Palladium, Platinum and Gold Concentrations in Fengshan Porphyry Cu–Mo Deposit, Hubei Province, China

Abstract: The Fengshan porphyry-skarn copper–molybdenum (Cu–Mo) deposit is located in the south-eastern Hubei Province in east China. Cu–Mo mineralization is hosted in the Fengshan granodiorite porphyry stock that intruded the Triassic Daye Formation carbonate rocks in the early Cretaceous (~140 Ma), as well as the contact zone between granodiorite porphyry stock and carbonate rocks, forming the porphyry-type and skarn-type association. The Fengshan granodiorite stock and the immediate country rocks are strongly fractured and intensely altered by hydrothermal fluids. In addition to intense skarn alteration, the prominent alteration types are potassic, phyllic, and propylitic, whereas argillation is less common. Mineralization occurs as veins, stock works, and disseminations, and the main ore minerals are chalcopyrite, pyrite, molybdenite, bornite, and magnetite. The contents of palladium, platinum and gold (Pd, Pt and Au) are determined in nine samples from fresh and mineralized granodiorite and different types of altered rocks. The results show that the Pd content is systematically higher than Pt, which is typical for porphyry ore deposits worldwide. The Pt content ranges from 0.037 to1.765 ppb, and the Pd content ranges between 0.165 and 17.979 ppb. Pd and Pt are more concentrated in porphyry mineralization than skarn mineralization, and have negative correlations with Au. The reconnaissance study presented here confirms the existence of Pd and Pt in the Fengshan porphyry-skarn Cu–Mo deposit. When compared with intracontinent and island arc geotectonic settings, the Pd, Pt, and Au contents in the Fengshan porphyry Cu–Mo deposit in the intracontinent is lower than the continental margin types and island are types. A combination of available data indicates that Pd and Pt were derived from oxidized alkaline magmas generated by the partial melting of an enriched mantle source.     

Platinum-group Element Geochemistry of Magnetite from Porphyry-Cu-Mo Deposits and their Host Rocks (Siberia,Russia)

The concentrations of platinum-group elements (PGE) have been analyzed in primary magmatic magnetite samples from the Zhireken,Shakhtama and Aksug porphyry Cu-Mo deposits (Siberia,Russia) by laser abla...     

俄罗斯阿尔泰-Sayan地区Aksug斑岩Cu-Mo体系的地质与地球化学特征

The Aksug deposit, located in Altay-Sayan region of Russia, is one of the largest porphyry Cu-Mo deposits in Southern Siberia. The ore-bearing porphyries of the Aksug porphyry Cu-Mo system were formed in post-collisional environment. Geochemically they belong to calk-alkaline and high K-calk-alkaline series. Rocks are characterized by enrichment of LILE and depletion of HSFE and HREE, showing the importance of subduction-related components in magma generation. Large plutonic intrusions that host porphyry systems have been formed during collision. The origin of porphyritic rocks is dominantly the mantle with lower crustal contribution. The mainly economically important Cu-Mo mineralization is closely related to a porphyry series in time and space, being emplaced towards the end of magmatic activity. Though the emplacement of plutonic and ore-bearing porphyry complexes took place in different geodynamic environments, both complexes are characterized by certain similarity in geochemical composition, alkalinity, trace element content, Sr isotopic composition. This fact evidently indicates a common deep-seated magmatic source (at the lower crust-upper mantle level). Low initial ⁸⁷ Sr/⁸⁶ Sr, sulfur isotopic characteristics and presence of PGE-Co-Ni mineralization in associated pyrite-chalcopyrite ores suggest that mantle source of chalcophile elements was of high importance in porphyry Cu-Mo mineralization of the Aksug deposit.     

