Geochemical prospecting of emerald beryl in the Bonfim Farm (Lajes, Rio Grande do Norte State).

Geochemical prospecting of emerald beryl in the Bonfim Farm (Lajes, Rio Grande do Norte State).
The recent discovery of a new brazilian emerald occurrence, in the Rio Grande do Norte state, works on geological mapping and soil geochemical prospecting were done in order to know the definition of the deposit. The main geological structures and the rocks with potential to host emerald mineralization are orientated with general direction NNE-SSW, corresponding to de regional shear zone direction, associated to the E-W lineaments of the northeastern Brazil. Sampling and analysis of 1,351 soil samples were utilized to drawing the geochemical maps of the main elements beryl, chromium, potassium and lithium, as well as magnesium, sodium, nickel and vanadium. Like the emerald is a Cr-rich beryl, such maps allowed the determination of primary mineralized or with potential zones for emerald deposits, that are related to sin-tectonic pegmatites. Areas with chromium anomalies had values above 500 ppm, with maximum of 1794 ppm. For beryllium, anomalous values were considered those above 2.0 ppm, with the maximum value of about 9.5 ppm. Anomalies of potassium (>1%) and lithium (>70 ppm), as well others (Mg, Na, Ni and V) also helped in locating the zones of pegmatite intrusions. Additional searches have been conduced to determine the ore reserves and grade of the mineralization.