Lithium and strontium isotopic systematics in the Nalenggele River catchment of Qaidam basin, China: Quantifying contributions to lithium brines and deciphering lithium behavior in hydrological processes

The salt lakes fed by the Nalenggele River in the Qaidam Basin, located on the northeastern Qinghai Tibetan Plateau (QTP), are major brine lithium reservoirs in China. The quantitative identifications of the Li sources and their dynamic behavior shed light on the formation mechanism of the brine Li deposits in closed-basin of arid regions. This study presents Li and Sr isotope ratios (delta 7Li, 87Sr/86Sr) and other hydrogeochemical parameters for river waters, springs, spring river waters, shallow groundwaters, surface brines, and intercrystalline brines around the Nalenggele River Basin (NRB) and its adjacent small watersheds. The results indicate that the Nalenggele River water is a mixing product of hot springs and regional surface meltwater, and the source of dissolved Li in the NRB is mainly supplied by the hot springs. With multi-tracer models, it is confirmed that around 84.9 %-93.4 % of dissolved Li is provided by the Li-rich hot spring waters, which account for only 3-5 % of the total water input. Furthermore, the dissolved Li in the streams of different hydrological regions shows various isotopic fractionation behavior. In general, the lower average delta 7Li values (average of +5.6 %o) with more enriched Li with respect to Na in the waters of the piedmont Gobi region indicates a significant additional input of dissolved Li from bedrock and sediments. The second-stage alluvial fan of the NRB produces 7Li enrichments and Li-depleted waters (compared with Na), which can be explained by the adsorption of clay or Fe (Mn) oxide phases that fractionate Li isotopes. The highest average delta 7Li values (+12.76 %o) are observed when Li is not adsorbed by the scarce fine clastic sediments in the hypersaline environment of the salt lake region. It can be concluded that the continuous halite precipitation during the brine evolution not only causes the abnormal enrichment of Li in the brine (compared with Na) but also continuously sequesters the 6Li from the brines, resulting in a significant 7Li enrichment. Overall, these findings advance the understanding of the lithium sources of Li-rich brines and its enrichment and metallogenic process during water migration in hyper-arid regions and have crucial indicative significance for lithium cycling under a strong evaporation environment.

Automated summary

This study investigates the sources and dynamic behavior of lithium in the salt lakes fed by the Nalenggele River in the Qaidam Basin, China. The results indicate that the dissolved lithium in the basin mainly comes from hot springs, and the lithium in the streams shows various isotopic fractionation behavior. These findings enhance the understanding of lithium sources and enrichment in brines, as well as the metallogenic process in hyper-arid regions.