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FACTORS GOVERNING CONCENTRATIONS OF PGE IN LAYERED COMPLEXES.

Objective

THE RESEARCH IS OF PRACTICAL IMPORTANCE FOR PGE OREBODY LOCATION, FOR EXPLORATION GUIDELINES AND ORE DRESSING. IT WILL CLARIFY THE BEHAVIOUR OF THE PGE COMPOUNDS.
The results consist of experimental and laboratory studies of the phase systems palladium nickel iron sulphur and platinum iron astatine sulphur at several geologically relevant temperatures and the application of these results to the study and exploration of platinum group deposits.

The research programme has specialized in the mineralogical phase studies of the phase systems iron nickel palladium sulphur and platinum iron arsenic sulphur that are of primary importance for the understanding, exploration and beneficiation of the platinum group element (PGE) deposits studied by the associated groups, as well as for nearly all PGE deposits of economic importance worldwide.
The behaviour of 2 important platinum group elements, platinum and palladium were investigated at magmatic temperatures and postmagmatic temperatures in the important element associations palladium iron nickel sulphur and platinum palladium iron arsenic sulphur.

The research allowed the definition of the role of different sulphide melts and arsenide melts in the geological transport and deposition of platinum and palladium;
the role of different concentrator minerals for these metals;
potential geothermometers, either based on solid solubilities or on profound changes in phase associations;
the influence of arsenic on the PGE-combining phase associations.
TWO MAIN SYSTEMS WILL BE STUDIED :

- THE SYSTEM NI-FE-PD-S WHICH CONTAINS PENTLANDITE, A VERY IMPORTANT COLLECTOR OF PD IN PGE DEPOSITS;
- THE SYSTEM PT-PD-FE-AS-S IN THE MOST IMPORTANT PGE DEPOSITS WHERE PT IS DISTRIBUTED BETWEEN ALLOYS AND PT SULPHIDES AND ARSENIDES.

MOREOVER THREE SUBSYSTEMS WILL BE EXAMINED.
THESE SYSTEMS WILL BE STUDIED PRIMARILY AT 850 AND 470 CELSIUS DEGREES, THE FIRST TEMPERATURE REPRESENTING LATE MAGMATIC OR EXTREME METAMORPHIC CONDITIONS, THE SECOND BEING REPRESENTATIVE OF THE SUBSOLIDUS DEVELOPMENT OF PGE DEPOSITS AS WELL AS OF POTENTIAL PNEUMATOLYTIC OR METAMORPHIC CONCENTRATION PHENOMENA.

Topic(s)

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Call for proposal

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Coordinator

UNIVERSITY OF COPENHAGEN
EU contribution
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Address
Noerregade 10
1017 KOEBENHAVN K/COPENHAEGEN
Denmark

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Participants (1)