none 10.1144/sjg2025-010 Geological Society of London Geological Society of London 1881 189776782 94125 2026072002202400501 10.1144 2026-09-02T17:59:26Z 2026-02-06T08:40:56Z 0 Scottish Journal of Geology SJG 0036-9276 2041-4951 01 16 2026 12 2026 62 1 David Currie British Geological Survey Keyworth, UK https://orcid.org/0009-0006-3460-5253 Andie Bryce University of Strathclyde, 16 Richmond Street, Glasgow G1 1XQ, UK https://orcid.org/0009-0003-3545-4600 Neil Burnside University of Strathclyde, 16 Richmond Street, Glasgow G1 1XQ, UK https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4110-2623 Hannah Grant British Geological Survey Keyworth, UK https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9069-1970 Lauren Tuffield British Geological Survey Keyworth, UK https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0313-6478 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), SW Scotland to host critical minerals. Utilizing 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. 04 07 2026 12 2026 sjg2025-010 10.1144/sjg2025-010 1 10.1144/crossmark-policy www.lyellcollection.org true 2025-05-29 2025-09-25 2025-10-21 2026-04-07 British Geological Survey http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100002760 NEE9147S http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ 10.1144/sjg2025-010 https://www.lyellcollection.org/doi/10.1144/sjg2025-010 https://www.lyellcollection.org/doi/pdf/10.1144/sjg2025-010 https://pubs.geoscienceworld.org/sjg/article/62/1/sjg2025-010/725580/trace-and-minor-element-concentrations-in-sulfide 10.1180/minmag.1991.055.381.13 10.1016/j.oregeorev.2016.02.019 10.1144/gsjgs.146.4.0715 Atkinson P. 1983. A Fluid Inclusion and Geochemical Investigation of the Fluorite Deposits of the Southern Pennine Orefield. 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