Unzoned, undifferentiated spodumene-rich pegmatites hosted by amphibolites and mica schists. During the 1980s, a prospection adit was driven. However, the ore turned out to need elaborate processing to enrich the spodumene, making the deposit unprofitable, so the prospect was closed in the early 1990s. Meanwhile, the adit has been backfilled, the dumps largely removed and the area recultivated.

Currently (2012), new prospecting and drilling work is being done by an Australian company (European Lithium). "Construction could start by early 2019 and production by the end of 2020." (Company website accessed 24 Sept. 2017).

Situation in June 2023: The start of mining is scheduled for 2025.

The area is composed mostly of mica schist with intermingled eclogite-amphibolite (amphibolite hereafter) and to a lesser degree, thin (dm-scale) graphite and marble layers. Pegmatite forms roughly SE-striking dikes hosted within mica schist and amphibolite that are concordant with the host rock foliation. The dikes have been traced up to 1,300 m length, 350 m depth and can be as much as 5 m wide, with an average of 2 m. Except pegmatite hosted in amphibolite, which can display irregular-shaped internal aplitic domains and ∼10–20 cm spodumene-poor aplitic border zones along dike margins, the dikes generally lack internal zonation. The dikes display sharp contacts with the host rock, and when hosted in amphibolite, display up to 50 cm alteration halos characterized by biotite ± tourmaline ± holmquistite assemblages. The primary mineral assemblage in pegmatite is quartz + feldspar + muscovite + spodumene with accessory apatite, columbite and beryl.

Located on the northeast slope of the Brandrücken, about 2 km east of the Weinebene.

Note: a separate dump, heavily picked over and nowadays fairly weathered, is located 8 km away from the exploration adit. Coordinates: 46°52'3" N, 14°55'54" E.

Other Regions, Features and Areas containing this locality

References