Petrogenesis and mineralization of the Hulu Ni-Cu sulphide deposit in Xinjiang,NW China: constraints from Sr-Nd isotopic and PGE compositions

The Permian Hulu intrusion is one of several sulphide-bearing Permian mafic–ultramafic intrusions in the eastern part of the eastern Tianshan located at the southern margin of the Central Asian Orogenic Belt (CAOB) in Xinjiang, NW China. The intrusion is composed of lherzolite, olivine websterite, gabbro, and gabbro-diorite. Disseminated and net-textured Ni-Cu sulphide ores are located at the bottom of the lopolith complex. Negative Zr, Hf, Nb, and Ta anomalies, whole-rock εNd(t) values of +5.7 to +8.8, and variable (Th/Nb)_PM values (from 1.06 to 8.13) suggest that the source of the Hulu complexes is depleted mantle metasomatized by subducted slab-derived fluid and/or melt (~5% global subducted sediment and 15% slab fluid) that has experienced approximately 3% lower crustal and 10% upper crustal contamination. The Hulu intrusion is characterized by low PGE abundances i.e. 0.03–1.08 ppb Ir, 0.04–0.69 ppb Ru, 0.02–2.15 ppb Rh, 0.30–48.71 ppb Pt, and 0.21–344 ppb Pd. Our calculations indicate that if the Pd, Os, Ir, and Cu contents of the primary magma were 2.1 ppb, 0.03 ppb, 0.05 ppb, and 200 ppm, respectively, a variable R-factor between 200 and 1600 with residual magma that had experienced 0.01% early-sulphide segregation can explain the variation in Pd, Os, and Ir contents of sulphide-poor and disseminated sulphide samples of the Hulu deposit. Basaltic magma fractionation and assimilation and/or contamination of sulphur-bearing crustal materials might have triggered sulphur saturation to form Cu-Ni sulphide ores. Tarim basaltic PGE contents cannot be used as the mineralized parent magma for the Hulu intrusion because of the differing evolutionary trends of the Ni/Pd and Cu/Ir values. However, similar Cu/Ni and Pd/Ir values in Tarim basalts and Hulu Cu-Ni sulphide ores, as well as the same early sulphide segregation process, show that certain genetic relationships between them and magma sources are probably similar to each other.     

Platinum-Group Element Geochemical Characteristics of the Picrites and High-Ti Basalts in the Binchuan Area,Yunnan Province

The Binchuan area of Yunnan is located in the western part of the Emeishan large igneous province in the western margin of the Yangtze Block.In the present study,the Wuguiqing profile in thickness of about 1440 m is mainly composed of high-Ti basalts,with minor picrites in the lower part and andesites,trachytes,and rhyolites in the upper part.The picrites have relatively higher platinum-group element（PGE） contents（ΣPGE=16.3-28.2 ppb）,with high Cu/Zr and Pd/Zr ratios,and low S contents（5.03-16.9 ppm）,indicating the parental magma is S-unsaturated and generated by high degree of partial melting of the Emeishan large igneous province（ELIP） mantle source.The slightly high Cu/Pd ratios（11 000-24 000） relative to that of the primitive mantle suggest that 0.007%sulfides have been retained in the mantle source.The PGE contents of the high-Ti basalts exhibit a wider range（ΣPGE=0.517-30.8 ppb）.The samples in the middle and upper parts are depleted in PGE and haveε_Nd（260 Ma） ratios ranging from -2.8 to -2.2,suggesting that crustal contamination of the parental magma during ascent triggered sulfur saturation and segregation of about 0.446%-0.554% sulfides,and the sulfide segregation process may also provide the ore-forming material for the magmatic Cu-Ni-PGE sulfide deposits close to the studied basalts.The samples in this area show Pt-Pd type primitive mantle-normalized PGE patterns,and the Pd/Ir ratios are higher than that of the primitive mantle（Pd/Ir=1）,indicating that the obvious differentiation between Ir-group platinum-group elements（IPGE） and Pd-group platinum-group elements（PPGE） are mainly controlled by olivine or chromites fractionation during magma evolution.The Pd/Pt ratios of most samples are higher than the average ratio of mantle（Pd/Pt=0.55）,showing that the differentiation happened between Pt and Pd.The differentiation in picrites may be relevant to Pt hosted in discrete refractory Pt-alloy phase in the mantle;whereas the differentiation in the high-Ti basalts is probably associated with the fractionation of Fe-Pt alloys,coprecipitating with Ir-Ru-Os alloys.Some high-Ti basalt samples exhibit negative Ru anomalies,possibly due to removal of laurite collected by the early crystallized chromites.     

