Petrological, mineralogical and geochemical constraints of PGE-Ni-Cu mineralization in the platreef and implications for mineral exploration

高原PGE-Ni-Cu矿化的岩石学、矿物学和地球化学约束及其对矿产勘探的意义

• 批准号: 514753-2017
• 负责人: Jugo, PedroPJ
• 金额: $ 1.88万
• 依托单位: Laurentian University of Sudbury
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Collaborative Research and Development Grants
• 财政年份: 2022
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2022-01-01 至 2023-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=751073
• 关键词: Petrological; mineralogical; geochemical; constraints; PGE

A continuous supply of metals is essential for economic development and growth because metals are thebackbone of industrialized societies. This project aims to improve our understanding of the genesis anddistribution of deposits containing primarily platinum (Pt), palladium (Pd), and gold (Au) but also containingsignificant amounts of rhodium (Rh), nickel (Ni), and copper (Cu). These metals have a wide range ofapplications. For example, in addition to their value as investment instruments, Pt and Pd are essential elementsin catalytic processes and in high demand for pollution control in several sectors, including the automotiveindustry.The project provides a unique opportunity to characterize, in detail, one of the largest known Pt, Pd, Aumineralizations worldwide: the Platreef (Bushveld Igneous Complex, South Africa). The project will addresstwo fundamental questions: (a) which processes controlled the spatial distribution and variations in thethickness of the mineralization?; (b) what particular characteristics can be used as 'exploration vectors' to betterdefine the extent of known mineralization and find similar deposits elsewhere? (in South Africa andworldwide, including Canada's unexplored north). Answers to these questions will make mineral explorationmore efficient, cost-effective, and more successful in finding new deposits.The project is designed around the training of highly-qualified personnel and several graduate students (4MSc and 2 PhD) will be directly involved in the project. In addition to the industrial partner, the project issupported by two Canadian initiatives: the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Scholarship Program and theInternational Development Research Centre (IDRC). NSERC support contributes to fulfil the goals of the twoCanadian institutions in fostering research and collaboration with developing countries and buildingtechnological capacity in universities of Commonwealth countries.

金属的持续供应对于经济发展和增长至关重要，因为金属是工业化社会的支柱。该项目旨在提高我们对主要含有铂 (Pt)、钯 (Pd) 和金 (Au) 但也含有大量铑 (Rh)、镍 (Ni) 和铜 (Cu) 的矿床的成因和分布的了解。这些金属具有广泛的用途。例如，除了作为投资工具的价值外，铂和钯还是催化过程中的重要元素，并且在包括汽车行业在内的多个行业中对污染控制有着很高的需求。该项目提供了一个独特的机会来详细描述其中之一全球已知最大的铂、钯、铝矿化矿：Platreef（南非布什维尔德火成岩）。该项目将解决两个基本问题：(a) 哪些过程控制了矿化厚度的空间分布和变化？ (b) 哪些具体特征可以用作“勘探向量”，以更好地确定已知矿化的范围并在其他地方找到类似的矿床？ （在南非和世界各地，包括加拿大未开发的北部）。这些问题的答案将使矿产勘探更加高效、更具成本效益，并更成功地发现新矿床。该项目围绕高素质人员的培训而设计，几名研究生（4 名硕士和 2 名博士）将直接参与该项目项目。除了工业合作伙伴之外，该项目还得到了两项加拿大倡议的支持：伊丽莎白女王二世钻禧奖学金计划和国际发展研究中心（IDRC）。 NSERC 的支持有助于实现加拿大两个机构在促进与发展中国家的研究与合作以及建设英联邦国家大学的技术能力方面的目标。