Salar de Olaroz
Jujuy Puna, Argentina
OtherLi (K, B)
- Type
- Continental salar brine
Salar of the Argentine Puna worked for lithium (Orocobre) by pumping deep brines. Lithium comes from weathering of the basin ignimbrites and metasediments and from a hydrothermal input. Evaporation concentrates lithium by two to three orders of magnitude without measurable fractionation; at depth, adsorption of 6Li onto clays and iron oxyhydroxides makes the brines heavier, while ancient brines and smectite desorption offset the lithium loss.
δ7Li in ‰ (per mil) Values of the same system
Standard : L-SVEC
| Value | Range | n | Mineral or matrix | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6.58 ± 0.55 ‰ | 5.9 / 7.2 ‰ | 5 | shallow brine (about 0.6 m) Mean and standard deviation recalculated from 5 samples in Table 1; Li from 419 to 891 mg/L. | Garcia et al. (2020), Characterization of lithium cycling in the Salar De Olaroz, Central… |
| 9.4 ± 0.75 ‰ | 8.1 / 10.3 ‰ | 15 | deep brine (200 to 450 m) Mean and standard deviation recalculated from 15 samples in Table 1; Li from 692 to 1488 mg/L. The abstract gives +8.1 to +10.2 ‰, but PP11 is +10.3 ‰ in the table. | Garcia et al. (2020), Characterization of lithium cycling in the Salar De Olaroz, Central… |
| 6.05 ± 0.64 ‰ | 5.6 / 6.5 ‰ | 2 | surface halite crust Two samples (northern and central transects), Table 2; Li 70 and 219 mg/kg. Signature close to that of shallow brines. | Garcia et al. (2020), Characterization of lithium cycling in the Salar De Olaroz, Central… |
| −4.1 ± 3.95 ‰ | −7 / 0.4 ‰ | 3 | basin ignimbrites (Toro, Coranzulí) Mean and standard deviation of 3 samples, Table 2; Li from 61 to 92 mg/kg, the highest contents among basin rocks. | Garcia et al. (2020), Characterization of lithium cycling in the Salar De Olaroz, Central… |
| −7.15 ± 7 ‰ | −13.9 / 0.5 ‰ | 4 | volcanic tuffs and ashes (Sijes and Pastos Chicos formations) Mean and standard deviation of 4 samples, Table 2. The abstract gives -13.8 ‰ for the lowest value, the table -13.9 ‰ (FS-TA). | Garcia et al. (2020), Characterization of lithium cycling in the Salar De Olaroz, Central… |
| −12.5 ‰ | 1 | biotite-rich layer of the Sijes Formation One analysis (FS-BIOT), Table 2; 44 mg/kg Li. | Garcia et al. (2020), Characterization of lithium cycling in the Salar De Olaroz, Central… | |
| −5.7 ‰ | 1 | Ordovician host metasediments One analysis (A18), Table 2; 43 mg/kg Li. | Garcia et al. (2020), Characterization of lithium cycling in the Salar De Olaroz, Central… |
87Sr/86Sr isotope ratio, no unit Values of the same system
Standard : NIST SRM 987
| Value | Range | n | Mineral or matrix | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0.71466 ± 0.00084 | 0.7134 / 0.7151 | 4 | shallow brine Mean and standard deviation of 4 samples, Table 1. | Garcia et al. (2020), Characterization of lithium cycling in the Salar De Olaroz, Central… |
| 0.71484 ± 0.0002 | 0.71459 / 0.71521 | 16 | deep brine Mean and standard deviation of 16 samples, Table 1. Values intermediate between thermal waters (about 0.717) and basin rocks (about 0.712). | Garcia et al. (2020), Characterization of lithium cycling in the Salar De Olaroz, Central… |
| 0.71196 ± 0.00022 | 0.7118 / 0.71211 | 2 | Toro ignimbrite Two samples, Table 2. | Garcia et al. (2020), Characterization of lithium cycling in the Salar De Olaroz, Central… |
| 0.71392 ± 0.00162 | 0.71278 / 0.71507 | 2 | Sijes Formation tuffs Two samples, Table 2. | Garcia et al. (2020), Characterization of lithium cycling in the Salar De Olaroz, Central… |
| 0.71268 ± 0.00097 | 0.7116 / 0.71396 | 4 | Sijes Formation sediments Mean and standard deviation of 4 samples (sands, clays, biotite layer), Table 2. | Garcia et al. (2020), Characterization of lithium cycling in the Salar De Olaroz, Central… |
| 0.71348 ± 0.00258 | 0.71101 / 0.71654 | 5 | Trinchera Formation fluvial sediments Mean and standard deviation of 5 samples, Table 2. | Garcia et al. (2020), Characterization of lithium cycling in the Salar De Olaroz, Central… |
Deposits of the same type
- Salar de Atacama Chile
- Salar del Hombre Muerto Argentina
- Yanque Peru
- Salaverry Peru
- Barro Alto Brazil
- Niquelândia (Codemin) Brazil
- Zapotal Peru
- Leque Leque Peru
Cite this page
IsoFind Atlas (2026). Salar de Olaroz, isotope signatures. https://www.isofind.tech/isotopes/en/deposits/salar-de-olaroz/ (accessed 2026-10-13).
@misc{isofind2026salardeolarozisotopesignature,
title = {Salar de Olaroz, isotope signatures},
author = {{IsoFind Atlas}},
year = {2026},
url = {https://www.isofind.tech/isotopes/en/deposits/salar-de-olaroz/},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-13}
}Updated : 2026-10-13