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Platinum-group minerals in the chromitites from the Great Serpentinite Belt, NSW, Australia

Platingruppen-Minerale in den Chromititen aus dem Great Serpentinite Belt, NSW, Australien

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Summary

Occurrences of platinum-group minerals (PGM) from chromitites of the Great Serpentinite Belt of New South Wales are reported for the first time in this study. On the basis of their major components, these minerals are classified into various groups, including sulphides, sulpharsenides, arsenides, antimonides, amalgams, and alloys of Os-Ir-Ru-(Fe Ni), Pd Cu Sn, Ni-Fe-Pt-Pd, Pd-Pb-Cu, and Rh-Sn-Cu. They are present: (i) as inclusions within chromite, (ii) in interstitial silicates, (iii) in ferritchromite and (iv) along fractures in chromite. Ir-subgroup (Ir, Os, Ru) minerals (IPGM) dominate podiform chromitites hosted by upper mantle serpentinised harzburgite, whereas Pdsubgroup (Pd, Pt, Rh) minerals (PPGM) characterise banded chromitites in cumulates of the overlying magmatic series. A highly brecciated podiform chromitite, however, is distinguished by abundant disseminated PPGM containing Sb ± Cu. Primary magmatic PGM in podiform chromitite comprise IPGM sulphides, sulpharsenides, and alloys, whereas hydrothermal PGM are characterised by PPGM alloys with Hg, Sb, and Cu. Dominantly hydrothermal PGM in the banded chromitites formed by remobilisation of primary magmatic PGM during serpentinisation. The contrast in PGM association is related to the crystallisation of the host chromitites; IPGM crystallised early from the parental magma along with podiform chromitite, but PPGM formed later at lower temperatures during crystallisation of banded chromitite.[▭

Zusammenfassung

In dieser Studie wird zum ersten Mal über das Vorkommen von PlatingruppenMineralen (PGM) in Chromititen der Great Serpentinite Belt berichtet. Die auftretenden Mineralphasen umfassen Sulfide, Sulfarsenide, Arsenide, Antimonide, Amalgam und Legierungen von Os-Ir-(Fe-Ni), Pd-Cu-Sn, Ni-Fe-Pt-Pd, Pd-Pb-Cu and Rh-Sn-Cu. Sie treten als i) Einschlüsse im Chromit, ii) in Silikaten der Grundmasse, iii) Im Ferritchromit und iv) in Frakturen des Chromit auf. Mineralphasen der Ir-Untergruppe (IPGM = Ir, Os, Ru) dominieren in podiformen Chromititen, die in serpentinisierten Harzburgiten des oberen Mantels auftreten. Minerale der Pd-Untergruppe (PPGM = Pd, Pt, Rh) charakterisieren gebänderte Chromitite, die innerhalb der über der Mantelsequenz liegenden Kumulatabfolge vorkommen. Ein deutlich brekzierter podiformer Chromitit unterscheidet sich von den übrigen podiformen Chromititen durch häufiges Auftreten von disseminierten PPGM, die auch Sb ± Cu führen. Primär magmatisch gebildete PGM in podiformen Chromititen umfassen IPGM in Form von Sulfide, Sulfarsenide und Legierungen, während PPGM als Legierungen mit Hg, Sb und Cu hydrothermale Phasen darstellen. Die hydrothermalen PGM in den gebänderten Chromititen wurden überwiegend durch Remobilisation aus primär magmatischen PGM während der Serpentinisierung gebildet. Der markante Unterschied in den während der Serpentinisierung gebildet. Der markante nterschied in den PGM-Assoziationen steht mit der Kristallisation des jeweiligen Chromitit in Verbindung: Während IPGM früh aus dem Magma zusammen mit den podiformen Chromititen kristallisierten, wurden PPGM später unter niedrigeren Temperaturen während der Kristallisation der gebänderten Chromitite gebildet.[▭

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  1. Department of Geology, The University of Newcastle, 2308, Callaghan, New South Wales, Australia

    Kai Yang &  Philip K. Seccombe

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  1. Kai Yang
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Yang, K., Seccombe, P.K. Platinum-group minerals in the chromitites from the Great Serpentinite Belt, NSW, Australia. Mineralogy and Petrology 47, 263–286 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01161571

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