SIGNATURAS ISOTÓPICAS DE Li Y Sr DEL BASAMENTO PALEOZOICO Y VULCANITAS CENOZOICAS, PUNA NORTE. IMPLICANCIAS EN LA GENERACIÓN DE SALMUERAS RICAS EN Li

SARCHI, C.; MEIXNER, A.; LUCASSEN, F.; CAFFE, P.J.; BECCHIO, R.; KASEMANN, S.

Congreso; XIII Congreso de Mineralogía Petrología Ignea Y Metamórfica Y Metalogénesis XIII MINMET- IV PIMMA; 2019

In this work we present Li concentrations and Li isotope composition of Palaeozoic (Pz) basement rocks in the Puna region to track Li sources in Cenozoic volcanic rocks. Results suggest that the important lithium enrichments in evaporite deposits of the ?Lithium Triangle? are ? apart from the longstanding arid climate and formation of endorheic basins- related to the recycling of the crystalline basement by Cenozoic arc volcanism which transfers Li to intermediate lavas and silicic ignimbrites in the region. This Li-enriched volcanic material covers large areas of the Altiplano-Puna plateau and is prone to weathering and/or hydrothermal leaching, thus enhancing Li availability.