Enrichment of Platinum-group Elements (PGE) and Re-Os Isotopic Tracing for Porphyry Copper (Gold) Deposits

Platinum-group elements （PGE） in PGE-rich porphyry copper （gold） deposits are mainly Pt and Pd, whereas the concentrations of other PGE （Ru, Rh, Os, Ir） are significantly low. Moreover, Pt and Pd mainly exist in sulfides in the forms of crystal lattice or tiny platinum-group mineral （PGM） inclusions. The present data show that there is a positive relationship between Pt and Pd concentrations and Cu （Au） in porphyry copper （gold） deposits. The comparison of chondrite-normalized PGE distribution patterns between the ore-bearing porphyry intrusions and ore-barren porphyry intrusions in arc setting, 187^Os/188^Os, 87^Sr/86^Sr and S isotopes for porphyry copper （gold） deposits shows that PGEs were mainly derived from the mantle, and fluids from subduction zones devoted trivial PGE to the magma. The porphyry copper （gold） deposits associated with subducted events are most probably enriched in PGE, whereas those related to crustal thickening, lithospheric delamination or underplating rarely concentrate PGE. The osmium isotopic compositions in porphyry copper （gold） deposits reveal that （187^Os/188^Os）i values are highly variable and not lower than those of primitive upper mantle （PUM） and mantle peridotite, however, osmium concentrations are commonly lower than mantle peridotite, suggesting that parental magmas of some porphyry intrusions had experienced crustal contamination during magma evolution. Experimental investigations have proved that PGE exist in the forms of Cl^- and HS^- complexes during transportation and migration of the oreforming fluids. This paper summarizes previous studies including crucial controlling factors and mechanisms for PGE enrichment, and points out that the mantle-derived magmas parental to porphyry intrusions are the prerequisite for PGE enrichment in porphyry copper （gold） deposits. Favorable physical and chemical conditions （including salinity, temperature, pressure, pH, and oxygen fugacity） in hydrothermal fluids crucially control the     

Genetic Types, Spatiotemporal Distribution of Ore Deposits and Sources of Ore-forming Materials in the Xuancheng Area, Anhui Province

In recent years, several large and medium-sized ore deposits have been discovered in the shallow cover of Xuancheng, Anhui Province, indicating that this area has a productive metallogenic geological background and may be a potential prospecting region. Based on systematic investigation, the geological and mineralization characteristics of porphyry Cu-Au deposits and skarn Cu-Mo-W deposits in this region have been summarized. Zircon U-Pb dating (LA-ICP-MS) of the Chating quartz-diorite porphyry and the Kunshan biotite pyroxene diorite yield concordia ages of 145.5 ± 2.1 Ma and 131.8 ± 2.1 Ma, respectively. Meanwhile, the Re-Os dating analyses for molybdenite from the Shizishan and Magushan skarn Cu-Mo deposits yielded 133.81 ± 0.86 Ma and 143.8 ± 1.4 Ma ages, respectively. When viewed in conjunction with previous studies, it is suggested that twostage (the early stage of 145–135 Ma and the late stage of 134–125 Ma) magmatism may have occurred during the Mesozoic in Xuancheng region. Early stage intrusive rocks are distributed along both sides of the Jiangnan deep fault (JDF).The intrusive rocks to the north of the JDF are mainly quartz-diorite porphyry and granodiorite (porphyry) rocks, related to porphyry Cu-Au deposits and skarn-type Cu-Mo-W deposits. These deposits belong to the first stage of the porphyry-skarn copper gold metallogenic belt of the Middle-Lower Yangtze Metallogenic Belt (MLYB), associated with the high potassium calc-alkaline intermediate-acid intrusions. The magmatic and ore-forming materials are mainly derived from the enriched lithospheric mantle. South of the JDF, the Magushan granodiorite is a representative intrusive rock of the first stage I-type granite, which hosts the Magushan Cu-Mo skarn deposit, similar to the W-Mo-Cu skarn deposits in the Eastern Segment of the Jiangnan Uplift Metallogenic Belt (ESJUB). The magmatic and metallogenic materials mainly came from the Neoproterozoic basement, with the possible participation of a small amount of mantle components. The late stage magmatism was dominated by volcanic rocks with a small amount of intrusive rocks, which were consistent with the limited volcanic-intrusive activities in the second stage of the MLYB. The H-O stable isotopes of ore deposits in the region indicate that the ore-forming hydrothermal fluids of the porphyry and skarn deposits were mostly of magmatic water for the ore-forming stage, the percentage of meteoric water obviously increasing during the late ore-forming stage. The ore-forming materials of the deposits are mainly from the deep magma with a few sedimentary wall rocks, according to the stable carbon isotopes of the carbonates in the ore deposits. Additionally, according to previous research, the molybdenite from the MLYB has a higher Re content than that of the ESJUB. The higher content of Re in the molybdenite from the Shizishan deposit is identical to that of MLYB rather than ESJUB, whereas Re characteristics in molybdenite of Magushan deposit are similar to that of ESJUB. The differences in Re characteristics indicate the different deep processes and ore-forming material sources (mainly mantle composition for the former and crustal materials for the latter) of these ore deposits on opposite sides of the JDF.     

