Giorgio Garuti

Crystal chemistry of Cr-spinels from the lherzolite mantle peridotite of Ronda (Spain)

Abstract The crystal chemistry of some Cr-spinels from the lherzolite body of the Ronda peridotite in southern Spain has been investigated. Cell edge spans between 8.1692(2) and 8.2367(1) Å, while the oxygen positional parameter u ranges between 0.26306(7) and 0.26351(7). By using the Princivalle thermometer (1999), an intracrystalline closure temperature between 640 and 840 °C has been calculated. The higher temperatures are very close to the intercrystalline temperatures based on the olivine-spinel thermometer calculated by Woodland et al. (2006) for the Ronda orogenic lherzolites suggesting that the intracrystalline closure occurred soon after the intercrystalline closure. By comparison with Cr-spinels from lherzolite mantle xenoliths, it should be noted that: (1) the oxygen positional parameter can be linearly related to the intracrystalline temperature for both mantle peridotite and mantle xenolith Cr-spinels; (2) the intracrystalline closure temperature is reached faster and is higher in Cr-spinels in mantle xenoliths; and (3) Cr content is linearly related to u in mantle peridotite, but not in mantle xenoliths, suggesting the u value in Cr-spinels from mantle peridotite is driven solely by the chemistry of the spinels.

Platinum group minerals (PGM) in the Falcondo Ni-laterite deposit, Loma Caribe peridotite (Dominican Republic)

Two Ni-laterite profiles from the Loma Caribe peridotite (Dominican Republic) have been investigated for their platinum group element (PGE) geochemistry and mineralogy. One profile (Loma Peguera) is characterized by PGE-enriched (up to 3.5xa0ppm total PGE) chromitite bodies incorporated within the saprolite, whereas the second profile is chromitite-free (Loma Caribe). Total PGE contents of both profiles slightly increase from parent rocks (36 and 30xa0ppb, respectively) to saprolite (∼50xa0ppb) and reach highest levels within the limonite zone (640 and 264xa0ppb, respectively). Chondrite-normalized PGE patterns of saprolite and limonite reveal rather flat shapes with positive peaks of Ru and Pd. Three types of platinum group minerals (PGM) were found by using an innovative hydroseparation technique: (i) primary PGM inclusions in fresh Cr-spinel (laurite and bowieite), (ii) secondary PGM (e.g., Ru-Fe-Os-Ir compounds) from weathering of preexisting PGM (e.g., serpentinization and/or laterization), and (iii) PGM precipitated after PGE mobilization within the laterite (neoformation). Our results provide evidence that (i) PGM occurrence and PGE enrichment in the laterite profiles is independent of chromitite incorporation; (ii) PGE enrichment is residual on the profile scale; and (iii) PGE are mobile on a local scale leading to in situ growth of PGM within limonite, probably by bioreduction and/or electrochemical metal accretion.

The occurrence of platinum-group element and gold minerals in the Bon Accord Ni-oxide body, South Africa

Abstract Two samples from the enigmatic Ni-oxide body of Bon Accord (Barberton greenstone belt, South Africa) have been investigated with the hydroseparation technique to obtain heavy mineral concentrates. The concentrates contain abundant Pt, Pd, and gold minerals never reported before from the Bon Accord Ni-oxide body. The grains occur as: (1) minute inclusions (<3 μm) in trevorite (ideally NiFe3+O4) and (2) larger (5-70 μm) free aggregates liberated from the host phase. The first group comprises several PGM compounds of Pd-Sb, Pd-Sb-As, Pd-Cu-Sb, Pt-Sb, Pt-As-S, Ru-As-S, Ru-S, along with free grains of Ni-Fe-As. The second consists of sperrylite (PtAs2), members of the sobolevskite-kotulskite series, and electrum. These results are in good agreement with previous analyses of PGE-Au in bulk rock. Paragenetic relationships indicate that the PGM and electrum are of secondary origin, probably generated during low-temperature metamorphism of the Ni-rich mineralization. They have a terrestrial origin and are related with a low-sulfidation regime that usually accompanies hydrothermally driven serpentinization of mafic-ultramafic bodies. The ligands in the newly formed PGM (As, Sb, Bi, Te, and O) probably proceed from the same source of the hydrothermal solutions. In this model, the metals Ni-PGE-Au were original components of the primary mineral assemblage of the Bon Accord precursor, whereas As, Sb, Bi, Te, and O might have been contributed by the metasomatizing fluids, during nearsurface evolution of the ore body. The data on the high-grade heavy mineral concentrates, obtained by hydroseparation, have provided new knowledge about the mineral deportment of Pd, Pt, and Au.

Phases in the Ni–Sb–As system which occur in the Bon Accord oxide body, Barberton greenstone belt, South Africa

Abstract An oxide-silicate occurrence, containing >40 wt.% NiO whole rock and showing enrichment in the platinum-group elements and antimony, was investigated at high magnification. Many phases with grain sizes generally <100 μm were observed; electron microprobe analysis indicated that, although some of these are known minerals in Ni-Sb-As space (such as breithauptite and orcelite), most of them cluster around the following compositions: Ni3Sb, Ni3(Sb,As), Ni3As, Ni5(Sb,As)2, Ni7 (Sb,As)3 and Ni11(Sb,As)8. Such phases have been observed in synthetic systems, but up to now not in nature. The data reported here therefore probably represent the compositions of new minerals.

Electron Microprobe and Raman Spectroscopy Investigation of an Oxygen-Bearing Pt-Fe-Pd-Ni-Cu Compound from Nurali Chromitite (Southern Urals, Russia).

One grain, about 100×80 μm in size, occurring in chromitite associated with the layered sequence of the Nurali mafic-ultramafic complex (Southern Urals, Russia) was investigated by electron-microprobe analyses and Raman spectroscopy. The grain is characterized by a spotty, rugged appearance and chemical zoning from which two compositions were calculated: (Pt(0.35)Pd(0.26)Fe(0.22)Cu(0.01)Ni(0.05))(0.98)O(1.02) and (Fe(0.90)Pt(0.58)Ni(0.28)Pd(0.13)Cu(0.08)Rh(0.01))(1.98)O(1.02). In the lack of X-ray data, Raman spectroscopy established the presence of a diffuse 500-700 band and a sharp peak at 657 cm⁻¹ of relative wavenumber that strongly resemble the Raman spectra of synthetic PtO and PdO (palladinite). It is concluded that the Nurali grain probably represents a platinum group element (PGE) oxide, and does not consist of a mixture of PGE alloys with Fe oxide or hydroxide as reported for other natural PGE-O compounds.

The solid solution between platinum and palladium in nature

Abstract Chemical and structural data are reported for platinum-palladium intermediates from two nuggets found at Córrego Bom Sucesso, Minas Gerais, Brazil. Three grains with simple stoichiometries (i.e. PtxPd1−x with x ~0.67, ~0.5 and ~0.33, which correspond to Pt2Pd, PtPd and PtPd2, respectively) were characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction and electron-probe microanalysis. In the absence of single-crystal data it might be tempting to hypothesize that such simple stoichiometries represent distinct mineral species, however structural analyses show that all of the phases are cubic and crystallize in space group Fm3̅m. They are, therefore, natural intermediates in the palladium-platinum solid solution. Reflectance and micro-hardness values are reported for the samples and a comparison with the pure metallic elements made. On the basis of information gained from the chemical and structural characterization it can be concluded that there is a complete solid solution between Pt and Pd in nature. These findings corroborate results from experiments on synthetic compounds.