Precious metals in magmas of East Greenland; factors important to the mineralization in the Skaergaard Intrusion

1995 ◽  
Vol 90 (7) ◽  
pp. 1911-1917 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. F. D. Nielsen ◽  
C. K. Brooks
Keyword(s):  
Precious Metals ◽  
Skaergaard Intrusion ◽  
East Greenland

The East Greenland continental margin, the Prinsen af Wales Bjerge and new Skaergaard intrusion initiatives

2001 ◽  
pp. 83-98
Author(s):  
Troels F.D. Nielsen ◽  
Henriette Hansen ◽  
C. Kent Brooks ◽  
Charles E. Lesher
Keyword(s):  
Continental Margin ◽  
Mineral Exploration ◽  
Science Research ◽  
Field Work ◽  
Alkaline Magmatism ◽  
Skaergaard Intrusion ◽  
East Greenland ◽  
Geological Processes ◽  
Break Up ◽  
Petroleum Company

NOTE: This article was published in a former series of GEUS Bulletin. Please use the original series name when citing this article, for example: Nielsen, T. F., Hansen, H., Brooks, C. K., & Lesher, C. E. (2001). The East Greenland continental margin, the Prinsen af Wales Bjerge and new Skaergaard intrusion initiatives. Geology of Greenland Survey Bulletin, 189, 83-98. https://doi.org/10.34194/ggub.v189.5162 _______________ The rifted volcanic margin of East Greenland has remained a major area for field studies and the development of models for the dynamics of plume-related continental break-up since the start of the Danish Lithosphere Centre (DLC) in 1994. The studies cover a range of disciplines and geological processes from the early development of pre-break-up basin formation and sedimentation over the main phase of basaltic magmatism to the late stages of alkaline magmatism and structural re-equilibration. The East Greenland field activities in the summer of 2000, collectively referred to as EG 2000, were facilitated by a logistic platform provided by support from Statens Naturvidenskabelige Forskningsråd (SNF, the Danish Natural Science Research Council) and the Bureau of Minerals and Petroleum (BMP) in Nuuk, Greenland for the retrieval of 6 km of drillcore from the Skaergaard intrusion. During 1989 and 1990 mineral exploration had resulted in drilling of more than 15 km of core through the classic layered gabbros. The logistic platform also provided support for DLC and Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland (GEUS) field work and projects throughout the Kangerlussuaq region and on the Blosseville Kyst (Fig. 1), as well as mineral exploration and petroleum company activities.

scholarly journals Lateral Reactive Infiltration in a Vertical Gabbroic Crystal Mush, Skaergaard Intrusion, East Greenland

2013 ◽  
Vol 54 (5) ◽  
pp. 985-1016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Olivier Namur ◽  
Madeleine C. S. Humphreys ◽  
Marian B. Holness
Keyword(s):  
Crystal Mush ◽  
Skaergaard Intrusion ◽  
East Greenland ◽  
Reactive Infiltration

Bulk Liquid for the Skaergaard Intrusion and Its PGE-Au Mineralization: Composition, Correlation, Liquid Line of Descent, and Timing of Sulphide Saturation and Silicate–Silicate Immiscibility

2019 ◽  
Vol 60 (10) ◽  
pp. 1853-1880 ◽  
Author(s):  
Troels F D Nielsen ◽  
C Kent Brooks ◽  
Jakob K Keiding
Keyword(s):  
Precious Metal ◽  
Bulk Composition ◽  
Precious Metals ◽  
Bulk Liquid ◽  
Skaergaard Intrusion ◽  
Liquid Line ◽  
Multi Stage ◽  
Silicate Liquids ◽  
Crystallization Zone ◽  
Liquid Line Of Descent

Abstract Preferred and modelled bulk composition of the Skaergaard intrusion are compared to coeval basaltic compositions in East Greenland and found to relate to the second evolved cycle of Geikie Plateau Formation lavas and coeval Skaergaard-like dikes in major and trace element (Mg# ∼45, Ce/Nb ∼2·5, (Dy/Yb)N ∼1·35), and precious metal composition (Pd/Pt ∼3, Au/Pt ∼2) as well as in age (∼56 Ma). Successful comparisons of precious metal compositions only occur with Skaergaard models based on mass balance. The bulk liquid of the intrusion evolved along the liquid line of descent to immiscibility between Si- and Fe-rich silicate liquids after ∼90% of crystallization (F = ∼0·10) in agreement with experimental constraints. Immiscibility led to accumulation and fractionation of the Fe-rich silicate melt in the mushy floor of the intrusion and continued accumulation of granophyre component in the remaining bulk liquid. The composition of plagioclase in the precious metal mineralized gabbro and modelling of Pd/Pt and Au/Pt in first formed droplets of sulphide melt suggest that sulphide saturation was reached in interstitial melts in crystal mushes in the floor and roof and in bulk liquid with a composition equivalent to that of the bulk liquid at lower UZa times and after crystallization of 82–85% of the bulk liquid (F = 0·19–0·16). Prior to sulphide saturation in UZa type melt, the precious metals ratios of the bulk liquid were controlled by the loss of Pt relative to Pd and Au in agreement with the low empirical and experimental solubility of Pt of ∼9ppb compared to a much higher value for Pd and Au. The relative timing between sulphide saturation (F = ∼0·18) and immiscibility between silicate melts (F = ∼0·10) and modelled precious metal ratios underpin the proposed multi-stage model for the mineralization, advocating initial accumulation in the mushy floor of the magma chamber controlled by sulphide saturation in mush melts rather than bulk melt, followed by redistribution of precious metals in a macro-rhythmic succession of gabbroic layers of the upward migrating crystallization zone.

