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Distribution of platinum group elements in the Great Serpentinite Belt of New South Wales, Eastern Australia

Verteilung der Platingruppen-Elemente im Great Serpentinite Belt von New South Wales, Ost-Australien

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Summary

The distribution of platinum group elements (PGE) within individual lithological units of the dismembered ophiolite of the Great Serpentinite Belt in New South Wales displays distinctive patterns. Within the ophiolite the PGE are mainly magmatic in origin, although the whole sequence has been extensively metamorphosed and deformed. The PGE in this ophiolite demonstrate fractionation resulting from magmatic processes.

Harzburgite is characterised by a flat normalised PGE pattern, with only a slight depletion in PPGE. The minor PGE differentiation in the residual mantle rocks is probably due to the control on the PGE distribution by residual alloys and sulfides. This implies that the primary magma, generated from partial melting, was S-saturated.

Cumulates of the overlying magmatic sequence show a positively sloped PGE pattern, favouring PPGE enrichment. PGE distribution in the cumulate sequence was controlled by immiscible sulfides, resulting in a similar PGE pattern for individual members of the cumulates. The highest PGE content in the magmatic section is recorded in the banded chromitite where the PGE enrichment probably results from upward-migrating magmatic fluids.

Podiform chromitite is the earliest fractionated product from ascending partial melts within narrow magma conduits that channeled melts from the mantle source up to the overlying magma chamber. Such a process operated at high temperatures, hence the high melting-point IPGE was preferentially crystallised along with the chromites so that podiform chromitite displays a negatively sloped PGE pattern. Normally, sulfide saturation in the ascending melt does not take place until the melt enters the crustal magma chamber. However, immiscible sulfide liquids might have been present temporarily in some high-level podiform chromitite to generate a Pt- and Pd-enriched pod. Chromite in this pod is less in both Cr/(Al + Cr) and Mg/(Mg + F2+) than in those of other podiform chromitites that are dominated by IPGE and, therefore, the composition of chromite is of significance in identifying the potential Pt- and Pd-rich chromitites in this ophiolite belt.

Zusammenfassung

Die Verteilung der Platingruppen-Elemente (PGE) innerhalb der einzelnen lithologischen Einheiten des zerbrochenen Ophiolites des Great Serpentinite Belt in New South Wales zeigt charakteristische Verteilungsmuster. Die PGE sind überwiegend magmatischen Ursprungs, obwohl der gesamte Komplex intensiv metamorphosiert und deformiert worden ist. Innerhalb des Ophiolites zeigen die PGE Fraktionierung, die das Resultat magmatischer Prozesse ist.

Der Harzburgit ist durch flache, normierte PGE Verteilungskurven charakterisiert, die lediglich eine schwache Verarmung an PPGE zeigen. Die geringe PGE Differenzierung in den residualen Mantelgesteinen wird durch die Steuerung der PGE Verteilung durch residuale Legierungen und Sulfide kontrolliert. Dies bedeutet, daß das durch Teilaufschmelzung entstandene Magma S-gesättigt gewesen ist.

Die Kumulate der hangenden, magmatischen Abfolge zeigen positive PGE Verteilungskurven, die auf eine Anreicherung der PPGE hinweisen. Die PGE Verteilung in der Kumulat-Sequenz wurde durch entmischte Sulfide kontrolliert, weshalb die einzelnen Schichtglieder der Kumulat-Abfolge ähnliche PGE Verteilungsmuster aufweisen. Die gebänderten Chromitite zeigen die höchsten PGE Gehalte der magmatischen Abfolge, die Anreicherung der PGE ist vermutlich auf aufsteigende, magmatische Fluida zurückzuführen.

Der podiforme Chromitit ist das früheste Fraktionierungsprodukt der vom Mantel durch enge Kanäle in die Magmakammer aufsteigenden Teilschmelzen. Ein derartiger Prozeß findet bei hohen Temperaturen statt, weshalb die IPGE, die hohe Schmelzpunkte aufweisen, zusammen mit dem Chromit zur Kristallisation gelangten, podiforme Chromitite zeigen daher negative PGE Verteilungskurven. Normalerweise findet eine Schwefel-Sättigung der aufsteigenden Schmelze nicht vor dem Eintritt in die krustale Magmenkammer statt. Temporär könnte jedoch eine entmischte Schwefel-Schmelze bereits in einigen “high level” podiformen Chromititen existiert haben, sodaß ein Pt- und Pd-angereicherter Pod entsteht. Der Chromit in diesem Pod zeigt niedere Cr/(Al + Cr) und Mg/(Mg + Fe2+) Verhältnisse als jene in anderen podiformen Chromititen, die von IPGE dominiert sind. Die Zusammensetzung des Chromites ist daher signifikant, um Pt-und Pd-reiche Chromitite innerhalb dieses Ophiolit-Gürtels zu identifizieren.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Geology, University of Newcastle, 2308, NSW, Australia

    K. Yangs & P. K. Seccombe

  2. Institute of Geological Sciences, Mining University, A-8700, Leoben, Austria

    O. A. R. Thalhammer

  3. Division of Exploration and Mining, CSIRO, PO Box 136, 2113, North Ryde, Australia

    K. Yangs

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Yangs, K., Thalhammer, O.A.R. & Seccombe, P.K. Distribution of platinum group elements in the Great Serpentinite Belt of New South Wales, Eastern Australia. Mineralogy and Petrology 54, 191–211 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01162861

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