoretical support for rare-metal resource exploration. -
图 1 哥尔德斯密特元素分类体系中的稀有金属（Goldschmidt，1937）
红圈内为稀有金属
Figure 1. Rare metals in the Goldschmidt classification system (Goldschmidt, 1937)
Rare metals inside the red circle.
图 2 全球含铌钽矿物种类增长曲线图（据宋颜等，2023修改）
Figure 2. Growth curve of the number of Nb–Ta-bearing mineral species worldwide (modified after Song et al., 2023)
图 3 稀有金属元素电负性（相对Pauling标度值）与花岗质熔体饱和溶解度的关系（电负性数据英国皇家化学学会网站资料：
https://www.rsc.org/ ）Figure 3. Relationship between the electronegativity of rare-metal elements (relative to the Pauling scale) and their saturation solubility in granitic melts (electronegativity data from the Royal Society of Chemistry website:
https://www.rsc.org/ )
图 4 稀有金属伟晶岩中锂矿物演化序列
Qz—石英；Spd—锂辉石；Ms—白云母；Ab—钠长石；Elb—锂电气石；Lpd—锂云母；Mbs—磷锂铝石a—河南南阳山伟晶岩（据Yang et al.，2022）；b—新疆可可托海三号伟晶岩（据王贤觉等，1981）；c—加拿大Tanco伟晶岩（据Stilling et al.，2006）
Figure 4. Summarized evolution sequences of Li minerals in rare-metal pegmatites
(a) Nanyangshan pegmatite, Henan (after Yang et al., 2022); (b) No. 3 pegmatite, Koktokay, Xinjiang (after Wang et al., 1981); (c) Tanco pegmatite, Canada (after Stilling et al., 2006).Qz–quartz; Spd–spodumene; Ms–muscovite; Ab–albite; Elb–elbaite; Lpd–lepidolite; Mbs–montebrasite
图 5 铌铁（锰）矿—钽铁（锰）矿系列矿物成分的Ta/(Nb+Ta)−Mn/(Fe+Mn)四方图解
a—江西松树岗花岗岩；b—江西宜春花岗岩；c—新疆可可托海三号伟晶岩；d—准铝质NYF系列花岗岩−伟晶岩； e—过铝质LCT系列花岗岩−伟晶岩
Figure 5. Ta/(Nb+Ta)−Mn/(Fe+Mn) diagram for columbite–tantalite series minerals
(a) Songshugang granite, Jiangxi; (b) Yichun granite, Jiangxi; (c) No.3 pegmatite, Koktokay, Xinjiang; (d) Metaluminous NYF-family granites and pegmatites; (e) Peraluminous LCT-family granites and pegmatites
图 6 新疆可可托海一号伟晶岩中锆石的Hf−Zr/Hf图解，显示随熔体演化铪含量逐渐升高（Yin et al.，2013）
Figure 6. Hf–Zr/Hf diagram for zircon from the No.1 pegmatite, Koktokay, Xinjiang, showing a gradual increasing Hf content with melt evolution (Yin et al., 2013)
表 1 与稀有金属成矿有关的岩石类型
Table 1. Major types of rocks associated with rare-metal mineralization
稀有金属 碳酸岩型 碱性–过碱性花岗岩和正长岩型 高分异花岗岩型 花岗伟晶岩型 Li Li Li Rb-Cs Cs Rb, Cs Be Be Be Be Zr-Hf Zr Zr Zr(Hf) Zr, Hf Sn Nb-Ta Nb Nb(Ta) Ta, Nb Ta (Nb) W W 
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表 2 稀有金属发现史及矿物种数
Table 2. Discovery history and numbers of mineral species of rare metals
稀有金属 元素发现年（发现元素的矿物） 矿物种数 Li 1817年 (透锂长石) 123 Rb 1861年 (锂云母) 3 Cs 1860年 (铯沸石) 27 Be 1797年 (绿柱石) 134 Zr 1789年 (锆石) 148 Hf 1923年 (锆石) 1 Sn 不明 110 Nb 1801年 (铌铁矿) 172 Ta 1802年 (铌铁矿) 61 W 1779 年 (黑钨矿) 55 合计 833 数据来源：英国皇家化学学会网站资料（ https://www.rsc.org/ ）
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表 3 稀有金属矿物分组信息
Table 3. Groups of rare-metal minerals
稀有金属 矿物总数 分类矿物种数 分类矿物占比 （氢）氧化物 硅酸盐 磷(钨)酸盐 （氢）氧化物 硅酸盐 磷（钨）酸盐 总计 Li 123 9 90 18 7% 73% 15% 95% Rb 3 1 2 33% 67% 0% 100% Cs 27 4 17 1 15% 63% 4% 79% Be 134 14 79 33 10% 59% 25% 94% Zr 147 13 99 7 9% 67% 5% 81% Hf 1 1 0% 100% 0% 100% Sn 110 31 15 0 28% 14% 0% 42% Nb 172 88 73 51% 42% 0% 93% Ta 61 56 2 92% 3% 0% 95% W 55 20 6 23 36% 11% 42% 89% 总计 833 236 384 82 28% 46% 10% 84% 数据来源：国际矿物学协会新矿物及矿物命名委员会资料（ https://cnmnc.units.it/files/editor/IMA_Master_List_(2026-09).pdf ）
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