Trace element analyses (LA-ICP-MS) of scheelite from the Felbertal tungsten deposit

Based on economic importance and potential supply risk tungsten is considered as a critical raw material by the EU as about 80 % of the global tungsten supply comes from China. Within the EU the Felbertal scheelite deposit in Austria is one of the few producing tungsten mines. Vein-stockwork scheelite mineralization in this area was formed at ~340 Ma during the Variscan Orogeny, with subsequent metamorphic overprint and remobilization. Thus, several generations of scheelite can be distinguished. REE analyses (LA-ICP-MS) of these scheelite generations demonstrate that primary magmatic-hydrothermal (Scheelite type 1 and 2) and metamorphic scheelite (Scheelite type 3) have different chemical signatures. Extensive greenfield exploration during the 1980s led to the discovery of many other scheelite occurrences in the Eastern Alps. Since then, tungsten mineralization is known from different parts of the Austroalpine Unit and the Penninic/Subpenninic Nappe System. Mineralization style includes strata-bound mineralization, for example in metabasites (Felbertal), metacarbonates partly with magnesite (Tux-Lanersbach, Mallnock) and calc-silicate rocks (Messelingscharte, Lienzer Schlossberg), orogenic Au-W veins (Schellgaden) and scheelite-bearing metamorphic veins (Mühlbach/Neukirchen). The “W Alps” project (W stands for the chemical symbol of tungsten) aims to develop assessment criteria for the evaluation of regional tungsten potentials in Austria. In order to understand the context in the current geological-tectonic concept for the Eastern Alps the project includes field-based studies of tungsten-bearing geological units.