The mineralogy and crystallography of pyrrhotite from selected nickel and PGE ore deposits.

dc.contributor.authorBecker, Megan
dc.contributor.authorDe Villiers, Johan
dc.contributor.authorBradshaw, Dee
dc.date.accessioned2016-07-26T09:36:01Z
dc.date.available2016-07-26T09:36:01Z
dc.date.issued2010
dc.date.updated2016-07-26T09:33:41Z
dc.description.abstractThe nonstoichiometric sulfide pyrrhotite (Fe(1–x)S) common to many ore deposits occurs in a variety of crystallographic forms and compositions and occasionally is also intergrown with stoichiometric troilite (FeS). In this study, the mineralogy of pyrrhotite derived from several different nickel and PGE ore deposits in South Africa, Botswana, and Canada was examined in detail in terms of pyrrhotite association, crystallography, and mineral chemistry. Pyrrhotite samples were subdivided into two-phase 6C Fe11S12 pyrrhotite intergrown with 2C FeS troilite, two-phase 4C Fe7S8 pyrrhotite intergrown with 5C Fe9S10 pyrrhotite, single-phase 5C Fe9S10 pyrrhotite and single-phase 4C Fe7S8 pyrrhotite. None of the pyrrhotite samples analyzed were classified as two-phase 4C pyrrhotite intergrown with pyrite due to the scarcity of pyrite in these samples. Average solid solution Ni contents of NC pyrrhotite (0.75 ± 0.10 wt % Ni) in this study were found to be greater than in 4C pyrrhotite (0.43 ± 0.10 wt % Ni), but only when the pyrrhotite occurred as two-phase 4C pyrrhotite intergrown with NC pyrrhotite. For single-phase pyrrhotite occurrences in this study, 4C pyrrhotite was more Ni rich (up to 2 wt % Ni) than NC pyrrhotite (0.75 ± 0.19 wt % Ni). The average atomic metal/S ratios obtained for 4C Fe7S8 pyrrhotite was 0.869 ± 0.013 (n = 699), for 5C Fe9S10 pyrrhotite was 0.895 ± 0.013 (n = 316) and for 6C Fe11S12 pyrrhotite was 0.918 ± 0.017 (n = 101). The histogram comparing metal/S ratios of all the pyrrhotite samples analyzed showed a continuum of metal/S ratios, although with frequency maxima corresponding to the ideal compositions of 4C, 5C, and 6C pyrrhotite. The presence of the continuum however, was interpreted to be representative of nonstoichiometry in the pyrrhotite structure.en_ZA
dc.identifierhttp://dx.doi.org/10.2113/econgeo.105.5.1025
dc.identifier.apacitationBecker, M., De Villiers, J., & Bradshaw, D. (2010). The mineralogy and crystallography of pyrrhotite from selected nickel and PGE ore deposits. <i>Economic Geology</i>, http://hdl.handle.net/11427/20747en_ZA
dc.identifier.chicagocitationBecker, Megan, Johan De Villiers, and Dee Bradshaw "The mineralogy and crystallography of pyrrhotite from selected nickel and PGE ore deposits." <i>Economic Geology</i> (2010) http://hdl.handle.net/11427/20747en_ZA
dc.identifier.citationBecker, M., de Villiers, J., & Bradshaw, D. (2010). The mineralogy and crystallography of pyrrhotite from selected nickel and PGE ore deposits. Economic Geology, 105(5), 1025-1037.en_ZA
dc.identifier.issn0361-0128en_ZA
dc.identifier.ris TY - Journal Article AU - Becker, Megan AU - De Villiers, Johan AU - Bradshaw, Dee AB - The nonstoichiometric sulfide pyrrhotite (Fe(1–x)S) common to many ore deposits occurs in a variety of crystallographic forms and compositions and occasionally is also intergrown with stoichiometric troilite (FeS). In this study, the mineralogy of pyrrhotite derived from several different nickel and PGE ore deposits in South Africa, Botswana, and Canada was examined in detail in terms of pyrrhotite association, crystallography, and mineral chemistry. Pyrrhotite samples were subdivided into two-phase 6C Fe11S12 pyrrhotite intergrown with 2C FeS troilite, two-phase 4C Fe7S8 pyrrhotite intergrown with 5C Fe9S10 pyrrhotite, single-phase 5C Fe9S10 pyrrhotite and single-phase 4C Fe7S8 pyrrhotite. None of the pyrrhotite samples analyzed were classified as two-phase 4C pyrrhotite intergrown with pyrite due to the scarcity of pyrite in these samples. Average solid solution Ni contents of NC pyrrhotite (0.75 ± 0.10 wt % Ni) in this study were found to be greater than in 4C pyrrhotite (0.43 ± 0.10 wt % Ni), but only when the pyrrhotite occurred as two-phase 4C pyrrhotite intergrown with NC pyrrhotite. For single-phase pyrrhotite occurrences in this study, 4C pyrrhotite was more Ni rich (up to 2 wt % Ni) than NC pyrrhotite (0.75 ± 0.19 wt % Ni). The average atomic metal/S ratios obtained for 4C Fe7S8 pyrrhotite was 0.869 ± 0.013 (n = 699), for 5C Fe9S10 pyrrhotite was 0.895 ± 0.013 (n = 316) and for 6C Fe11S12 pyrrhotite was 0.918 ± 0.017 (n = 101). The histogram comparing metal/S ratios of all the pyrrhotite samples analyzed showed a continuum of metal/S ratios, although with frequency maxima corresponding to the ideal compositions of 4C, 5C, and 6C pyrrhotite. The presence of the continuum however, was interpreted to be representative of nonstoichiometry in the pyrrhotite structure. DA - 2010 DB - OpenUCT DP - University of Cape Town J1 - Economic Geology LK - https://open.uct.ac.za PB - University of Cape Town PY - 2010 SM - 0361-0128 T1 - The mineralogy and crystallography of pyrrhotite from selected nickel and PGE ore deposits TI - The mineralogy and crystallography of pyrrhotite from selected nickel and PGE ore deposits UR - http://hdl.handle.net/11427/20747 ER - en_ZA
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/11427/20747
dc.identifier.urihttp://economicgeology.org/content/105/5/1025.short
dc.identifier.vancouvercitationBecker M, De Villiers J, Bradshaw D. The mineralogy and crystallography of pyrrhotite from selected nickel and PGE ore deposits. Economic Geology. 2010; http://hdl.handle.net/11427/20747.en_ZA
dc.languageengen_ZA
dc.publisherSociety of Economic Geologistsen_ZA
dc.publisher.institutionUniversity of Cape Town
dc.sourceEconomic Geologyen_ZA
dc.source.urihttp://economicgeology.org/content/105/5/1025.full.pdf+html
dc.subject.otherMineralogy
dc.subject.otherCrystallography
dc.subject.otherNickel
dc.subject.otherPGE Ore Deposits
dc.titleThe mineralogy and crystallography of pyrrhotite from selected nickel and PGE ore deposits.en_ZA
dc.typeJournal Articleen_ZA
uct.type.filetypeText
uct.type.filetypeImage
uct.type.publicationResearchen_ZA
uct.type.resourceArticleen_ZA
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