Platinum-Group Mineral Characterization in Concentrates from High-Grade PGE Al-rich Chromitites of Korydallos Area in the Pindos Ophiolite Complex (NW Greece)

• Published in: Resource geology 2010-06, Vol.60 (2), p.178-191
• Main Authors: Kapsiotis, Argyrios, Grammatikopoulos, Tassos A., Tsikouras, Basilios, Hatzipanagiotou, Konstantinos
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: chromitites; Greece; ophiolites; PGM; Pindos; super-panning
• ISSN: 1344-1698; 1751-3928
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1751-3928.2010.00124.x

The Pindos ophiolite complex, located in the north‐western part of continental Greece, hosts various podiform chromite deposits generally characterized by low platinum‐group element (PGE) grades. However, a few locally enriched in PPGE + Au (up to 29.3 ppm) chromitites of refractory type are also present, mainly in the area of Korydallos (south‐eastern Pindos). The present data reveal that this enrichment is strongly dependant on chromian spinel chemistry and base metal sulfide and/or base metal alloy (BMS and BMA, respectively) content in chromitites. Consequently, we used super‐panning to recover PGM from the Al‐rich chromitites of the Korydallos area. The concentrate of the composite chromitite sample contained 159 PGM grains, including, in decreasing order of abundance, the following major PGM phases: Pd‐Cu alloys (commonly non‐stoichiometric, although a few Pd‐Cu alloys respond to the chemical formula PdCu4), Pd‐bearing tetra‐auricupride [(Au,Pd)Cu], nielsenite (PdCu3), sperrylite (PtAs2), skaergaardite (PdCu), Pd‐bearing auricupride [(Au,Pd)Cu3], Pt and Pd oxides, Pt‐Fe‐Ni alloys, hollingworthite (RhAsS) and Pt‐Cu alloys. Isomertieite (Pd11Sb2As2), zvyagintsevite (Pd3Pb), native Au, keithconnite (Pd20Te7), naldrettite (Pd2Sb) and Rh‐bearing bismuthotelluride (RhBiTe, probably the Rh analogue of michenerite) constitute minor phases. The bulk of PGE‐mineralization is dominated by PGM grains that range in size from 5 to 10 µm. The vast majority of the recovered PPGM are associated with secondary BMS and BMA, thus confirming that a sulphur‐bearing melt played a very important role in scavenging the PGE + Au content of the silicate magma from which chromian spinel had already started to crystallize. The implemented technique has led to the recovery of more, as well as noble, PGM grains than the in situ mineralogical examination of single chromitite samples. Although, the majority of the PGM occur as free particles and in situ textural information is lost, single grain textural evidence is observed. In summary, this research provides information on the particles, grain size and associations of PGM, which are critical with respect to the petrogenesis and mineral processing.