Pegmatites of Western Australia

Presenter: Mark Jacobson, President of Friends of Mineralogy National
Pegmatites are widespread in the Archaean and Proterozoic terranes of Western Australia, a state that covers 1/3 of the Australian continent. Attractive as well as rare mineral specimens have been recovered from several areas. In 2003, pegmatite mining in West Australia was minor - Only Mt. Cassiterite, Greenbushes, Bald Hill, and Dalgaranga were active for tantalum ore. The jump in prices for lithium circa 2013, due to the need for more powerful and numerous lithium batteries worldwide set off a pegmatite mining boom across West Australia. Mines at Mt. Cassiterite, Tabba Tabba, and Bald Hill reopened with new mines at Cattlin Creek, Mt. Marion, Pilgangoora, and Sinclair Caesium mine. This mining boom led to the August 2016 discovery and mining of pollucite just northwest of Norseman at the Sinclair Caesium mine. Western Australia's size and diversity of pegmatites and continued mining assure that new discoveries will be made as collectors fossick the outcrops and dumps. Most of the new finds will remain in Australian collections as self-collected specimens. Only a few Australian pegmatites produce a handful of world-class material. Visitors may still collect from these sites, but you will need to do your literature homework and know how to safely access what is essentially a desert environment with no infrastructure or cell phone coverage.

[@canadiangemstones7636]

This is a superb lecture, thanks!

[@charlesbegley1527]

Exactly what I was looking for!!!

[@nyizgobithedingus]

So underrated!

[@grantboshoff2179]

Great information, thank you Mark

[@georgewatkins869]

In the lithium mining areas, has there been any discovery of Eakerite? I’ve collected at the Foote mine in Kings Mountain, North Carolina and have found nice Eaketite crystals in the vugs there.
It is named for the chemist / geologist Jack Eaker and to my knowledge has not been found at any other locales.

[@mickking5913]

The company that owns Greenbushes is Talison,it,s made up from two major companies,a chinese company which I can't recall their name and Abermerle I think it is,a large U.S.company.They first started mining Spodumene in the mid 80s at Greenbushes.It is the largest and purist hardrock Lithium mine in the world.

[@victoryoneable]

The chinese company is Tianqi, which shares a 51% ownership of Talison with IGO, an ASX listed mining company. Albemarle owns the remaining 49%.