The clay-type lithium ( Li ) deposit is an important emerging lithium resource in the world because of their large scale, , thickness and stable distribution. Three types of clay-type lithium deposits have been discovered in the world,including , including the volcanic clay-type lithium deposit formed by leaching extraction and alteration,the , the carbonate clay-type lithium deposit formed by weathering and sedimentation,and , and the kaolin weathering crust type lithium deposit formed from the granite type lithium by supergene weathering. The clay-type lithium mineralization discovered in the Jingde intrusion in southern Anhui Province is significantly different from the existing clay-type lithium deposits in terms of tectonic setting,orebody , orebody characteristics,host , host rocks,mineral , mineral assemblage,source , source of lithium,ore , ore minerals and mineralization processes. It is a new type of lithium mineralization,temporarily , temporarily called " intrusion rocks hydrothermal altered clay-type lithium mineralization". " . The main metallogenic characteristics include the following:(1)Lithium : ( 1 ) Lithium mineralization is later than the intruding of intermediate-acid rocks,and , and the ore bodies occur in the fracture zone and hosted by the intermediate-acid rocks;(2)The ;( 2 ) The mineral assemblage consists of quartz,kaolinite,illite,fluorite,etc. , kaolinite , illite , fluorite , etc. , which is formed by hydrothermal metasomatism or direct precipitation from ore fluids;(3)Lithium ;( 3 ) Lithium occurs mainly in kaolinite and illite;(4)Lithium ;( 4 ) Lithium mainly comes from Li-F-rich ore fluids,which , which is most possibly released from magmatic differentiation ( ? ); and ( 5 ) Hydrothermal-rock reaction between Li-F-rich ore fluid and intrusive rocks results in the formation of clay minerals ( kaolinite , illite , etc. ) replacing feldspar,hornblende , hornblende and other changeable minerals,and , and the precipitation of quartz and fluorite veins;Meanwhile ; Meanwhile the lithium is hosted by the clay minerals. The new type of " intrusive rocks hydrothermal altered clay-type lithium mineralization"is " is essentially a new lithium mineralization process. The proposal of this type lithium mineralization extends the search for clay-type lithium resources from the lacustrine sedimentary distribution area of caldera ( prospecting for volcanic clay-type lithium deposits),the ) , the distribution area of paleo-carbonate weathering and sedimentary interface ( prospecting for carbonate clay-type lithium deposits),and ) , and the granite distribution area with albitization and muscovitization ( prospecting for kaolin weathering crust type lithium deposits and related primary granite-type lithium deposits)to ) to the distribution area of intermediate-acid intrusive rocks which may not host granite-type lithium deposits. This marks a significant expansion in lithium prospecting concepts.
