Phoscorite-Carbonatite Pipe Complexes

Abstract

The background to a project in Brazil is described that has found promising concentrations of platinum group elements (PGEs) in phoscorite-carbonatite complexes. Further geochemical and mineralogical research is underway to determine their potential as ore deposits. The well-established industrial demand and current level of prices for the platinum group metals have encouraged the exploration of geological environments other than the layered maficultramafic intrusions that provide the bulk of platinum metals. Environments, such as the Ural-Alaskan Type Complexes (U-ATCs) and the associated placer deposits were for many years the only known sources of the PGEs. This paper attempts to show a connection between platiniferous dunite-pyroxenite pipes in the Ural Platinum Belt and those on the eastern margin of the Bushveld Complex, both being significant PGE producers in the past, and phoscoritecarbonatite pipe (PCP) complexes. PCP complexes may be a promising source of PGEs. Four Brazilian PCP complexes are sampled (Salitre, Tapira, Ipanema and Catalão) as well as the Phalaborwa PCP complex in South Africa.