Geology and mineralization of the Tiegelongnan supergiant porphyry-epithermal Cu (Au,Ag) deposit (10 Mt) in western Tibet,China: A review

The Tiegelongnan Cu(Au,Ag)deposit in central Tibet contains more than 10 Mt of copper ranking 29 th in the world.It is characterized by typical porphyry-epithermal alteration and mineralization.In order to improve the understanding of porphyry-epithermal copper deposit in Tibet,new zircon U-Pb age and sulfur isotope data along with published data in the Tiegelongnan are presented to investigate the formation and preservation mechanism.Ore-related intrusive rocks in the Tiegelongnan including Early Cretaceous(about 120 Ma)granodiorite porphyry and diorite porphyry are closely related to the northward subduction of Bangongco-Nujiang ocean.Sulfur mainly comes from deep magma,and ore-forming fluid is affected by both magmatic and meteoric water.The metallogenic setting of Tiegelongnan is consistent with those of Andean porphyry copper deposits in South America.The cover of the Meiriqiecuo Formation volcanic rocks,Lhasa-Qiangtang collision and India-Eurasian collision have significance in the preservation and uplift of the deposit.The formation,preservation and discovery of Tiegelongnan play an important role in exploration of ancient porphyry-epithermal deposits in Tibet.     

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.     

Anomaly Models of Spatial Structures for Copper-Molybdenum Ore Deposits and their Application

This paper discusses the enrichment and depletion regularities for porphyry copper-molybdenum ore deposits in different regions and varied deposit genetic types in the same area, taking three porphyry copper-molybdenum ore deposits (i.e., the Chengmenshan in Jiangxi, Wunugetushan in Inner Mongolia, Baishantang in Gansu) and two copper deposits in Gansu Province (the Huitongshan skarn deposit and Gongpoquan composite deposit) as case studies. The results show that porphyry Cu-Mo deposits or skarn copper deposits include both enrichment of the ore-forming elements and associated elements, and depletion of some lithophile dispersed elements, rare earth elements (REE) and some major elements. And the depleted elements vary with deposits, having generality and their own features. On a deposit scale, the positive anomalies of enriched elements and negative anomalies of depleted elements follow in a sequence to comprise regular anomaly models of spatial structures. The exploration in the Tongchang deposit in Jiangxi and Huitongshan deposit in Gansu suggests that anomaly models play a key role in the identification of mineral occurrences and deposits compared to one single enriched element anomaly. And the anomaly models exert a critical effect on the optimization of prospecting targets and their potential evaluation.     

Rare Earth Element Behaviour in theWunugetushan Copper - Molybdenum Deposit,Inner Mongolia, and Its Implications

Considering porphyry and wall rocks as a whole system, the behaviour of rare earth elements (REE) in hydrothermal alteration and mineralization of the exceedingly large Wunugetushan porphyry Cu-Mo deposit of Inner Mongolia has been studied. It has been found for the first time that there exists complementary REE variation in hydrothermal alteration between porphyry and wall rocks, and Eu depletion has certain significance in indicating mineralization. Based on an analysis of the variation in REE contents of relevant minerals during the hydrothermal alteration, the ore-forming fluids are inferred to be depleted in ∑REE, comparatively enriched in ∑Y and strongly depleted in Eu. In the intermediate-strong alteration zones, porphyry and wall rock took part in hydrothermal metasomatism and alteration almost in equal ratio mass. Furthermore, studies of REE and hydrogen and oxygen isotopes and fluid inclusions confirm the existence of hydrothermal convection and the possibility of supplying part of ore mater     

Geochemical Characteristics and Metallogenesis of the Qingkuangshan Ni‐Cu‐PGE Mineralized Mafic‐Ultramafic Intrusion in Huili County,Sichuan Province,SW China

