Hostname: page-component-848d4c4894-jbqgn Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-06-19T03:57:25.514Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Platinum-group element mineralization in an As-rich magmatic sulphide system, Talnotry, southwest Scotland

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  05 July 2018

M. R. Power ,
D. Pirrie ,
J. Jedwab  and
C. J. Stanley
M. R. Power*
Affiliation:
Camborne School of Mines, University of Exeter, Redruth, Cornwall TR15 3SE, UK
D. Pirrie
Affiliation:
Camborne School of Mines, University of Exeter, Redruth, Cornwall TR15 3SE, UK
J. Jedwab
Affiliation:
Laboratoire de Géochimie et de Mineralogie, CP160/02 - Université Libre de Bruxelles, 50 Avenue Roosevelt, B-1050 Bruxelles, Belgium
C. J. Stanley
Affiliation:
Department of Mineralogy, The Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London SW7 5BD, UK
*
*E-mail:
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Arsenic-rich magmatic sulphide mineralization is hosted by a diorite intrusion at Talnotry, southwest Scotland. A relatively abundant and diverse platinum-group mineral assemblage is present and is dominated by sperrylite, irarsite and electrum with subordinate merenskyite, michenerite and froodite. Early euhedral gersdorffite is enriched with respect to Rh, Ir and Pt and in some cases contains exsolved blebs of irarsite or euhedral grains of sperrylite. Sperrylite is also enclosed within silicates and sulphides indicating that it crystallized directly from an As-rich sulphide liquid. Pyrrhotite-chalcopyrite mineral assemblages are consistent with the fractional crystallization of monosulphide solid solution and are overlain by PGE-, Ni- and As-rich mineral assemblages indicative of crystallization from a NiAs liquid. Late-stage, cross-cutting, electrum-bearing chalcopyrite veins are consistent with the crystallization of Cu- and Au-rich intermediate solid solution. The chemistry, mineralogy and lithological relationships of the diorite suggest that it may be an appinite and as such is potentially analogous to the Au-rich lamprophyre dykes present within southwest Scotland.

Keywords

platinum-group mineralsmagmatic sulphidegersdorffiteappiniteTalnotryScotland
Type
Research Article
Information
Mineralogical Magazine , Volume 68 , Issue 2 , April 2004 , pp. 395 - 411
Copyright
Copyright © The Mineralogical Society of Great Britain and Ireland 2004

