Abstract
Examination of ores by optical microscope and EPMA from the Zhaishang gold deposit, southern Gansu Province, has revealed an abundance of rare minerals. These include native metals, Cu-Ni-Zn-Sn-Fe polymetallic compounds and S-bearing alloys of Ni, Fe, Zn, Cu and Sn, occurring as native nickel, Zn-Cu alloy, Ni-Zn-Cu alloy, Sn-Zn-Ni-Cu alloy, Zn-Cu-Ni alloy, Zn-Fe-Cu-Sn-Ni alloy, Fe-Ni-S alloy, Sn-Fe-Ni-S alloy, Fe-Zn-Cu-Ni-S alloy, Zn-Ni-Cu-Fe-S alloy and others. Compared with the Zn-Cu alloy minerals discovered previously, these Zn-Cu minerals fall in the α or α+β portion in Zn-Cu alloy phase diagram, and the α portion has higher Cu content. Cu-Ni-Zn-Sn-Fe intermetallic compounds and S-bearing alloy minerals have not been previously reported in the literature. These rare alloys formed in a strongly reducing environment with absent oxygen and low sulfur activities.
Article PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
Explore related subjects
Discover the latest articles, news and stories from top researchers in related subjects.Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.
References
Melville W H. Josephinite, a new nickel-iron. Am J Sci, 1892, 43(258): 509–515
Rudashevsky N S, Dmitrenko G G, Mochalov A G, et al. Native metals and carbides in alpine-type ultramafites of Koryak Highland. Mineral J (in Russian), 1987, 9(4): 71–82
Rudashevsky N S, Mochalov A G, Budko I A, et al. Pt-Ir-bearing and Ir-Pt-bearing taenite and Fe-bearing iridosmine — New mineral species. Mineral J (in Russian), 1988, 10(1): 15–22
Mochalov A G, Dmitrenko G G, Zhernovskii I V, et al. A new iridium-osmium-ruthenium type (solid solutions of rare platinoids with iron) of platinoid mineralization in chrome-spinellids of alpine-type ultramafic rocks of the Koryak Highlands. Proc Russian Mineral Soc (in Russian), 1985, 114(5): 544–554
Melcher F, Grum W, Simon G, et al. Petrogenesis of giant chromite deposits of Kempirsai, Kazakhstan: A study of solid and fluid inclusions in chromite. J Petrol, 1997, 38: 1419–1458
Auge T, Maurizo T P. Stratiform and alluvial platinum mineralization in the Caledonia ophiolite complex. Can Mineral, 1995, 33: 1023–1045
Distler V V, Yudovskaya M A, Mitrofanov G L, et al. Geology, composition, and genesis of the Sukhoi Log noble metals deposit, Russia. Ore Geol Rev, 2004, 24: 7–44
Makeev A B, Bryanchaninova N I. Curve facet diamond of the north and northeast of the Russian platform. Geosciences, 2001, 15(2): 124–130
Bowles J F W, Cameron N R, Beddoe Stephens B, et al. Alluvial gold, platinum, osmium-iridium, copper-zinc and copper-tin alloys from Sumatra: their composition and genesis. Appl Earth Sci, 1984, 93: B23–B30
Makeev A B, Agafonov L V, Goncharenko A I. The relation of the chemical composition to the physical properties of chrome spinels in alpinotypic ultrabasites. Soviet Geol Geophys, 1984, 25(2): 125–129
Huang Y H, Yue S Q, Qin S Y, et al. The mineralogical gazetteer. In: Nature Elements and Their Intermetallic Compounds (in Chinese). Beijing: Geological Publishing House, 2000. 197–223, 401–421
Bai W j, Yang J S, Fang Q S, et al. Chemical compositions of alloys from podiform chromitites in the Luobusa ophiolite, Tibet. Acta Geol Sin (in Chinese), 2004, 78(5): 675–682
Oku M, Suzuki S, Abiko K, et al. Auger and electron energy loss spectroscopic study of surfaces of iron-sulfur alloy, Fe7S8 and FeS2 cleaved in ultra high vacuum. J Electron Spectroscopy and Related Phenomena, 1986, 40: 227–239
