Abstract
The mineralogy of the platinum-group elements (PGE), and gold, in the Platreef of the Bushveld Complex, was investigated using an FEI Mineral Liberation Analyser. Polished sections were prepared from 171 samples collected from two boreholes, for the in-situ examination of platinum group minerals (PGM). PGM and gold minerals encountered include maslovite (PtBiTe, 32 area% of total PGM), kotulskite (Pd(BiTe), 17 %), isoferroplatinum (Pt3Fe, 15 %), sperrylite (PtAs2, 11 %), cooperite (PtS, 5 %), moncheite (PtTe2; 5 %), electrum (AuAg; 5 %), michenerite (PdBiTe; 3 %), Pd alloys (Pd, Sb, Sn; 3 %), hollingworthite ((Rh,Pt)AsS; 2 %), as well as minor (all <1 area% of total PGM) merenskyite (PdBiTe2), laurite (RuS2), rustenburgite (Pt0.4Pd0.4Sn0.2), froodite (PdBi2), atokite (Pd0.5Pt0.3Sn0.2), stumpflite (PtSb), plumbopalladinite (Pd3Pb2), and zvyagintsevite (Pd3Pb). An observed association of all PGM with base metal sulfides (BMS), and a pronounced association of PGE tellurides, arsenides and PdP Hutchinson and McDonald Appl Earth Sci (Trans Inst Min Metall B) 114:B208–224, 2008).
Published Version
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