The Qingkuangshan Ni-Cu-PGE deposit, located in the Xiaoguanhe region of Huili County, Sichuan Province, is one of several Ni-Cu-PGE deposits in the Emeishan Large Igneous Province (ELIP). The ore-bearing intrusion is a mafic-ultramafic body. This paper reports major elements, trace elements and platinum-group elements in different types of rocks and sulfide-mineralized samples in the intrusion. These data are used to evaluate the source mantle characteristics, the degree of mantle partial melting, the composition of parental magma and the ore-forming processes. The results show that Qingkuangshan intrusion is part of the ELIP. The rocks have trace element ratios similar to the coeval Emeishan basalts. The primitive mantle-normalized patterns of Ni-Cu-PGE have positive slopes, and the ratios of Pd/Ir are lower than 22. The PGE compositions of sulfide ores and associated rocks are characterized by Ru depletion. The PGE contents in bulk sulfides are slightly depleted relative to Ni and Cu, which is similar to the Yangliuping Ni-Cu-PGE deposit. The composition of the parental magma for the intrusion is estimated to contain about 14.65 wt% MgO, 48.66 wt% SiO2 and 15.48 wt% FeOt, and the degree of mantle partial melting is estimated to be about 20%. In comparison with other typical Ni-Cu-PGE deposits in the ELIP, the Qingkuangshan Ni-Cu-PGE deposit has lower PGE contents than the Jinbaoshan PGE deposit, but has higher PGE contents than the Limahe and Baimazhai Ni-Cu deposit, and has similar PGE contents to the Yangliuping Ni-Cu-PGE deposit. The moderate PGE depletions in the bulk sulfide of the Qingkuanghan deposit suggest that the parental magma of the host intrusion may have undergone minor sulfide segregation at depth. The mixing calculations suggests that an average of 10% crustal contamination in the magma, which may have been the main cause of sulfide saturation in the magma. We propose that sulfide segregation from a moderately PGE depleted magma took place prior to magma emplacement at Qingkuangshan, that small amounts of immiscible sulfide droplets and olivine and chromite crystals were suspended in the ascending magma, and that the suspended materials settled down when the magma passed trough the Qingkuangshan conduit. The Qingkuangshan sulfide-bearing intrusion is interpreted to a feeder of Emeishan flood basalts in the region.     

First finding of merenskyite (Pd,Pt)Te2 in porphyry Cu-Mo ores in Russia

Contents of Pt and Pd were determined in weakly mineralized rocks, ores, and flotation concentrates of the Aksug porphyry Cu-Mo deposit, northeastern Tuva. In all studied samples they are above the detection limits: Pt = 17–96 ppb and Pd = 9–924 ppb. These elements are unevenly distributed throughout the rocks and ores, with Pd/Pt varying from 0.5 to 37. Study of Pd-rich ores (up to 924 ppb, Pd/Pt = 37) on a JEOL JSM 5600 scanning electron microscope revealed finest (2–5 μm) merenskyite inclusions (25.20% Pd, 1.21% Pt, 72.31% Te) in chalcopyrite. The calculated crystallochemical formula of merenskyite from ores of the Aksug deposit is (Pd_0.862Pt_0.023Cu_0.026Fe_0.025)Te_2.064. The merenskyite is associated with electrum (79.92% Au, 18.96% Ag), monazite, cobaltite, tennantite, and Sr-containing barite (4.6–18.0% Sr). Palladium mineralization occurs in massive chalcopyrite veinlets in zones of intensely propylitized rocks. The Devonian Aksug ore-bearing porphyry complex developed in the field of Early-Middle Cambrian intrusions of gabbro-diorite-plagiogranites associated with basalt-andesite effusions of island-arc complex. This might have led to high PGE contents in the Aksug rocks. The deposit formation proceeded with the participation of ore-bearing Cl-enriched fluids favoring the concentration and transport of PGE in porphyry copper systems.     

