increases in V, Mn, and in some cases Co, indicating either a geochemical halo around more fractionated pegmatites or host rocks that have interacted with hydrothermal fluids carrying Liassociated elements. These zones are considered medium-priority targets. They warrant follow-up particularly when spatially adjacent to Cluster 0, as they may represent the outer envelopes or partially buried extensions of an LCT system. Cluster 1 (blue) corresponds to the lowest Li concentrations in the dataset (average 11.4 ppm) and is typically characterized by higher MgO and Co contents. This pattern suggests a more mafic or ultramafic lithological influence—potentially greenstones, amphibolites, or serpentinized units. These areas have low potential for hosting Li-fertile pegmatites and therefore represent lowpriority exploration zones. Despite their limited relevance to lithium targeting, they provide useful background geochemistry and may still hold interest for Ni–Co pathfinder studies. Overall, the CLR transformation, PCA structure, and clustering outputs collectively provide a robust, first-order geochemical basis for distinguishing prospective LCT-pegmatite signatures from background lithologies and hydrothermal halos, helping refine the subsequent stages of target evaluation. A
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