Re–Os isotope and platinum-group element geochemistry of the Pobei Ni–Cu sulfide-bearing mafic–ultramafic complex in the northeastern part of the Tarim Craton

A number of mafic–ultramafic intrusions that host Ni–Cu sulfide mineralization occur in the northeastern Tarim Craton and the eastern Tianshan Orogenic Belt (NW China). The sulfide-mineralized Pobei mafic–ultramafic complex is located in the northeastern part of the Tarim Craton. The complex is composed of gabbro and olivine gabbro, cut by dunite, wehrlite, and melatroctolite of the Poyi and Poshi intrusions. Disseminated Ni–Cu sulfide mineralization is present towards the base of the ultramafic bodies. The sulfide mineralization is typically low grade (<0.5 wt.% Ni and <2 wt.% S) with low platinum-group element (PGE) concentrations (<24.5 ppb Pt and <69 ppb Pd); the abundance of Cu in 100 % sulfide is 1–8 wt.%, and Ni abundance in 100 % sulfide is typically >4 wt.%. Samples from the Pobei complex have εNd (at 280 Ma) values up to +8.1, consistent with the derivation of the magma from an asthenospheric mantle source. Fo 89.5 mol.% olivine from the ultramafic bodies is consistent with a primitive parental magma. Sulfide-bearing dunite and wehrlite have high Cu/Pd ratios ranging from 24,000 to 218,000, indicating a magma that evolved under conditions of sulfide saturation. The grades of Ni, Cu, and PGE in 100 % sulfide show a strong positive correlation. A model for these variations is proposed where the mantle source of the Pobei magma retained ~0.033 wt.% sulfide during the production of a PGE-depleted parental magma. The parental magma migrated from the mantle to the crust and underwent further S saturation to generate the observed mineralization along with its high Cu/Pd ratio at an R-factor varying from 100 to 1,200. The mineralization at Poshi and Poyi has very high γOs (at 280 Ma) values (+30 to +292) that are negatively correlated with the abundance of Os in 100 % sulfide (5.81–271 ppb) and positively correlated with the Re/Os ratios; this indicates that sulfide saturation was triggered by the assimilation of crustal sulfide with both high γOs and Re/Os ratios. When compared to other Permian mafic–ultramafic intrusions with sulfide mineralization in the East Tianshan, the Poyi and Poshi ultramafic bodies were formed from more primitive magmas, and this helps to explain why the sulfide mineralization has high Ni tenor.     

Siderophile and chalcophile elemental constraints on the origin of the Jinchuan Ni-Cu-(PGE) sulfide deposit, NW China

The Jinchuan deposit, NW China, is one of the world’s most important Ni-Cu-(PGE) sulfide deposits related to a magma conduit system and is hosted in an ultramafic intrusion. The intrusion is composed of lherzolite and dunite with the two largest sulfide ore bodies (named as ore body 1 and 2) in its middle portion. The sulfide ores may be disseminated, net-textured, or massive. The disseminated and net-textured sulfide ores are characterized by variable but generally low PGE concentrations: 10-3200 ppb Pt, 240-9800 ppb Pd, 17-800 ppb Ir, 25-1500 ppb Ru, and 15-400 ppb Rh in 100% sulfides. The massive sulfide ores are extremely low in Pt (<30 ppb) on a 100% sulfides and have very high Cu/Pd ratios, ranging from 10⁴ to 4.5 × 10⁵. The low PGE contents suggest that the sulfide ores formed from the silicate magmas that had already experienced prior-sulfide separation.Our calculations indicate that if the first stage basaltic magmas had contained 6.3 ppb Pt, 6.2 ppb Pd, and 0.1 ppb Ir, 0.008% sulfide removal would result in PGE-depletion in the residual magma with 0.57 ppb Pt, 0.25 ppb Pd, and 0.009 ppb Ir. The Jinchuan sulfides were formed by a second stage of sulfide segregation from a PGE-depleted magma under silicate/sulfide liquid ratios (R-factor) ranging from 10³ to 10⁴ in a deep-seated staging chamber. The massive sulfide ores and some of the net-textured sulfide ores exhibit strong negative Pt-anomalies that cannot be explained by sulfide segregation under variable R-factors. Instead, the sulfide melts that formed the massive ores were segregated from magmas experienced prior fractionation of Pt-Fe alloy. Alternatively, the Pt may have been selectively leached by hydrothermal fluids during remobilization of the sulfide melts that produced the massive sulfides, which occur in cross-cutting veins. We propose that the Jinchuan intrusion and ore bodies were formed by injections of sulfide-free and sulfide-bearing olivine mushes from a deep-seated staging chamber.     

Chalcophile element geochemistry of the Boggy Plain zoned pluton, southeastern Australia: a S-saturated barren compositionally diverse magmatic system