Platinum-group minerals in the Santo Tomas II (Philex) porphyry copper-gold deposit,Luzon Island,Philippines

Mineralized quartz diorites of the Santo Tomas II porphyry copper-gold deposit, carry high Au contents (average: 1.8 ppm) as well as 160 ppb Pd and 38 ppb Pt. Values of other platinum-group elements (PGE) and rhenium are below the analytical detection limits. There is a significant positive correlation between Au and Cu. The highest Pd values were detected in the most Au- and Cu-rich rocks. Platinum-group minerals (PGM) occur exclusively as inclusions in chalcopyrite and bornite. Potential Pd and Pt contents in sulphide concentrates are estimated at 1.5 g/t and 0.4 g/t, respectively. The precious metal assemblages consist of merenskyite (main PGM), kotulskite, moncheite, native gold, electrum, hessite and petzite. Polyphase fluid inclusions in quartz veinlets, associated with a PGM-bearing bornite-chalcopyrite-magnetite assemblage, are characterized by high salinity (35 to > 60 eq. wt% NaCl) and high trapping temperatures (between 380 and 520 °C). They may represent primary magmatic-hydrothermal fluids, which have been responsible for the transport of Pd, Pt and Au as chloride complexes.     

Precious-metal distribution and fluid-inclusion petrography of the Elatsite porphyry copper deposit,Bulgaria

The Elatsite porphyry copper deposit occurs in an island-arc setting hosted by Late Cretaceous monzonitic-monzodioritic porphyry stocks which were emplaced into Precambrian-Cambrian phyllites. Trace element data of the Late Cretaceous intrusive rocks suggest that they are I-type volcanic arc granitoids. Two main ore mineral assemblages are distinguished: (1) magnetite-bornite-chalcopyrite, and (2) chalcopyrite-pyrite. The first one is linked to potassic-propylitic, and the second to phyllic-argillic alteration. Minor ore minerals are hematite, molybdenite, sphalerite, pyrrhotite, marcasite, hessite, and solid solutions of linnaeite-siegenite-carrollite, tetrahedrite-tennantite, clausthalite-galena, gold-electrum and merenskyite-moncheite. Precious-metal contents are relatively high throughout the deposit but Au, Pd and Pt are concentrated more strongly in the magnetite-bornite-chalcopyrite assemblage. Average grades of Au, Ag, Pd and Pt calculated for the 0.33% Cu ore body are 0.96, 0.19, 0.007 and 0.002 g/t respectively. Analyses of flotation concentrates revealed 25.6% Cu, and Ag, Au, Pd and Pt contents of 33.0, 13.6, 0.72 and 0.15 g/t respectively. The copper mineralisation at Elatsite took place at pressures of 120 to 300 bar, corresponding to depths of formation of 1 to 3 km under hydrostatic conditions. The precious metals were probably transported jointly as chloride complexes in highly saline magmatic-hydrothermal solutions. The fluids had temperatures of 340 to >700 °C and salinities of 28 to 64% NaCl, and mixed with meteoric water.     

Platinum-group elements in porphyry copper deposits: a reconnaissance study

Summary Sulphide and flotation concentrates from 33 porphyry copper deposits have been investigated for platinum-group elements (PGE), Au, Cu and platinum-group minerals (PGM). The major sulphides in the samples studied are chalcopyrite and pyrite. Bornite is less frequent and molybdenite occurs in traces only. PGM (merenskyite, sperrylite and an unidentified Pd-Sb telluride) have been found as inclusions in chalcopyrite.Pd and Pt are present in concentrations above the analytical detection limit (> 8 ppb) in 70% respectively 30% of the deposits studied. The contents of Os, Ir, Ru and Rh are below detection limits in all samples. The analytical results show that 7 deposits (six of island arc and one of continental margin setting) reveal relatively high Pd contents (130–1900 ppb) which are associated with high Au contents (1–28 ppm). In five of them discrete PGM can be identified in accordance with elevated levels of Pd. Correlations of Au, Pd and Pt point towards a common origin.Even though the data base is relatively small, a trend is obvious, suggesting that Au-rich island arc porphyry copper deposits might host more Pd and Pt than the continental margin type ones. Other aspects of intrusive rocks, such as geological age, chemical composition and magma type do not seem to influence PGE contents.

