Summary
Platinum-group minerals were discovered, during gold recovery, in the Durance river alluvium, near Peyrolles (Bouches-du-Rhône). The PGM grains (average size 130 microns) are strongly flattened (average thickness 64 microns). The PGM concentrate consists primarily of (Pt, Fe) alloys (92%), (Os, Ir, Ru) alloys (3.5%), and native gold and (Au, Cu, Ag) alloys (4.5%). The following minerals were observed: isoferroplatinum, ferroan platinum, native osmium, native iridium, iridosmine, rutheniridosmine, osmiridium, ruthenian osmium, osmian ruthenium, cuprorhodsite, guanglinite, shandite, tetrauricupride, native gold, bornite, heazlewoodite, (Pt, Pd)2Cu3, Pt(Cu, Au), (Ni, Pt)Sn, (Cu, Fe)1−x (Pd, Rh, Pt)2+xS2, (Pt, Pd)4−xCu2As1−x. Isoferroplatinum contains numerous inclusions of alloys, sulphides, arsenides, Pd-tellurides, and partly devitrified silicate glass droplets. Most of the non-silicate inclusions also exhibit a drop-like shape indicating their original entrapment in a liquid state.
Cuprorhodsite crystals (up to 20 microns) are associated with bornite included in Pt3Fe. Rarely, Pd- and Cu-sulphides, and Pd-tellurides appear in this association. Complex droplet-like arsenide inclusions in isoferroplatinum are composed of Pt bearing guanglinite and (Pt,Pd)4+xCu2As1−x. Native iridium shows exsolutions of Ir-bearing isoferroplatinum and (Pt,Pd)2Cu3. In places, concentrations of Sn (up to 3 wt.%) were observed in (Au, Cu) alloys. Shandite and (Ni, Pt)Sn inclusions occur in (Au, Cu, Ag) alloys. Silicate-glass inclusions are TiO2-poor and occasionally K-rich (plotting in the shoshonitic field). Taking into account mineralogical and chemical pecularities of the PGM association occurring in the studied concentrate, it seems highly probable that its primary source should be an Alaskan-type intrusion.
Zusammenfassung
Minerale der Platingruppe wurden im Zuge von Goldgewinnung im Alluvium der Durance in der Nähe von Peyrolles (Bouches-du-Rhône) entdeckt. Die PGM Körner (durchschnittliche Korngröße 130μm) sind flach gepreßt (durchschnittliche Dicke 64μm). Die PGM Konzentrate bestehen vorwiegend aus (Pt, Fe) Legierungen (92%); (Os, Ir, Ru) Legierungen (3,5%), sowie gediegen Gold und (Au, Cu, Ag) Legierungen (4,5%). Folgende Minerale wurden beobachtet:
Isoferro-Platin, Fe-Platin, gediegen Osmium, gediegen Iridium, Iridosmium, Rutheniridosmium, Osmiridium, Ru-Osmium, Os-Ruthenium, Cuprorhodsit, Guanglinit, Shandit, Tetrauricuprit, gediegen Gold, Bornit, HeazIewoodit, (Pt, Pd)2 Cu3, Pt(Cu, Au), (Ni, Pt)Sn, (Cu, Fe), (Pd, Rh, Pt)2+xS2, (Pt, Pd)4+xCu2As1−x.
Isoferro-Platin enthält zahlreiche Einschlüsse von Legierungen, Sulfiden, Arseniden, Pd-Telluriden und teilweise devitrifzierte Silikatglaströpfchen. Die meisten nichtsili katischen Einschlüsse sind ebenfalls tröpfchenförmig. Dies weist darauf hin, daß sie in flüssigem Zustand eingeschlossen wurden.
Cuprorhodsitkristalle (bis zu 20μm) sind gemeinsam mit Bornit in Pt3 Fe einge schlossen. Selten sind Pd- und Cu-Sulfide, sowie Pd-Telluride mit diesen vergesellschaftet. Bei den komplexen tröpfehenförmigen Arsenideinschlüssen im Isoferro-Platin handelt es sich um Pt-führenden Guanglinit und (Pt, Pd)4+xCu2 As1−x. Gediegen Iridium zeigt Entmischung von Ir-führendem Isoferro-Platin und (Pt, Pd)2Cu3. Stellenweise wurden Konzentrationen von Sn (bis zu 3%) in den (Au, Cu) Legierungen beobachtet. Shandit und (Ni, Pt) Sn Einschlüsse kommen in (Au, Cu, Ag) Legierungen vor. Silikatische Glaseinschlüsse sind TiO2-arm und manchmal K-reich (im Shoshonitfeld liegend).
Auf Grund der mineralogischen und chemischen Eigenheiten der untersuchten PGM Konzentrate ist eine Intrusion des Alaska-Typs als primäre Quelle sehr wahrscheinlich.
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Johan, Z., Ohnenstetterl, M., Fischer, M. et al. Platinum-Group Minerals from the Durance River Alluvium, France. Mineralogy and Petrology 42, 287–306 (1990). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01162696
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01162696