The behavior of the platinum group elements (PGE) and Re in felsic magmas is poorly understood due to scarcity of data. We report the concentrations of Ni, Cu, Re, and PGE in the compositionally diverse Boggy Plain zoned pluton (BPZP), which shows a variation of rock type from gabbro through granodiorite and granite to aplite with a SiO₂ range from 52 to 74 wt %. In addition, major silicate and oxide minerals were analyzed for Ni, Cu, and Re, and a systematic sulfide study was carried out to investigate the role of silicate, oxide, and sulfide minerals on chalcophile element geochemistry of the BPZP. Mass balance calculation shows that the whole rock Cu budget hosted by silicate and oxide minerals is <13 wt % and that Cu is dominantly located in sulfide phases, whereas most of the whole rock Ni budget (>70 wt %) is held in major silicate and oxide minerals. Rhenium is dominantly hosted by magnetite and ilmenite. Ovoid-shaped sulfide blebs occur at the boundary between pyroxene phenocrysts and neighboring interstitial phases or within interstitial minerals in the gabbro and the granodiorite. The blebs are composed of pyrrhotite, pyrite, chalcopyrite, and S-bearing Fe-oxide, which contain total trace metals (Co, Ni, Cu, Ag, Pb) up to ~16 wt %. The mineral assemblage, occurrence, shape, and composition of the sulfide blebs are a typical of magmatic sulfide. PGE concentrations in the BPZP vary by more than two orders of magnitude from gabbro (2.7–7.8 ppb Pd, 0.025–0.116 ppb Ir) to aplite (0.05 ppb Pd, 0.001 ppb Ir). Nickel, Cu, Re, and PGE concentrations are positively correlated with MgO in all the rock types although there is a clear discontinuity between the granodiorite and the granite in the trends for Ni, Rh, and Ir when plotted against MgO. Cu/Pd values gradually increase from 6,100 to 52,600 as the MgO content decreases. The sulfide petrology and chalcophile element geochemistry of the BPZP show that sulfide saturation occurred in the late gabbroic stage of magma differentiation. Segregation and distribution of these sulfide blebs controlled Cu and PGE variations within the BPZP rocks although the magma of each rock type may have experienced a different magma evolution history in terms of crustal assimilation and crystal fractionation. The sulfide melt locked in the cumulate rocks must have sequestered a significant portion of the chalcophile elements, which restricted the availability of these metals to magmatic-hydrothermal ore fluids. Therefore, we suggest that the roof rocks that overlay the BPZP were not prospective for magmatic-hydrothermal Cu, Au, or Cu–Au deposits.     

Chalcophile element geochemistry and petrogenesis of high-Ti and low-Ti magmas in the Permian Emeishan large igneous province,SW China

Sulfide-poor mafic layered intrusions, sills/dykes and lava flows in the Funing region, SW China, are part of the ~260 Ma Emeishan large igneous province. They belong to either a high-Ti group (TiO₂ = 1.6–4.4 wt%) with elevated Ti/Y ratios (351–1,018), or a low-Ti group (TiO₂ < 1.2 wt%) with low Ti/Y ratios (133–223). This study investigates the role of fractionation of olivine, chromite and sulfide on the distributions of chalcophile elements, Ni, Cu and PGE, of the high-Ti and low-Ti group rocks at Funing. The high-Ti group rocks contain 1.6–5.3 ppb Pt + Pd, 0.06–0.43 ppb Ir and 0.01–0.13 ppb Ru, and show relative constant (Cu/Pd)_PM ratios (4.0–9.7) and a negative correlation between Ni/Pd and Cu/Ir ratios. Fractionated IPGE/PPGE patterns and very negative Ru anomalies of the high-Ti group rocks, together with low Fo values (59–62 mol%) of olivine, indicate that the high-Ti magmas may have experienced fractionation of olivine and chromite under S-undersaturated condition. Based on the PGE concentrations, the low-Ti group rocks can be further divided into two subgroups; a high-PGE low-Ti subgroup and a low-PGE low-Ti subgroup. The high-PGE low-Ti group rocks are rich in MgO (10–20 wt%), but Fo values of olivine from the rocks are low (74–76 mol%). The rocks contain highly variable PGE (Pt + Pd = 1.7–88 ppb, Ir = 0.05–1.3 ppb), Ni (179 –1,380 ppm) and Cu (59–568 ppm). They have Cu/Zr ratios >1, low (Y/Pd)_PM ratios (0.2–7.1) and nearly constant (Cu/Pd)_PM ratios (1.5–3.8). The even and parallel chalcophile element patterns of the high-PGE low-Ti subgroup rocks are likely a result of olivine-dominated fractionation under S-undersaturated condition. The low-PGE low-Ti group rocks have low MgO (4.5–8.9 wt%) and very poor PGE (Pt + Pd 0.5–1.6 ppb, Ir 0.004–0.02 ppb) with low Cu/Zr ratios (0.1–0.5), high (Y/Pd)_PM (26–70) and variable (Cu/Pd)_PM ratios (2.8–14). The trough-like chalcophile element patterns of the low-PGE low-Ti subgroup rocks indicate that the magmas were sulfide saturation and sulfide melts were extracted from the magmas. The extracted sulfide melts might be potential Ni–Cu sulfide ores at depth in the Funing region.     

喀拉通克铜镍矿床铂族元素地球化学特征及其成矿作用意义

喀拉通克铜镍矿床位于准噶尔板块北缘,矿区主要矿体赋存于Y1-Y3号岩体中。矿石构造类型为致密块状和浸染状两大类,其中前者与后者呈贯入接触,不同浸染状类型之间为过渡关系。岩石和矿石的PGE总量偏低,且以PPGE为主,IPGE含量较低。整体上岩石中的PGE含量显示随基性程度降低而变小。矿石中的PGE含量随硫化物含量增加增大,显示PGE主要分布于硫化物熔离形成的物相中。100%硫化物计算后,矿石PGE含量平均仅为573×10^-9。各岩体中浸染状矿石PGE组成并无明显差异;岩石和矿石具有相似的PGE分配模式,均属于Pt-Pd配分型。岩石Ni/Cu-Pd/Ir关系以及岩石地球化学资料显示,形成喀拉通克岩体的初始岩浆为MgO含量较高的玄武质岩浆,属于PGE不亏损的岩浆。基于PGE不亏损的大陆拉斑玄武岩初始岩浆推算,喀拉通克矿床母岩浆明显亏损PGE,而深部硫化物熔离可能是导致母岩浆PGE亏损的主要原因。岩石和矿石Pd/Pt比值总体特征,岩石Cr与Ni、Ir、Ru和Rh相关性,以及硫同位素和岩石学资料分析表明,初始岩浆在地壳深部发生的橄榄石、铬铁矿等矿物的分离结晶作用,可能是促使硫过饱和与深部熔离的主要因素。IPGE与PPGE分异特征及其相关分析,结合矿床宏观地质特征,推断该矿床浸染状矿的成矿作用经历了初始岩浆（PGE不亏损）→橄榄石等矿物分离结晶→硫化物深部熔离→成矿母岩浆（PGE亏损）→上侵并结晶分异的成矿过程。块状矿则可能是这一过程中PGE亏损的成矿母岩浆相对滞后熔离形成的硫化物熔体贯入的结果。     