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Platingruppen-Elemente in porphyrischen Kupfer Lagerstätten: eine Überblicksstudie

Zusammenfassung Es wurden Sulfid- und Flotationskonzentrate aus 33 Porphyry Kupfer Lagerstätten: auf Platingruppenelemente (PGE), Au, Cu and Platingruppenminerale (PGM) untersucht. Die Hauptsulfide im untersuchten Probenmaterial sind Chalkopyrit und Pyrit. Bornit ist weniger häufig and Molybdänit tritt nur in Spuren auf. An PGM wurden Merenskyit (in den Lagerstätten: Elacite, Majdanpek and Skouries), Sperrylith und ein nicht näher identifizierbares Pd-Sb- Tellurid (in der Lagerstätte Mamut) als Einschlüsse in Chalkopyrit festgestellt.Pd ist in 70% and Pt in 30% der untersuchten Lagerstätten: nachweisbar (> 8 ppb), während die Gehalte von Os, Ir, Ru and Rh in allen Proben unterhalb der Nachweisgrenze liegen. In 7 Lagerstätten: (davon sechs vom Inselbogen- und eine vom Kontinentalrandtyp) wurden relativ hohe Pd-Konzentrationen (130–1900 ppb) festgestellt, die auch durch hohe Au-Gehalte (1–28 ppm) gekennzeichnet sind. In 5 Lagerstätten: sind entsprechend den hohen Pd-Gehalten PGM nachweisbar.Geochemische Korrelationen zwischen Au, Pd and Pt weisen auf eine gemeinsame Herkunft dieser Metalle hin. Obwohl der Datenbestand noch relativ klein ist, ist ein Trend bereits sichtbar, daß Au-reiche Inselbogenporphyries Where Pd- und Pt- Gehalte erwarten lassen als der Kontinentalrand-Typ. Andere Aspekte wie geologisches Alter, Magmentyp and Chemismus der betreffenden Intrusivgesteine spielen bei der PGEFührung offensichtlich keine Rolle.

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With 8 Figures     

Fractionation of palladium and platinum in a Mesozoic diabase sheet, Gettysburg basin, Pennsyvania: implications for mineral exploration

The York Haven diabase sheet displays clear-cut evidence of fractionation of Pd and Pt during differentiation of a high-Ti (about 1.1%) quartz-normative tholeiitic magma (York Haven type). At York Haven the sheet is about 750 m thick. It is characterized by abundant cumulus MgO-rich orthopyroxene (bronzite), and is markedly depleted in incompatible elements relative to the chilled margins. In contrast, at Reesers Summit, 16 km to the northwest, the sheet is about 500 m thick and consists of evolved rocks that have contents of incompatible elements two to three times greater than in the enclosing chilled margins. These evolved rocks represent complementary fractions to the cumulate rocks at York Haven. Mineralogic, petrologic and geochemical variations suggest considerable lateral migration and fractionation of the initial magma.Chilled margins of both sections have essentially the same Pd and Pt contents (10 ppb each) and similar Pd to Pt ratios (1.2). During differentiation, the cumulate rocks at York Haven were enriched in Pt and depleted in Pd, whereas at Reesers Summit, the low-MgO diabase and ferrogabbro zone were enriched in Pd relative to Pt. Anomalously high contents of Pd (to 165 ppb), Au (to 54 ppb), and Te (to 26 ppb) were found in an iron- (to 18%) and chlorine- (to 0.44%) rich ferrogabbro at Reesers Summit, suggesting possible late or post-magmatic enrichment of precious metals. Field relations, geochemical and petrographic data provide guides for further exploration for Pd and Pt in differentiated high-Ti quartz-normative diabase sheets. Based on present information, the most favorable sites for economic deposits are late-stage differentiates enriched in Fe and Cl.     

Unconventional PGE occurrences and PGE mineralization in the Great Dyke: metallogenic and economic aspects

