Revista Brasileira de Geociências 17(4):595-600, dezembro de 1987

PETROGRAPHY OF THE PEGMATITES FROM RIO DAS MORTES VALLEY,

SOUTHEAST MINAS GERAIS, BRAZI L

JOEL JEAN GABRIEL QUI!MÉNE UR *

ABSTRACT Th e lithium-tin-tan talum bearing pegmatites of the São João dei Rei region are
characterized by various part icularites: older age, probably Uruaçuan , therefore they are older than
most of th e pegmatites of Minas Gerais; large size of bodies; unusual zoning: abnormaly high lithi um
contento These pegmatites are constit ued by a granitoid core with more 25% of spodumene and an
important apliti c border zon e - the high lith ium content rnay by explain a holmquistite - bearing
contact metamorphism zone . Prelirninary X-ray fluorescence data indicated a content of 1.3 to 2.4%
of Rb in the potassium minerais . A crystallization model for the pegmatites is finally outlined .

RESUMO Os pegmatitos Iítio-estanho-tantalfferos da região de São João dei Rei diferenciam-se

do s outros pegmatitos de Minas Gerais por várias características: idade mais antiga, provavelmente
Uruçuana; grande tamanho dos corpos ; zo neamento incomum; teore s excepcionalmente elevados em
lít io. Em parti cular , os pegmatito s apresentam uma importante zona aplítica na borda e os corpos
são constituídos por pegmatito s granitóides mu ito ricos em espudomenio (25%). No exterior existe
uma zona de metamorfismo de contato com holmquista. f proposto um esquema explicando as várias
etapas da cristalização dos pegmatito s. Análises preliminares demonstram de mais de 1,3% a 2,4% Rb
no s minerai s de potássio confir mando o caráter altamente evoluído desses pegmatitos.

INT RODUCT ION The lith ium-tín-tant alum pegmat ites
province of the São João dei Rei region , in the southeastern
of the state of Minas Gerais (Fig. 1), is geograph ycally
composed of two groups of mineral deposit s: 1. Rio das
Mortes Valley and 2. Cristiano Otôni region .
The studied pegmatites belong to the first group which
forms a 40 x 5 km in the E-W direction following the
Rio das Mort es Valley and was mapped in a 1:50,000
scale by Quéméneur & Baraud (1983) (Fig. 1).
BA
GO
gneisses and amphibolites (F ig. 2). K-Ar dat ing of an-
phibolites of Entre Rios region (Teixeira 1985) has given
ages from 2,100 to 2,500 Ma. These amphibolites are
similar to the Rio das Mortes Valley amphibolites and can
belong to the same unit.
Alternating gneisses and amphibolites show a main
N60E -N70E subvertical orientation, parallel to the ir
foliation . The most visible tectonic structures in the am-
phibolites are isoclinal folds with axes dipp ing 600-90 0 to
east or west. These rocks were affected by two phases
of granitization: syntectonic granitization and postectonic
granitization.
The first phase corresponds to granites and tonalites
elongated parallel to the gneissic and amphibolitic struc-
tures. An example of these granitoids is the Bom Sucesso
granite in the nort h of the town of Bom Sucesso.
The second phase is represent ed by the large São Tiago
granitic complex which cuts both the Archean and the
Minas cycle structures, developing a zone of contact
metamorphism in the Serra de Bom Sucesso rocks.
This metamorphism is characterized by crystallization
of grunerite or cummingtonite in the banded iron stone
(itabirites), garnet , staurolite, and possibly andalusite in the
quartz biotite schists. The metamorphism event promoted
silicification and recrystallization of arnphíboles and
monticellite in the ultramafic rocks (Quéméneur & Baraud
1983).
The São Tiago granitic complex is probably responsable
for the formation of the tin-tant alum pegmatit es at the
southern and eastern boundaries of the granitic bod y.

