Main type\source of Li deposits are salt lakes in Atakama dessert in Chili and Bolivia. Pegmatites and metasomatic deposits are subordinated source of Li.
1)PegmatiticLi (including gem spodume) and Cs deposits
2)Li-Cs-Rb in rhyolitic tuffs with Be and F
2)Sedimentary lithiumand cesium deposits
1)Brine depositsand salars
1)Geothermal waters and oil-field formation waters
2)Li brines within playas in Chile
2)Clay deposits
1)Hectoritein altered volcaniclastic rocks related to hot-spring activity
•Li strongly differs from other alkaline elements by ionic radius
•Ionic radius does not allow substitution for most other elements in the crystal lattice of rock-forming minerals and thus Li becomes enriched in the residue of highly differentiated granites as well as brines
•Limited substitution for other elements is only feasible in some micas and sheetsilicates of the smectite-group