Platinum group elements (PGE) are strategic materials because 96–99% of the world production is derived from just five mining districts and because they cannot be replaced as catalysts in many chemical processes. In order to lessen the strategic character of PGE, both conventional deposits and unconventional PGE mineralizations were investigated in an attempt to locate viable deposits which would diversify the supplier base. In the Great Dyke, conventional PGE mineralization occurs in the form of pristine sulfide ores mined underground and oxidic surface ores. New observations such as bimodal distributions of the PGE in the Main Sulfide Zone (MSZ), elevated Pt/Pd ratios in the oxidized MSZ compared to the sulfidic part and distinct differences between the platinum group mineral (PGM) assemblages of the MSZ and stream sediments of adjacent rivers emphasize the fact that even though the Great Dyke seems to be the second or third largest PGE occurrence in the world, the complicated PGE distributions and supergene redistributions should be kept in mind during planning and mine operation. Investigations of unconventional PGE occurrences in ophiolites, Alaskan-type intrusions, porphyry copper deposits and in the Kupferschiefer show that economically exploitable PGE concentrations can be expected in a broader variety of host rocks than considered favourable in the past. In the Albanian Mirdita ophiolite average contents of 860 ppb Pt and 60 ppb Pd were detected. Flotation concentrates of porphyry copper deposits, for example from Mamut, Malaysia, Santo Tomas, Philippines, Elacite, Bulgaria, and Ok Tedi, Papua New Guinea, contain between 827 and 1860 ppb Pd + Pt. In selected profiles of the Polish Kupferschiefer average contents of 255 ppb Pt, 94 ppb Pd, 2.4 ppm Au and 13.0 ppm Ag were analysed. The distribution of the PGE resources in the world and the annual production rates, however, underline the fact that the chances for a significant change in the supplier base are relatively low. The Bushveld Complex will remain the largest producer, followed by Noril'sk-Talnakh, Sudbury and Stillwater. If the operations in the Great Dyke reach their planned capacities, the Great Dyke will rank in third place among the PGE-producing deposits in the world. Received: 12 September 1998 / Accepted: 7 December 1999     

Chalcophile elemental compositions and origin of the Tuwu porphyry Cu deposit,NW China

The Tuwu porphyry Cu deposit in the eastern Tianshan Orogenic Belt of southern Central Oceanic Orogen Belt contains 557 Mt ores at an average grade of 0.58 wt.% Cu and 0.2 g/t Au, being the largest porphyry Cu deposit in NW China. The deposit is genetically related to dioritic and plagiogranitic porphyries that intruded the Carboniferous Qieshan Group. Ore minerals are dominantly chalcopyrite, pyrite and enargite. Porphyric diorites have Sr/Y and La/Yb_N ratios lower but Y and Yb contents higher than plagiogranites. Diorites have highly variable Cu but nearly constant PGE contents (most Pd = 0.50–1.98 ppb) with Cu/Pd ratios ranging from 10,900 to 8,900,000. Plagiogranites have PGEs that are positively correlated with Cu and have nearly uniform Cu/Pd ratios (5,100,000 to 7,800,000). Diorites have concentrations of Re (0.73–15.18 ppb), and ¹⁸⁷Re/¹⁸⁸Os and ¹⁸⁷Os/¹⁸⁸Os ratios lower but common Os contents (0.006–0.097 ppb) higher than plagiogranites. However, both the diorites and plagiogranites have similar normalized patterns of rare earth elements (REE), trace element and platinum-group elements (PGEs). All the samples are characterized by the enrichments of LREE relative to HREE and display positive anomalies of Pb and Sr but negative anomalies of Nb and Ta in primitive-mantle normalized patterns. In the primitive mantle-normalized siderophile element diagrams, they are similarly depleted in all PGEs but slightly enriched in Au relative to Cu.Our new dataset suggests that both the diorite and plagiogranite porphyries were likely evolved from magmas derived from partial melting of a wet mantle wedge. Their parental magmas may have had different water contents and redox states, possibly due to different retaining time in staging magma chambers at the depth, and thus different histories of magma differentiation. Parental magmas of the diorite porphyries are relatively reduced with less water contents so that they have experienced sulfide saturation before fractional crystallization of silicate minerals, whereas the relatively more oxidized parental magmas with higher water contents of the plagiogranite porphyries did not reach sulfide saturation until the magmatic-hydrothermal stage. Our PGE data also indicates that the Cu mineralization in the Tuwu deposit involved an early stage with the enrichments of Au, Mo and Re and a late stage with the enrichment of As but depletion of Au–Mo. After the formation of the Cu mineralization, meteoric water heated by magmas penetrated into and interacted with porphyritic rocks at Tuwu, which was responsible for leaching Re from hosting rocks.