Figure 1 - Location map PEGMAT IT E DESCRIPTION These pegmatites have

been the object of many studies starting in 1940 with t he
discovery of tin mineralization in Ritápolis by gold seekers.
Geological sen ing The pegmatit e bodies occur within Coelho (1942) and de Souza (1943) presented a summa-
granites as well as within Archean or Early Prote rozoic rized geological setting using Erichsen s' map of 1929. Rolff

* Departamento de Geologia, Centro de Pesquisa Prof, Manoel Teixeira da Costa , Instituto de Geociências, Universidade Federal de Minas
Gerais. Caixa Postal 2608, CEP 30161 , Belo Horizonte, MG, Brasil
596 Revista Brasileira de Geociências. Volume 17. 1987

+ -t +
+ + + + +
+ ~~ + +

+.0~
6.)
+ + + +
+ +

~ ULTAANAFIC ROCI<$ 1 ~ WILONITE SCHIST O ALLUVlUW Ci:l TOWH

I ROAD
~ AClD WETAVOU:AHICROCKS : ~ PEG....T1TE ~ DYA8ASE AHD GAB8Ra DYICE } ~ESOIOIC
/?' R1VER
I
m E3
r"~'~
~.~~,~,
GI"""TE SCHIST. PHYLLlT E ~000I1llCT
onEllYID
[E]
~ ......
MANGAM LEVEL L"'F"'IETE·~ ~ OIORrTE- GASBRO E3 CALCSHI5T . 5I LTI TE. U WESTOH[
~ CAl. CXlOfTACT

}.,"u_ nmm nln:.o

IIACE .... BASE
~ ..... PHIICK.ITE M[NT- ~ B.I .F ~ OUAATZITE
~p
onEllYID ~
r=:=J . . .Y 'EIIED.IIAHllED IlHElSSES O OUAATZITE GREEH SCH'ST.OUAATZITE "'CASCHlST I
I INP'PID _LT
[±] GNEISSES AHD WI&W"TITE ~ ICHIIT
I
J ...... n _UST l'llUU'

Figure 2 - Geological map of the studied area (Quéméver & Baraud (1983)

(1945 , 1948) published a preliminary geological description (1952), Cameron (1955), and more recently Cerny (198 2).
of Ritápolis pegmatites occurren ces; Guimarães & Guedes Fours zones are distinguished from the wall to the center :
(1964 ), Heinrich ( 1964), and Francesconi (1972) gave • The con tact zone is usually thin , from 1 to 50 em, and
emphasis to the mineralogy of heavy minerals of the pegmati- eharaeterized by mixed ferriferous moscovite and biotite
tes but , except for Heinrich, they did not study their main associated with albite , potash feldspar and quartzoLocally
mineral paragenesis in detail.
This paper presents a detailed study of the Volta Grande
./
area where a number of important pegmatite bodies are /' /'
/ /
found. Large bodies measuring as much as 480 x 70 x 20 m
./
have been uncovered after 40 years of industrial explora- ./ /' ./

tion (See A body, Figs. 3 and 5).

The pegmatites forro elongated lenses whose orientation »: /'
(N60° to N70°W) is parallel to the amphibolites folia-
tion and by the fracture system which affected th e am- /'
/'
phibolites, in particular a subhorizontal fracture plane
displaying dips 30° south. rrrm O KAUSTl O I"IIlõMATtTl

Mineralogically, the pegmatites are composed of albite, ~ .. U .....TITl

~ ~ TZ ln
spodumene , quartz, microcline, and moscovite as the main ~ 6OtCIlTI
mineraIs. Garnet , apatite, cassiterite (plate lb), and tantalite [3 _""IKil,,. IT I

are the most frequent accessories. Lepidolite with microlite '.000

~
, , _
are locally found , particulary in the B body ; beryl is
abundant in theFumal body.
The bodies show a mineralogical zoning wieh varies
from the elassic models defined by Fersman (193 1), Vlassof Figure 3 - Pegmatite bodies o[ Volta Grande sketch
Revista Brasileira de Geociências, Volume 17, 1987 597

in the Minas Brazil pegmatite , there exists a graphic associa- • Sp odumene-quartz zone forms lenses in the granito id
tion of feldspar-quartz in the contact zone of C body shows zone and is composed of decimetric prismatic spodumene
numerous garnets (Fig. 4). with interstitial quartz and potash feldspar erystals.

