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Phases in the Ni–Sb–As system which occur in the Bon Accord oxide body, Barberton greenstone belt, South Africa

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2018

M. Tredoux ,
F. Zaccarini ,
G. Garuti  and
D. E. Miller
M. Tredoux*
Affiliation:
Department of Geology, University of the Free State, PO Box 339, Bloemfontein 9300, South Africa
F. Zaccarini
Affiliation:
Department of Applied Geosciences and Geophysics, University of Leoben, Peter Tunner Str. 5, A-8700 Leoben, Austria
G. Garuti
Affiliation:
Department of Applied Geosciences and Geophysics, University of Leoben, Peter Tunner Str. 5, A-8700 Leoben, Austria
D. E. Miller
Affiliation:
Department of Geology, University of the Free State, PO Box 339, Bloemfontein 9300, South Africa
*
*E-mail: mtredoux@ufs.ac.za
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Abstract

An oxide-silicate occurrence, containing >40 wt.% NiO whole rock and showing enrichment in the platinum-group elements and antimony, was investigated at high magnification. Many phases with grain sizes generally <100 μm were observed; electron microprobe analysis indicated that, although some of these are known minerals in Ni–Sb–As space (such as breithauptite and orcelite), most of them cluster around the following compositions: Ni3Sb, Ni3(Sb,As), Ni3As, Ni5(Sb,As)2, Ni7(Sb,As)3 and Ni11(Sb,As)8. Such phases have been observed in synthetic systems, but up to now not in nature. The data reported here therefore probably represent the compositions of new minerals.

Type
Research Article
Information
Mineralogical Magazine , Volume 80 , Issue 1 , February 2016 , pp. 187 - 198
Copyright
Copyright © The Mineralogical Society of Great Britain and Ireland 2016

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