Platinum-group elemental chemistry of the Baima and Taihe Fe–Ti oxide bearing gabbroic intrusions of the Emeishan large igneous province,SW China

Nickel-, copper-, and platinum group element (PGE)-enriched sulphide mineralization in large igneous provinces has attracted numerous PGE studies. However, the distribution and behavior of PGEs as well as the history of sulphide saturation are less clear in oxide-dominated mineralization. Platinum group elements of oxide-bearing layered mafic intrusions from the Emeishan large igneous province are examined in this study. Samples collected from the Baima and Taihe oxide-bearing layered gabbroic intrusions reveal contrasting results. The samples from Baima gabbroic rocks have low total PGE abundances (ΣPGE < 4 ppb) whereas the Taihe gabbroic rocks, on average, have more than double the concentration but are variable ranging from ΣPGE < 2 ppb to ΣPGE ∼300 ppb. The Baima gabbro is platinum-subgroup PGE (PPGE = Rh, Pt and Pd) enriched and iridium-subgroup PGE (IPGE = Os, Ir and Ru) depleted, with a distinct positive Ru anomaly on a primitive mantle normalized multi-element plot. The Taihe gabbros are also PPGE enriched but with negative Ru and Pd anomalies on a primitive mantle normalized multi-element plot. The PGE concentrations of Baima rocks are indicative of fractionation of a relatively evolved, mafic, S-undersaturated parental magma that was affected by earlier sulphide segregation. In contrast, the Taihe rocks record evidence of both S-saturated and S-undersaturated conditions and that the parental magma was likely emplaced very close to S-saturation. Comparisons of the platinum group element contents in the Emeishan flood basalts and the Emeishan oxide-bearing intrusions suggest that the PGE budget in a magma is not controlled by magma series (high-Ti vs. low-Ti), but very much by crustal contamination. The unlikelihood of substantial crustal contamination in the Taihe magma allowed the magma to remain S-undersaturated for a longer duration. PGE and sulphide mineralization was not identified in the Taihe intrusion but the presence of one PGE-enriched sample (Pt + Pd = ∼300 ppb) suggests that the parental magma likely did not experience sulphide segregation and is a potential target for further prospecting.     

攀西小关河地区核桃树富铂岩浆硫化物矿床岩石地球化学特征及成矿机制研究

核桃树富铂岩浆硫化物矿床位于四川会理县小关河地区,是峨眉山大火成岩省中含较高铂族元素含量的岩浆硫化物矿床之一。本文通过对核桃树岩体及部分硫化物矿石主量元素、微量元素及铂族元素的系统分析,讨论了该岩体的岩浆源区及母岩浆性质、地幔部分熔融程度,并探讨了其成因机制。研究认为,核桃树含矿岩体属拉斑玄武岩成因系列,具有与峨眉山玄武岩相似的微量元素组成特征,是峨眉山大火成岩省构造-岩浆活动的产物;铂族元素的原始地幔标准化配分型式与金宝山铂钯矿相似,没有PGE相对于Ni和Cu的明显亏损,Pt和Pd相对Os、Ir、Ru和Rh富集,为PPGE富集的左倾型式,Pd/Ir=1.5~13.1,低于一般大陆拉斑玄武岩,与原始地幔接近。通过岩石地球化学及模拟分析表明,成矿母岩浆MgO约为11.93%、SiO_2约为49.88%、FeOT约为13.71%、TiO_2约为2.61%,为高Mg拉斑玄武质岩浆,是由类似于洋岛玄武岩岩浆源区成分的地幔经过较高程度(约20.17%)的部分熔融形成的苦橄质岩浆演化而来。与小关河地区主要的几类岩浆硫化物矿床的镍铜铂族元素组成及硫化物熔离模式对比分析发现,核桃树高的PGE含量和低的Cu/Pd比值说明了该矿床的硫化物是从PGE不亏损的玄武质岩浆中熔离出来的,类似金宝山矿床。成岩成矿机制分析认为,部分熔融形成的苦橄质岩浆在上升的过程中,发生了以橄榄石(约12.7%)为代表的镁铁质矿物堆积,并形成残余髙镁玄武质岩浆;部分残余髙镁玄武质岩浆向浅部运移过程中,由于温度降低、混染等因素的影响,导致岩浆S饱和,触发硫化物熔离作用的发生(R值为2000~50000),熔离出硫化物熔体与岩浆通道内晶出的橄榄石构成含矿"晶粥",在构造挤压作用下,在浅部岩浆房中由于重力影响发生堆积作用形成具有较富PGE的含矿岩体,R值较大变化正好与PGE含量较大变化相对应。     

