Discovery of hydrothermal beryllium deposit in the Changshan area of Northwest Zhejiang Province

Objective Beryllium, a nationally strategic critical metal, plays an indispensable role in modern technology and defense industries.

Methods Investigating its mineralization mechanisms, patterns, and resource potential is of paramount importance.

Results Recent explorations in the Changshan area of northwest Zhejiang have unveiled promising beryllium deposits within the Gaowushan and Jiaokengwu fluorite occurrences. These deposits exhibit notable concentrations of up to 4400 ×10⁻⁶ Be, with phenakite and bertrandite being the principal ore minerals. These minerals are intimately associated with fluorite, K−feldspar, quartz, and calcite. A remarkable feature of these deposits is the relatively large size of phenakite crystals, some exceeding centimeters in length. The beryllium−bearing minerals are predominantly found filling structural fractures or interlayer fissures adjacent to fluorite ore bodies, which suggests that these are hydrothermal−type deposits formed through the interaction of granite−derived magmatic hydrothermal fluids with host rocks.

Conclusions The identification of significant Be mineralization at Gaowushan and Jiaokengwu, coupled with the detection of beryllium geochemical anomalies in nearby regions, underscores the substantial mineralization potential of the Changshan district. Consequently, this area should be prioritized for further exploration aimed at assessing and developing its beryllium resources.