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Ballhaus, C., Tredoux, M. and Spä th, A. (2001) Phase relations in the Fe-Ni-Cu-PGE-S system at magmatic temperature and application to massive sulphide ores of the Sudbury Igneous Complex. Journal of Petrology, 42, 1911–1926.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Barkov, A., Alapieti, T., Kaajoki, K. and Peura, R. (1996) Osmian hollingworthite and rhodian cobaltite-gersdorffite from the Lukkulaisvaara layered intrusion, Russian Karelia. Mineralogical Magazine, 60, 973–978.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Barkov, A.Y., LaFlamme, J.H.G., Cabri, L.J. and Martin, R.F. (2002) Platinum-group minerals from the Wellgreen Ni-Cu-PGE deposit, Yukon, Canada. The Canadian Mineralogist, 40, 651–669.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Barnes, R.P., Rock, N.M.S. and Gaskarth, J.W. (1986) Late Caledonian dyke-swarms in Southern Scotland: new field, petrological and geochemical data for the Wigtown Peninsula, Galloway. Geological Journal, 21, 101–125.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cabri, L.J. (1992) The distribution of trace precious metals in minerals and mineral products. Mineralogical Magazine, 56, 289–308.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cabri, L.J. and Laflamme, J.H.G. (1976) The mineralogy of the platinum-group elements from some coppernickel deposits in the Sudbury area, Ontario. Economic Geology, 71, 1159–1195.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cook, D.R. (1976) The Geology of the Cairnsmore of Fleet Granite and its Environs, SW Scotland. Unpublished PhD thesis, St Andrews University, UK.Google Scholar
Farrow, C. and, E.G. Lightfoot, P.C. (2002) Sudbury PGE revisited: toward an integrated model. Pp. 273–297 in: The Geology, Geochemistry, Mineralogy and Mineral Beneficiation of Platinum-group Elements (Cabri, L.J., editor). Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum, Montreal.Google Scholar
Fleet, M.E., Chryssoulis, S.L., Stone, W.E. and Weisener, C.G. (1993) Partitioning of platinumgroup elements and Au in the Fe-Ni-Cu-S system: experiments on the fractional crystallization of sulfide melt. Contributions to Mineralogy and Petrology, 115, 36–44.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Fowler, M.B. and Henney, P.J. (1996) Mixed Caledonian appinite magmas: implications for lamprophyre fractionation and high Ba-Sr granite genesis. Contributions to Mineralogy and Petrology, 126, 199–215.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gervilla, F., Sanchez-Anguita, A., Acevedo, R.D., Hach-Ali, P.F. and Paniagua, A. (1997) Platinumgroup element sulpharsenides and Pd bismuthotellurides in the metamorphosed Ni-Cu deposit at Las Aguilas (Province of San Luis, Argentina). Mineralogical Magazine, 61, 861–877.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gregory, J.W. (1928) The nickel-cobalt ore of Talnotry, Kirkcudbrightshire. Transactions of the Institution of Mining and Metallurgy, 37, 178–195.Google Scholar
Halliday, A.N., Stephens, W.E. and Harmon, R.S. (1980) Rb-Sr and O isotopic relationships in three zoned Caledoni an granitic plutons, Southern Uplands, Scotland: evidence for varied sources and hybridisation of magmas. Journal of the Geological Society, London, 137, 329–348.Google Scholar
Hoefs, J. (1997) Stable Isotope Geochemistry, 4th edition. Springer-Verlag, Berlin, 201 pp.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Jedwab, J. and Fletcher, T. (1991) A rhenium sulphide mineralisation in mafic rocks from NE Scotland, UK. Terra Abstracts, 3, 107.Google Scholar
Klemm, D.D. (1965) Synthesen und Analysen in den Dreiecksdiagr ammen FeAsS-CoAsS-NiAsS und FeS2-CoS2-NiS2. Neues Jahrbuch für Mineralogie Abhandlungen, 103, 205–255.Google Scholar
Komarova, M.Z., Kozyrev, S.M., Simonov, O.N. and Lulko, V.A. (2002) The PGE mineralisation of disseminated sulphide ores of the Noril’sk-Taimyr region. Pp. 547–567 in: The Geology, Geochemistry, Mineralogy and Mineral Beneficiation of Platinumgroup Elements (Cabri, L.J., editor). Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum, Montreal.Google Scholar
Leggett, J.K. (1987) The Southern Uplands as an accretionary prism: the importance of analogues in reconstructing palaeogeography. Journal of the Geological Society, London, 144, 737–752.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Leggett, J.K., McKerrow, W.S. and Eales, M.H. (1979) The Southern Uplands of Scotland; a Lower Palaeozoic accretionary prism. Journal of the Geological Society, London, 136, 755–770.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
LeMaitre, R.W. (2002) Igneous rocks: a Classification and Glossary of Terms, 2nd edition. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK, 236 pp.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Li, C. and Naldrett, A.J. (1993) Platinum-group minerals from the Deep Copper Zone of the Strathcona deposi t, Sudbury, Ontario. The Canadian Mineralogist, 31, 31–44.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Li, C., Barnes, S.-J., Makovicky, E., Rose-Hansen, J. and Makovicky, M. (1996) Partitioning of nickel, copper, iridium, rhenium, platinum, and palladium between monosulfide solid solution and sulfide liquid: effects of composition and temperature. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, 60, 1231–1238.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Maier, W.D., Li, C. and de Waal, S.A. (2001) Why are there no major Ni-Cu sulfide deposits in large maficultramafic intrusions? The Canadian Mineralogist, 39, 547–556.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Naldrett, A.J., Innes, D.G., Sowa, J. and Gorton, M.P. (1982) Compositional variation within and betweenfive Sudbury ore deposits. Economic Geology, 77, 1519–1534.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Parker, M.E. (1977) Geophysical surveys around Talnotry mine, Kirkudbrightshire, Scotland. British Geological Survey Mineral Reconna issance Programme Report, 10.Google Scholar
Peregoedova, A. and Ohnenstetter, M. (2002) Collectors of Pt, Pd and Rh in a S-poor Fe-Ni-Cu sulphide system at 760ºC: experimental data and application to ore deposits. The Canadian Mineralogist, 40, 527–561.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Platten, I.M. (1991) Zoning and layering in diorites of the Scottish Caledonian Appinite Suite. Geological Journal, 26, 329–348.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Power, M.R., Shail, R.K., Alexander, A.C. and Scott, P.W. (1997) Alteration and vein mineralisation within the Lizard complex, South Cornwall: constraint s on the timing of serpen tinisation. Proceedings of the Ussher Society, 9, 63–67.Google Scholar
Rock, N.M.S. (1991) Lamprophyres. Blackie, Glasgow, UK, 285 pp.Google Scholar
Rock, N.M.S. and Groves, D.I. (1988) Do lamprophyres carry gold as well as diamonds? Nature, 332, 253–255.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Rock, N.M.S., Gaskarth, J.W. and Rundle, C.C. (1986) Late Caledonian dyke-swarms in southern Scotland: a regional zone of primitive K-rich lamprophyres and associated vents. Journal of Geology, 94, 505–522.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Rollinson, H.R. (1993) Using Geochemical Data: Evaluation, Presentation, Interpretation. Longman, UK, 352 pp.Google Scholar
Skinner, B.J., Luce, F.D., Dill, J.A. et al.(1976) Phase relations in ternary portions of the system Pt-Pd-Fe-As-S. Economic Geology, 71, 1469–1475.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Stanley, C.J., Symes, R.F. and Jones, G.C. (1987) Nickel-copper mineralisation at Talnotry, Newton Stewart, Scotland. Mineralogy and Petrology, 37, 293–313.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Stone, P., Floyd, J.D., Barnes, R.P. and Lintern, B.C. (1987) A sequential back-arc and foreland basin thrust duplex model for the Southern Uplands of Scotland. Journal of the Geological Society, London, 144, 753–764.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Szentpéteri, K., Watkinson, D.H., Molnár, F. and Jones, P.C. (2002) Platinum-group elements-Co-Ni-F e sulfarsenides and mineral paragenesis in Cu-Ni-Platinum-group element deposits, Copper Cliff North area, Sudbury, Canada. Economic Geology, 97, 1459–1470.Google Scholar
Thirlwall, M.F. (1988) Geochro nology of late Caledonian magmatism in northern Britain. Journal of the Geological Society, London, 145, 951–968.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wilson, G.V. and Flett, J.S. (1921) The lead, zinc, copper and nickel ores of Scotland. Memoir of the Geological Survey of Great Britain. Special Report on the Mineral Resources of Great Britain, 17, 159.pp.Google Scholar