a \

c PEGMATITES

bL- ---'
MINAS BRASIL PEGMATITE
+ +
+
+

~N'> t t
1- &;,rJ+ + +

00.
I

Figure 5 - Map and section of the A pegmatite

DETAIL OF MINAS BRASIL PEGMATlTE

Figure 4 - Internai structure of the C pegmatites and Minas
Brasil pegmatite
• The aplitic zone forms an irregular crust of several
meters in trickness with cumulus shaped protuberances
which can penetrate to wards the center of the pegmatite
body. The rock is fine grained ranging from 0.5 to 2 mm
and is composed of albite , quartz and, in less proportion,
moscovite (photo la).
The wall of the aplitic zone is composed of centirnetrie
crystals of round quartz and mieroeline with numerous
millirnetrical inclusions of albite (photo 1c).
• The granitoid zone forms the largest part of the bodies.
It shows a homogeneous matrix eomposed of centirnetric
qu ar tz, rnicrocline, spodurnene, albite, and rnuscovite
(Photo 1d and 1f).
The phenoerysts are spodumene and microeline. The
spodumene forms acicular prisms of different sizes, from
5 to 100 em. Large mieroeline erystals constitute irregular
shaped alleatory poekets , ranging from decirneters to 1.5 m.
The south border of the A body is eomposed of a rock
with round quartz and microcline similar to the wall of the
aplitic zone.
CRYSTALLlZATION PROCESS This mineral zoning
suggests that erystallization process occured according to
the scheme shown in figure 6:
• 1-2. Pegmatite magma intrusion with quartz and pota sh
feldspar crystals.
• 3. Contact metamorphism with biotite and holmquis-
tite formation.
• 4. Development of aplitic pegmatite .
• 5. Crystallization of giant spodumene erystals.
• 6. Fraeturing and partial recrystallization of quartz
and feldspar.
The contact metamorphism zone is well developed
reaehing several meters. The following are found sue-
eessively: a thin biotite zone and a difuse aureole of some
meters of width , composed of biotite-holmquistite-bearing
amphibolite.
The biotite zone ranges from some centirneters to 1 m.
It is eomposed of 75 to 95% of biotite, 5 to 25% quartz
and albite, intercalated with eentirnetric layers, lenses or
isolated erystals of albite, quartz , and locally garnet and
rare turmaline.
The biotite-holmquístite enriched amphibolite has
variable proportions of biotite and holmquistite which, in
several places, may reaeh up to 25% of the roek.
598 Revista Brasileira de Geociências. Volume 17, 1987

b
Ct

,.
•
lmm

Plate 1 - Thin section pho tomicrographs: a. Crossed polars: aplitic zo ne C body ; b. Plane light: same photo 1 cassiterite;
c. Crossed polars: large a/bite and microcline crysta/s wit h milim etric inclusions of a/bite and quartzo Border of aplitic zone
of A body; d. Crossed polars: fissured spodumene ( Sp) crysta/s with musco vite (Mu), a/bite (Ab ), quartz (Qz), and microcline
(M). Granitoid zo ne of Minas Brasil body; e. Crossed polars: microcline (M), quartz (Qz), fragment ed spodumene (Sp), and
a/bite (Ab) in granitoid zone of the Minas Brasil body ; and f. Plane light: large spodumene crystals with cassiterite and a
litt/e garnet (G) crysta/s
Revista Brasileira de Geociências. Volume 17,1987 599

GEOCHEMIST RY A program for chemical analyses of

COl'lTICT loII:TAlIlOAp,olS" l O"'(
. lT M 'IQT'~_a: :;~~..:~ _, r -.. the granites and pegmatites was developed with the purpose
,~ " , '
of characterizing the regions's different types,
, ,
This characterization is based on major elements analyses
,'() ~ Qv.A~n:

I
I like Al, Si, Fe , Na, K, Ca, and trace elements like Rb, Sr,
t'f- - () () Cs, Ge, Ga by x-ray fluorescence, together with analyses
,, <::lo IJ

\
, , c <:> , of Li and some trace elements like Sn, Nb, Ta, U, Zn ,
'~ Pb by spectrometry and atomic absorption.
"
-..:t-_.. .:f - ..;- '-- ...,(1.."'. . . . Preliminary X-ray fluorescence data indicated high
I - 2 contents of Rb in pegmatitic feldspar and micas. Biotites
of contact aureole and moscovites from the pegmatite
bodies show Rb contents between 1.3 and 2.4% (Table 1).