Skaergaardite, PdCu, a new platinum-group intermetallic mineral from the Skaergaard intrusion, Greenland

2004 ◽  
Vol 68 (4) ◽  
pp. 615-632 ◽  
Author(s):  
N. S. Rudashevsky ◽  
A. M. McDonald ◽  
L. J. Cabri ◽  
T. F. D. Nielsen ◽  
C. J. Stanley ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
New Mineral ◽  
Indentation Hardness ◽  
Skaergaard Intrusion ◽  
East Greenland ◽  
X Ray ◽  
Cscl Type ◽  
Black Streak ◽  
Cscl Structure ◽  
Cubic Structure ◽  
Micro Indentation

AbstractSkaergaardite, PdCu, is a new mineral discovered in the Skaergaard intrusion, Kangerdlugssuaq area, East Greenland. It occurs in a tholeitiic gabbro associated with plagioclase, clinopyroxene, orthopyroxene, ilmenite, titanian magnetite, fayalite and accessory chlorite-group minerals, ferrosaponite, a member of the annite–phlogopite series, hornblende, actinolite, epidote, calcite, ankerite, apatite and baddeleyite. The mineral is found in composite microglobules composed of bornite, chalcocite, digenite, chalcopyrite, with rare cobalt pentlandite, cobaltoan pentlandite, sphalerite, keithconnite, vasilite, zvyagintsevite, (Cu,Pd,Au) and Pt-Fe-Cu-Pd alloys, unnamed PdCu3, (Pd,Cu,Sn), Au3Cu and PdAuCu. Skaergaardite occurs as droplets, equant grains with rounded outlines, subhedral to euhedral crystals and as irregular grains that vary in size from 2 to 75 μm, averaging 22 μm. It is steel grey with a bronze tint, has a black streak, a metallic lustre and is sectile. Neither cleavage nor fracture was observed. The mineral has a micro-indentation hardness of VHN25 = 257. It is isotropic, non-pleochroic and exhibits neither discernible internal reflections nor evidence of twinning. Skaergaardite varies from bright creamy white (associated with bornite and chalcopyrite) to bright white (associated with digenite and chalcocite). Reflectance values in air (and in oil) are: 58.65 (47.4) at 470 nm, 62.6 (51.1) at 546 nm, 64.1 (52.8) at 589 nm and 65.25 (53.95) at 650 nm. The average of 311 electron-microprobe analyses gives: Pd 58.94, Pt 1.12, Au 2.23, Cu 29.84, Fe 3.85, Zn 1.46, Sn 1.08, Te 0.28 and Pb 0.39, total 99.19 wt.%, corresponding to (Pd0.967Au0.020Pt0.010)Σ0.997(Cu0.820Fe0.120 Zn0.039Sn0.016Te0.004Pb0.003)Σ1.002. The mineral is cubic, space group Pm3m, a = 3.0014(2) Å, V = 27.0378 Å3, Z = 1. Dcalc is 10.64 g/cm3. The six strongest lines in the X-ray powder-diffraction pattern [d in Å (I)(hkl)] are: 2.122(100)(110), 1.5000(20)(200), 1.2254(50)(211), 0.9491(20)(310), 0.8666(10)(222), 0.8021(70)(321). The mineral has the CsCl-type structure. It is believed to be isostructural with wairauite (CoFe), synthetic CuZn (β-brass) and is structurally related to hongshiite (PtCu). Skaergaardite developed from a disordered Pd-Cu-rich metal alloy melt that had exsolved from an earlier Cu-(Fe) sulphide melt. Ordering of Pd and Cu (beginning at T ≈ 600°C) results in development of the CsCl structure from a disordered face-centred cubic structure.

Geochemical indicator of the efficiency of fractionation of the Skaergaard intrusion, East Greenland

1975 ◽  
Vol 40 (311) ◽  
pp. 285-291 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul Henderson
Keyword(s):  
Liquid Phase ◽  
The Body ◽  
Drill Core ◽  
Skaergaard Intrusion ◽  
Average Efficiency ◽  
East Greenland ◽  
Quantitative Indicator ◽  
The Core ◽  
Geochemical Indicator ◽  
Degree Of Separation

SummaryWhen magmatic fractionation involves the settling and removal of crystals from the body of magma, the efficiency of the fraetionation process may be defined as the degree of separation of the solid from the liquid phase. An expression is given that relates efficiency to the amount of mesostasis, or crystallized trapped liquid, in an igneous cumulate. The uranium contents of samples from a 349-m-long drill-core of part of the lower and hidden zones of the Skaergaard intrusion are used as a quantitative indicator of the amounts of mesostasis in the cumulates. There are marked changes in the amount of mesostasis over the length of the core and the average efficiency of fractionation was 85 %.

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