Spectrometry Analysis Techniques for LCT Pegmatite Halo Identification: The Role of European Projects

Lithium-Cesium-Tantalum (LCT) pegmatites are enriched in several raw materials. However, their small size and the limited penetration depth of the sensors, limits remote sensing approaches. This study evaluates the usefulness of hyperspectral data to identify geochemical halos related to LCT pegmatites by exploiting the information acquired in European projects. It was possible to identify key minerals and related mineralogical changes that can be due to hydrothermal alteration. Partial Least Squares Regression (PLSR) was used to model the abundance of Li, Rb and Cs. The most reliable results were obtained for Cs, with results being influenced by lithological and weathering factors. New outcomes are expected, namely mineral chemistry studies that will complement the hyperspectral results.