Trace and minor element concentrations in sulfide ore material from the Leadhills and Wanlockhead orefield, SW Scotland

Building on a knowledge-based prospectivity analysis conducted by the BGS in 2023, this study assessed the potential for sphalerite, galena, chalcopyrite, and pyrite from the Leadhills and Wanlockhead orefield (LWO), Southwest Scotland to host critical minerals. Utilising SEM and LA-ICP-MS, sphalerite was found to be the primary host for Ga, Ge and Ag, while chalcopyrite was identified as the primary host for In, Se, and Sn, and galena the primary host for Sb. For sphalerite, the geometric mean concentration of Ge was 200 ppm with a maximum value of 860 ppm. These values indicate significant enrichment of Ge in sphalerite relative to crustal abundances and are comparable to significant Ge-producing deposits like Red Dog, Alaska, and the formerly productive Noailhac-Saint Salvy deposit in France. Cadmium, Se, and As were found to be hosted by sphalerite, chalcopyrite, and pyrite respectively. These elements are known to have detrimental effects on human health and ecological and environmental systems. A further orefield-wide assessment of mine waste material to fully document the occurrence of sphalerite in veins and mine waste is recommended.