Geochemical Constraints on the Origin of the Ni–Cu Sulfide Ores in the Tejadillas Prospect (Cortegana Igneous Complex,SW Spain)

After the discovery of the Aguablanca ore deposit (the unique Ni–Cu mine operating in SW Europe), a number of mafic‐ultramafic intrusions bearing Ni–Cu magmatic sulfides have been found in the Ossa–Morena Zone of the Iberian Massif (SW Iberian Peninsula). The Tejadillas prospect is one of these intrusions, situated close to the border between the Ossa–Morena Zone and the South Portuguese Zone of the Iberian Massif. This prospect contains an average grade of 0.16 wt % Ni and 0.08 wt % Cu with peaks of 1.2 wt % Ni and 0.2 wt % Cu. It forms part of the Cortegana Igneous Complex, a group of small mafic‐ultramafic igneous bodies located 65 km west of the Aguablanca deposit. In spite of good initial results, exploration work has revealed that sulfide mineralization is much less abundant than in Aguablanca. A comparative study using whole‐rock geochemical data between Aguablanca and Tejadillas shows that the Tejadillas igneous rocks present a lower degree of crustal contamination than those of Aguablanca. The low crustal contamination of the Tejadillas magmas inhibited the assimilation of significant amounts of crustal sulfur to the silicate magmas, resulting in the sparse formation of sulfides. In addition, Tejadillas sulfides are strongly depleted in PGE, with total PGE contents ranging from 14 to 81 ppb, the sum of Pd and Pt, since Os, Ir, Ru and Rh are usually below or close to the detection limit (2 ppb). High Cu/Pd ratios (9700–146,000) and depleted mantle‐normalized PGE patterns suggest that the Tejadillas sulfides formed from PGE‐depleted silicate magmas. Modeling has led us to establish that these sulfides segregated under R‐factors between 1000 and 10,000 from a silicate melt that previously experienced 0.015% of sulfide extraction. All these results highlight the importance of contamination processes with S‐rich crustal rocks and multiple episodes of sulfide segregations in the genesis of high‐tenor Ni–Cu–PGE ore deposits in mafic‐ultramafic intrusions of the region.     

金川超大型铜镍硫化物矿床的铂族元素地球化学特征

对金川超大型铜镍岩浆硫化物矿床岩石、矿石的铂族元素地球化学特征研究表明 ,金川岩体的平均Cu/Pd值远大于原生地幔岩浆的Cu/Pd值 ,说明其岩石为因硫化物析离而失去Pd的岩浆所结晶 ;且岩石的PGE具有部分熔融趋势 ,与地幔橄榄岩接近 ,这些均指示存在岩浆熔离作用。该矿床岩石、矿石的PGE球粒陨石标准化分布模式比较对应 ,均可分为两种类型 ,反映了岩浆多次侵入、熔离分异同时成岩成矿的特征。另外 ,PGE S关系分析表明其成岩成矿过程中有少量地壳物质混染。PGE地球化学特征参数还指示了其高镁拉斑玄武质母岩浆的性质。     

A reconnaissance study of platinum group elements (PGE) contents from sulfide mineralization in pyroxenites in Faryab ophiolite of Iran

Platinum group elements (PGE) enrichment occurs in Zn–Cu and Ni-rich ophiolities in a number of geological settings. Platinum group elements (PGE) mineralization in Pyroxenite from the Faryab ophiolities of Zagros belt in south Iran was studied. The ophiolite rocks represent blocks of Tethyan oceanic crust that were emplaced on the continental margin during the late Cretaceous period. Much of lower ophiolitic section is composed of homogeneous harzburgite, while upper sections harzburgite interlayer with dunite and pyroxenite are included. This study focused on pyroxenite that includes most of sulfide mineralization in Faryab. More than 500 samples were investigated from polished thin sections; that cover all area of Faryab. The sulfide phases include pyrrhotite, pentlandite, millerite, violarite, smythite, and heazlewoodite. The results show that in almost all the samples Os is below the 2 ppb detection limit, Platinum values vary from <5 to 91 ppb and the light PGE (Ru, Rh, and Pd) relative to the heavy PGE (Os, Ir, and Pt) are more concentrated. Calculation showed that in pyroxenites Pd–Pt is occurring with orthopyroxenite and Rh–Os is occurring in clinopyroxenite. Ni/Pd ratios in Faryab vary between 7 and 356 and Pd/Ir ratio is 0.1–27. This indicates that in Faryab area partial melt of mantle occurred. Pd/Rh ratio in Faryab is 0.1–11, and Pd/Pt varies between 0.2 and 1.5. Pd/Ir ratio in Faryab decreases and shows that PGE in Faryab occurred.     

GEOCHEMICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF PLATINUM GROUP ELEMENTS IN JINCHUAN SUPER-LARGE SULFIDE COPPER-NICKEL DEPOSIT, JINCHANG CITY, GANSU PROVINCE, CHINA

The platinum-group element geochemistry of rocks and ores from Jinchuan super-large copper-nickel sulfide deposit is systemically studied in this paper. The Cu/Pd mean ratio of Jinchuan intrusion is lower than that of original mantle magma, which indicates that these ultrabasic rocks were crystallized from magma that lost Pd in the form of melting segregation of sulfides. The PGE of the rocks show trend of partial melting, similar to that of mantle peridotite, which shows that magma formation occurs during rock-forming and ore-forming processes. The chondrite normalized PGE patterns of the rocks and ores are well related to each other, which signifies the signatures of multi-episode magmatic intrusion, melting and differentiation in the formation processes of rocks and ores. In addition, analyses about the relation between PGE and S, and study on Re-Os isotopes indicate that few contamination of the crustal substances occurred during the magmatic intrusion and the formation of deposit. However, contamination by crustal substances helps to supply part of the S for the enrichment of PGE. Meanwhile, the hydrothermal process is also advantageous for the enrichment of PGE, especially lbr Pt and Pd, due to deep melting segregation. The characteristic parameters （such as Pt/（Pt＋Pd）, （Pt＋Pd）/（Ru＋Ir＋Os）, Pd/Ir, Cu/（Ni＋Cu）, and so on.） for platinum-group elements for Jinchuan sulfide copper-nickel deposit show the same features as those for sulfide copper-nickel deposit related to basic magma, which also illustrates its original magma property representative of Mg-high tholeiite. Therefore, it is the marie （not ultramafic） magma that resulted in the formation of the superlarge sulfide copper-nickel deposit enriched in Cu and PGE. To sum up, the geochemical characteristics of platinum-group elements in rocks and ores from Jinchuan copper-nickel sulfide deposit are constrained by the continental rift tectonic environment, the parent magma features, the enriched mantel magma source, the complex metallogenesis and PGE geochemical signatures, and this would be rather significant for the study about the genetic mechanism of copper-nickel sulfide deposits.     

铜、镍、铂族元素地球化学性质及其在幔源岩浆起源、演化和岩浆硫化物矿床研究中的意义

Ni、Cu和PGE具有不同于其他微量元素的特殊的地球化学性质,这些特殊的性质使得它们在幔源岩浆起源和演化以及岩浆硫化物矿床的成因研究中具有不可替代的作用。在S不饱和的条件下,Ni、Os、Ir和Ru具有相容元素的特性,而Cu和Pd是强不相容元素,因此,它们在玄武岩浆分离结晶过程中常常发生分异。一旦体系达到S饱和,这些元素则会强烈地进入硫化物熔浆,特别是PGE具有极高的硫化物熔浆/硅酸盐熔浆分配系数,极微量的硫化物熔离便可导致残余岩浆中PGE的显著亏损,因此,PGE是玄武岩浆硫化物熔离作用最敏感的示踪元素。硫化物熔离和成矿实质上是幔源岩浆特殊演化过程的结果,所以,Ni,Cu和PGE的特殊性质可用来探讨岩浆硫化物成矿的关键控制因素。Ni、Cu和PGE具有不同的单硫化物固溶体/硫化物熔浆分配系数,因此,它们也是硫化物熔浆结晶分异的重要示踪元素。本文试图从Ni、Cu和PGE地球化学性质和行为入手,并借助一些研究实例,对它们在幔源岩浆起源和演化以及岩浆硫化物矿床成因研究中的示踪意义进行系统介绍。     

Differentiation, crustal contamination and emplacement of magmas in the formation of the Nantianwan mafic intrusion of the ~260?Ma Emeishan large igneous province, SW China

The Nantianwan mafic intrusion in the Panxi region, SW China, part of the ~260?Ma Emeishan large igneous province, consists of the olivine gabbro and gabbronorite units, separated by a transitional zone. Olivine gabbros contain olivine with Fo values ranging from 83 to 87, indicating crystallization from a moderately evolved magma. They have 0.2 to 0.9?wt?% sulfide with highly variable PGE (17?C151?ppb) and variable Cu/Pd ratios (1,500?C32,500). Modeling results indicate that they were derived from picritic magmas with high initial PGE concentrations. Olivine gabbros have negative ??Nd(t) values (?1.3 to ?0.1) and positive ??Os(t) values (5?C15), consistent with low degrees of crustal contamination. Gabbronorites include sulfide-bearing and sulfide-poor varieties, and both have olivine with Fo values ranging from 74 to 79, indicating crystallization from a more evolved magma than that for olivine gabbros. Sulfide-bearing gabbronorites contain 1.9?C4.1?wt?% sulfide and 37?C160?ppb PGE and high Cu/Pd ratios (54,000?C624,000). Sulfide-poor gabbronorites have 0.1?C0.6?wt?% sulfide and 0.2?C15?ppb PGE and very high Cu/Pd ratios (16,900?C2,370,000). Both sulfide-bearing and sulfide-poor gabbronorites have ??Nd(t) values (?0.9 to ?2.1) similar to those for olivine gabbros, but their ??Os(t) values (17?C262) are much higher and more variable than those of the olivine gabbros. Selective assimilation of crustal sulfides from the country rocks is thus considered to have resulted in more radiogenic ¹⁸⁷Os of the gabbronorites. Processes such as magma differentiation, crustal contamination and sulfide saturation at different stages in magma chambers may have intervened during formation of the intrusion. Parental magmas were derived from picritic magmas that had fractionated olivine under S-undersaturated conditions before entering a deep-seated staging magma chamber, where the parental magmas crystallized olivine, assimilated minor crustal rocks and reached sulfide saturation, forming an olivine- and sulfide-laden crystal mush in the lower part and evolved magmas in the upper part of the chamber. The evolved magmas were forced out of the staging chamber and became S-undersaturated due to a pressure drop during ascent to a shallow magma chamber. The magmas re-attained sulfide saturation by assimilating external S from S-rich country rocks. They may have entered the shallow magma chamber as several pulses so that several gabbronorite layers each with sulfide segregated to the base and a sulfide-poor upper part. The olivine gabbro unit formed from a new and more primitive magma that entrained olivine crystals and sulfide droplets from the lower part of the staging chamber. A transitional zone formed along the boundary with the gabbronorite unit due to chemical interaction between the two rock units.     

