Granite alteration as the origin of high lithium content of groundwater in southeast Hungary

The study aimed to find the origin of high lithium content groundwater in southeast Hungary. To be concerned with assessing economic potential these waters, it is necessary investigate lithium-releasing geochemical processes. For this purpose, granite and pegmatite samples were analysed for alteration from various Battonya Complex locations. key processes are chloritisation biotite sericitisation feldspar, which hypothesised mobilise Li minerals into geothermal waters. Whole-rock analyses show that 36 ppm concentration one sample (S1) exceeded average crustal (∼20 ppm), while three have near-average concentrations. rock decreases along increasing intensity alteration. biotite, muscovite, chlorite, feldspar quartz granites was measured using laser-induced-breakdown-spectrometry (LIBS). A total 180 data points analysed. Biotite muscovite relatively fresh contain up ∼3800 ∼2500 ppm, respectively. Chloritisation a hydrothermal process can described by following reaction: + plagioclase → chlorite epidote titanite muscovite. As function chloritisation, two- orders magnitude more altered cases. similar trend observed parallel. Feldspars 17–141 there no correlation between feldspars degree Quartz contains constant low concentrations around 1 detection limit, outlier value 48 ppm. possible explanation waters area possibly elsewhere. main Li-bearing subordinate result significant loss. Chlorite incorporate its crystal lattice but lesser than other sheet silicates, like