Han Q, Liu K R, Chen J S, et al. A study on the electrodeposited Ni-S alloys as hydrogen evolution reaction cathodes. Int J Hydrogen Energy, 2003, 28: 1207–1212
Han Q, Wei X J. Electrodeposited nickel-sulfur cathode for hydrogen evolution. J Northeast Univ (Natural Sci) (in Chinese), 2000, 21(5): 539–542
Si J P, Zhang J M, Huang W Q. Study on preparation of Ni-S alloys as hydrogen evolution reaction cathodes. J Xinyang Normal Univ (Natural Sci ed.) (in Chinese), 2006, 19(2): 210–213
Al-Dallal S, Al-Alawi S M, Aljishi S, et al. Hydrogenated amorphous carbon-sulfur alloy thin films grown from a CH4 and H2S gas mixture by rf glow discharge. J Non-Crystalline Solids, 1996, 196: 168–172
Al-Dallal S, Henari F Z, Al-Alawi S M, et al. Optical switching in hydrogenated amorphous silicon-sulfur alloy prepared by glow discharge. J Non-Crystalline Solids, 2004, 345–346: 302–305
Li J, Agee C B. The effect of pressure, temperature, oxygen fugacity and composition on partitioning of nickel and cobalt between liquid Fe-Ni-S alloy and liquid silicate: Implications for the earth’s core formation. Geochim Cosmochim Acta, 2001, 65: 1821–1832
Oktay E. Effect of CaCl2 on the desulphurization by CaO of a carbon-saturated Fe-Si-S alloy. Annales de Chimie Science des Matériaux, 2002, 27: 81–89
Duhalde S, Arcondo B, Sirkin H. The role of layer structure in tin oxidation kinetics. Hyperfine Interactions, 1991, 66: 287–294
Han Q, Liu K R, Chen J S, et al. Study of amorphous Ni-S-Co alloy used as hydrogen evolution reaction cathode in alkaline medium. Int J Hydrogen Energy, 2004, 29: 243–248
Que C Y, Liu J Z, Zhang G W, et al. Preparation and tribological performance of a Ni-Cr-S alloy. Tribology (in Chinese), 1994, 14(3): 193–204
Liu R T, Li X B, Cheng S H. Self-lubrication mechanism of Ni-Cr-Mo-S alloy. Chin J Nonferrous Metals (in Chinese), 2003, 13(2): 469–474
Hui W H, Zhang P, Liu J J. A study on wear resistance of new type Ni-Fe-W-S alloy brush plating layer. Tribology (in Chinese), 1994, 14(2): 124–133
Hui W H, Liu J J, Dennis J K. Microstructure and hardness of brush plated Ni-Fe-W-P-S alloy. J Applied Electrochem, 1997, 27: 105–108
Yue S Q, Wang W Y, Liu J D, et al. The research of Danba deposit. Chin Sci Bull (in Chinese), 1982, 27(22): 41–44
White W M. Geochemistry. Maryland: John-Hopkins University Press, 2007. 260–271
Liu Y J, Cao L M. Elemental Geochemistry (in Chinese). Beijing: Geological Publishing House, 1987. 9–25
Xie Y L, Hou Z Q, Xu J H, et al. Discovery of Cu-Zn, Cu-Sn intermetallic minerals and its significance for genesis of the Mianning-Dechang REE Metallogenic Belt, Sichuan Province, China. Sci China Ser D-Earth Sci, 2006, 49(6): 597–603
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
Supported by the Major Basic Research Program of People’s Republic of China (Grant No. 2006CB403500), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 40773036, 40573032 and 40434011), and the 111 Project under the Ministry of Education and the State Administration of Foreign Experts Affairs, China (Grant No. B07011)
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Liu, J., Mao, G., Ma, X. et al. Discovery of Cu-Ni-Zn-Sn-Fe intermetallic compounds and S-bearing alloys in the Zhaishang gold deposit, southern Gansu Province and its geological significance. Sci. China Ser. D-Earth Sci. 51, 769–777 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11430-008-0059-7
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11430-008-0059-7