Chalcophile element geochemistry of the Baima layered intrusion, Emeishan Large Igneous Province, SW China: implications for sulfur saturation history and genetic relationship with high-Ti basalts

The Permian Baima mafic layered intrusion, believed to be related to the S-undersaturated Emeishan high-Ti basalts, hosts a giant Fe–Ti-V oxide deposit in the lower part of the intrusion. Uniformly high Cu/Pd (1.9 × 10⁶–6.1 × 10⁴) and low Pd/Zr (<0.1) indicate that the Baima parental magma experienced prior sulfide segregation. Mantle-liked δ³⁴S values and low S/Se values indicate negligible external sulfur addition. Primitive mantle-normalized PGE patterns and MELTS calculations indicate that extensive fractional crystallization (~59 %) of chromite, olivine and pyroxene at depth drove the primitive picritic magma to S saturation. Strong positive correlation between IPGE and PPGE and between PGE and V, Cr and S suggest that magmatic sulfide is the dominant mineral controlling the distribution of PGE in the Baima intrusion. A positive correlation between S and Cr, FeO_T + TiO₂ and V content, together with MELTS calculations, indicate that the parental magma of the Baima intrusion reached a second stage of S saturation in the shallower Baima magma chamber, which was likely triggered by decreasing Fe²⁺ accompanying magnetite precipitation. Primitive mantle-normalized PGE patterns for Baima intrusion rocks display similar trends to high-Ti basalts inside the Panxi area, suggesting that they are comagmatic, and following a similar differentiation trend. However, the lavas erupted before they reached sulfide saturation. The more evolved nature of high-Ti basalts outside the Panxi area indicate that they experienced more extensive pre-eruption fractional crystallization. Further fractional crystallization process led these lavas show more PGE fractionated feature.     

Geochemistry of the Kalatongke Ni–Cu–(PGE) sulfide deposit,NW China: implications for the formation of magmatic sulfide mineralization in a postcollisional environment

The Kalatongke (also spelt as Karatungk) Ni–Cu–(platinum-group element, PGE) sulfide deposit, containing 33 Mt sulfide ore with a grade of 0.8 wt.% Ni and 1.3 wt.% Cu, is located in the Eastern Junggar terrane, Northern Xinjiang, NW China. The largest sulfide ore body, which occupies more than 50 vol.% of the intrusion Y1, is dominantly comprised of disseminated sulfide with a massive sulfide inner zone. Economic disseminated sulfides also occur at the base of the intrusions Y2 and Y3. The main host rock types are norite in the lower part and diorite in the upper part of each intrusion. Enrichment in large ion lithophile elements and depletion in heavy rare earth elements relative to mid-ocean ridge basalt indicate that the mafic intrusions were produced from magmas derived from a metasomatized garnet lherzolite mantle. The average grades of the disseminated ores are 0.6 wt.% Ni and 1.1 wt.% Cu, whereas those of the massive ores are 2 wt.% Ni and 8 wt.% Cu. The PGE contents of the disseminated ores (14–69 ppb Pt and 78–162 ppb Pd) are lower than those of the massive ores (120–505 ppb Pt and 30–827 ppb Pd). However, on the basis of 100% sulfide, PGE contents of the massive sulfides are lower than those of the disseminated sulfides. Very high Cu/Pd ratios (>4.5 × 10⁴) indicate that the Kalatongke sulfides segregated from PGE-depleted magma produced by prior sulfide saturation and separation. A negative correlation between the Cu/Pd ratio and the Pd content in 100% sulfide indicates that the PGE content of the sulfide is controlled by both the PGE concentrations in the parental silicate magma and the ratio of the amount of silicate to sulfide magma. The negative correlations between Ir and Pd indicate that the massive sulfides experienced fractionation.     

