pegmatiitides

Pegmatiitides are a geological term referring to minerals that are found within pegmatites. Pegmatites themselves are unusually coarse-grained igneous rocks, typically formed from the final residual melt during the crystallization of a magma. This residual melt is often enriched in volatile components like water, as well as rarer elements that have difficulty fitting into the crystal structures of more common minerals.

The unique conditions under which pegmatites form allow for the growth of very large crystals. As a result, pegmatites are often hosts to a diverse array of minerals, many of which are not found in significant quantities in other rock types. These pegmatiitides can include a wide range of silicates, oxides, carbonates, and phosphates. Notable examples of pegmatiitides include gemstones like tourmaline, beryl (which includes emerald and aquamarine), topaz, and spodumene. Rare earth element minerals, lithium-bearing minerals like lepidolite, and niobium-tantalum minerals like columbite-tantalite are also commonly found as pegmatiitides. The study of pegmatiitides is important for understanding magmatic processes and for the economic extraction of valuable minerals.