Trace Element Geochemistry and Genesis of Beryl from Wadi Nugrus, South Eastern Desert, Egypt

Abstract

Beryl occurs in the ancient Roman mines at Wadi Nugrus, South Eastern Desert of Egypt. It ranges from small crystals to 10 mm in size, and it varies in color, appearing as bright green, pale green, dark green and brown-green with biotite inclusions. The trace and minor elements were analyzed by the SIMS method. The two rims are richer in Cs, Na, Mg, Fe, Sc, V, Rb and H2O than cores but are poor in Mn, Ca, Co, Sr and Li. The bright-green rim is richer than the pale-green one in Na, P, K, Ca, Fe, Rb, Cs and F, but poorer in Mg and Li. The alkaline elements (Cs, Na, Rb) and Fe correlate with the color zoning, and where beryl crystals have a maximum of these elements, the green color is strong and bright. The emerald of Wadi Nugrus has similarities with the geological setting of the Canadian emeralds. Emeralds occur along the contact zone between biotite schists, pegmatites and quartz veins. A large-scale interaction between Be-bearing magmatic fluids from granites and related pegmatites took place with hydrothermal fluids enriched in Cr, V, Sc, Mg and Ca after percolation through pre-existing serpentinite and talc carbonates, metagabbros and biotite schists and additional fluids bearing H2O, NaCl and CO2.

Keywords

• beryl
• SIMS method
• trace element geochemistry
• zoning
• Wadi Nugrus
• Egypt