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Microtextural evaluation of nickel sulphide gossans in Western Australia

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  03 November 2011

D. E. Roberts  and
G. A. Travis
D. E. Roberts
Affiliation:
Roxby Management Services Pty. Ltd., P.O. Box 405, Unley 5061, South Australia
G. A. Travis
Affiliation:
Aurex Pty. Ltd., 42 Ardross St., Applecross 6153, Western Australia
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Abstract

The discovery in 1966 of Ni sulphide deposits at Kambalda, Western Australia resulted from the interpretation of siliceous limonitic material containing up to 1·0% Ni and 0·3% Cu as the gossanous expression of Ni sulphides. In many cases analysis for Ni, Cu, Zn, Co, Cr, Mn and Pb will distinguish Ni–Cu gossans from other oxidised sulphide assemblages and pseudo-gossans. However, most geochemical classification schemes cannot always distinguish strongly silicified or sulphide-poor Ni gossans from Fe sulphide gossans enriched in Ni and Cu or from some nickeliferous oxidised and lateritic products which have no sulphide source. Ambiguous cases may be resolved by analysis for Pd and Ir but this method is expensive and requires very sophisticated analytical techniques.

The use of reflected light microscopy to examine microtextures preserved in the surface gossans from a supergene pyrite-violarite-marcasite sulphide assemblage has allowed the refinement of geochemical classification schemes. The preservation of supergene zone textures by pseudomorphous Si–Fe replacement often permits the original sulphide proportions and Ni–Cu grade to be reliably assessed. Relict microtextures are usually preserved, even in pale coloured, highly siliceous gossans containing less than 0·01% Ni.

Keywords

Archaeanpentlanditepyrrhotitesilicificationsupergeneviolariteweathering.
Type
Research Article
Information
Earth and Environmental Science Transactions of The Royal Society of Edinburgh , Volume 77 , Issue 1 , 1986 , pp. 81 - 98
Copyright
Copyright © Royal Society of Edinburgh 1986

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