Atypical stratiform sulfide-poor platinum-group element mineralisation in the Agnew – Wiluna Belt komatiites,Wiluna, Western Australia

A new style of komatiite-associated sulfide-poor platinum-group element (PGE: Os, Ir, Ru, Rh, Pt, Pd) mineralisation has been identified at Wiluna in the strongly nickel sulfide (NiS) mineralised Agnew – Wiluna Greenstone Belt, Western Australia. The komatiite sequence at Wiluna is ～200 m thick and comprises a basal pyroxenite layer, a thick ortho-to-mesocumulate-textured peridotite core, which is overlain by rhythmically layered wehrlite, oikocrystic pyroxenite and thick upper gabbroic margins. Pegmatoid and dendritic (harrisitic) domains are common features, whereas spinifex-textured horizons and flow-top breccias are absent. The presence of anomalous PGE-enriched horizons (ΣPt – Pd = 200 – 500 ppb) in the oikocrystic pyroxenite and in the layered melagabbro and gabbronorite horizons directly overlying the wehrlite unit is due to the presence of fine-grained (1 – 10 μm) platinum-group minerals (PGMs). More than 70 PGM grains were identified, and a considerable mineralogical variability was constrained. However, only Pd – Pt-bearing phases were identified, whereas no Ir – Ru-bearing PGMs were found in any of the sections examined. Interestingly, all PGMs are not in paragenetic association with sulfides, and only sulfide-poor/free intervals contain significant PGM concentrations. The whole-rock PGE sequence largely reflects the PGM distribution. It is hypothesised that the Pd – Pt enrichment in the oikocrystic pyroxenite and melagabbros and the overall Ir – Ru depletion in the upper mafic section of the sequence are the result of extensive olivine and chromite crystallisation in the basal ultramafic section. PGE saturation was driven by extensive crystallisation of silicate and oxide phases in a sulfide-undersaturated environment. The crystallisation of clinopyroxene in the oikocrystic pyroxenite horizon may have triggered the formation of Pt – Pd-bearing alloys and arsenides, which were the first PGMs to form. Stratiform sulfide-poor PGE mineralisation at Wiluna is more similar in stratigraphic setting, style and composition to PGE-rich sulfide-poor mineralisation zones in thick differentiated intrusions, rather than to other PGE-enriched zones in komatiite-hosted systems, where PGE enrichment is directly associated with accumulations of magmatic sulfides.     

PGE fractionation in seafloor hydrothermal systems: examples from mafic- and ultramafic-hosted hydrothermal fields at the slow-spreading Mid-Atlantic Ridge

The distribution of platinum group elements (PGEs) in massive sulfides and hematite–magnetite±pyrite assemblages from the recently discovered basalt-hosted Turtle Pits hydrothermal field and in massive sulfides from the ultramafic-hosted Logatchev vent field both on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge was studied and compared to that from selected ancient volcanic-hosted massive sulfide (VHMS) deposits. Cu-rich samples from black smoker chimneys of both vent fields are enriched in Pd and Rh (Pd up to 227 ppb and Rh up to 149 ppb) when compared to hematite–magnetite-rich samples from Turtle Pits (Pd up to 10 ppb, Rh up to 1.9 ppb). A significant positive correlation was established between Cu and Rh in sulfide samples from Turtle Pits. PGE chondrite-normalized patterns (with a positive Rh anomaly and Pd and Au enrichment), Pd/Pt and Pd/Au ratios close to global MORB, and high values of Pd/Ir and Pt/Ir ratios indicate mafic source rock and seawater involvement in the hydrothermal system at Turtle Pits. Similarly shaped PGE chondrite-normalized patterns and high values of Pd/Pt and Pd/Ir ratios in Cu-rich sulfides at Logatchev likely reflect a similar mechanism of PGE enrichment but with involvement of ultramafic source rocks.     

Platinum-group element geochemistry of the Zhuqing Fe-Ti-V oxide ore-bearing mafic intrusions in western Yangtze Block,SW China: control of platinum-group elements by magnetite

Platinum-group element (PGE) geochemistry combined with elemental geochemistry and magnetite compositions are reported for the Mesoproterozoic Zhuqing Fe–Ti–V oxide ore-bearing mafic intrusions in the western Yangtze Block, SW China. All the Zhuqing gabbros display extremely low concentrations of chalcophile elements and PGEs. The oxide-rich gabbros contain relatively higher contents of Cr, Ni, Ir, Ru, Rh, and lower contents of Pt and Pd than the oxide-poor gabbros. The abundances of whole-rock concentrations of Ni, Ir, Ru, and Rh correlate well with V contents in the Zhuqing gabbros, implying that the distributions of these elements are controlled by magnetite. The fractionation between Ir–Ru–Rh and Pt–Pd in the Zhuqing gabbros is mainly attributed to fractional crystallization of chromite and magnetite, whereas Ru anomalies are mainly due to variable degrees of compatibility of PGE in magnetite. The order of relative incompatibility of PGEs is calculated to be Pd?<?Pt?<?Rh?<?Ir?<?Ru. The very low PGE contents and Cu/Zr ratios and high Cu/Pd ratios suggest initially S-saturated magma parents that were highly depleted in PGE, which mainly formed due to low degrees of partial melting leaving sulfides concentrating PGEs behind in the mantle. Moreover, the low MgO, Ni, Ir and Ru contents and high Cu/Ni and Pd/Ir ratios for the gabbros suggest a highly evolved parental magma. Fe–Ti oxides fractionally crystallized from the highly evolved magma and subsequently settled in the lower sections of the magma chamber, where they concentrated and formed Fe–Ti–V oxide ore layers at the base of the lower and upper cycles. Multiple episodes of magma replenishment in the magma chamber may have been involved in the formation of the Zhuqing intrusions.