Table 1 - R b content of any minerais

Rb content
-- - No. of samp1e Mineraiogical composition (%)
3
A2C Biotite 2.40
A4A Microcline + (spodumene-quartz) 1.30
A 15 Microcline + (spodumene-quartz) 1.50
MB 11 Holmquistite 0.02
MB 8 B 2 Muscovite 1.60
MB 9 A 2 Muscovite 1.70
MB 14C Microc1ine + (spodumene+quartz) 1.30
MB 21·1 Spodumene 0.08
4
MB 21-2 Muscovite 1.60

Significant content of Rb and Sn may be expected from

the qualitative spectra of the holmquistite fibrous crystals.
Those facts may also indicate the importance of ionic
diffusi on in the contact metamorphism related to the mise
---- 5 en place of the pegmatites.

CONCLUSIONS The high concentration in Li and Rb ,

Figure 6 - Crystallization partem of Volta Grande the abnormal zoning, and the location of the pegmatites
pegmatites (/egend in the text} wit hin amphibo lite s in apparently long distance of the
granit e suggest that these pegmatites are product of híghly
evolued pegmatitic magma contrasting with the veinforrn
For example , close to Minas Brasil Pegmat ite , the bo dies of the Ritápolis region , where they are foun d
holmquistite constitutes fibrous crystals of severaI cen- directly within granite. The field relations indicate that the
timeters long the observed violet color is due to small pegmatites were formed by granite belonging the São Tiago
holmquistite needles included in the quartzo complex of po st-Minas, possibly Uruaçuan age. A single
This large metamorphic aureole may be expla ined by radiomet ric datíng of granitic rocks of this region was
the high lithium content and large size of the bod ies performed in a sample of the Volta Grande pegmatite
(London 1986). yielded an age of 1,000 Ma (Dirac & Ebert 1978).
The forrnat io n of the aplit ic pegmatite may corre spo nd From these evidences , it must be noted that the studied
to a rapid cooling at the amphibolite contact which may pegmatites have many differences in relation to the classic
have occured during the magma intrusion. Such pro cess models but resemble other large pegmatite bodies like those
could explain the presence of isolated fragmen ts of aplit ic of Bikita in Zimbabwe (Martins 1964, Dixon 1979). These
material within the pegmatites, as well as numerous fine are bodies whose length reaches 1,600 m, display specific
idiomorphic crystals of albite included both in potassium zoning are very rich in lithium minerals like the Volta
feldspar and in coarse grained albite. Grande pegmatite.
The obvious orientation of albite plates parallel to the In spite of the lengthy classification criteria pro posed
contact with the aplitic zone stresses the crystallization by Jahns (1982), the pegmatites of the Vale do Rio das
process during which the magma was still affec ted by Mortes do not fit in it. However, if Jahns' work is taken in
currents. It is also possible to observe the presence of consideration, these pegmatites correspond to bodies
folded and fissured crystals. crystallized at shallow depths.
The lack of geodes in these pegmatites may be ex-
plained by tectonic forces is suggested by the presence Acknowledgments This work was financed by CNPq.
of numerous fractures which affect the crystals and by I acknowledge the contribution of some of my stu dents
the existence of secondary minerals like clinozoizit e like C.A. Amorim Moreira , S. Godinho da Fonseca, and
and chlor íte, J .B. Garcia. I would like to thank the mine management
600
and , in particular, Dr. Luiz Uga for bis general colabora-
tion. Our gratitude to Kátia Maria Moura Michue Bendezú
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A universidade é o espaço privilegiado da competência e do talento. E estas qualidades não precisam ser protegidas pela estabilidade.
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MANUSCRITO 457
Recebido em 4 de maio de 1987
Revisão aceita em 10 de julho de 1987
Rogério C. Cerqu eira Leite