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Primary platinum-bearing copper from the Lesnaya Varaka ultramafic alkaline complex, Kola Peninsula, northwestern Russia

Primäres Platin führendes Kupfer aus dem ultramafisch-alkalischen Lesnaya Varaka Komplex, Halbinsel Kola, nordwestliches Rußland

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Summary

The Lesnaya Varaka ultramafic alkaline complex in the northeastern Fennoscandian Shield (Kola Peninsula, NW Russia) is a concentrically-zoned intrusion with a dominantly dunitic core (Fo85-92) surrounded by clinopyroxenites. The complex resembles an Alaskan-type intrusion, but differs in its strong alkaline affinity. Native copper occurs as small (5 to 15 μm), subhedral to euhedral crystals, isolated within titanomagnetite, in a dunite containing abundant titanomagnetite-perovskite mineralization (up to ∼ 30 modal %). Nickel-rich (4.1–4.5 wt.% Ni) tetraferroplatinum is also present as minute (up to ∼ 5 gmm) subhedral crystals, enclosed by titanomagnetite. They are typically partially rimmed by rhodian pentlandite (∼ 6 wt.% Rh). The copper crystals contain 0.6 to 10.1 wt.% Pt, 2.1 to 3.0 wt.% Ni, and essential Fe (approximately 2 to 3 wt.%). There is a wide variation in the Pt content between individual crystals, but its distribution within single crystals is fairly constant. Compared with Cu-Pt alloys from other localities, solid solution of Cu with Pt in the Lesnaya Varaka native copper is low. Unlike most occurrences in ultramafic rocks, the crystalline copper at Lesnaya Varaka appears to be a primary phase, which formed under moderately oxidizing conditions and at very low sulphur activities.

Zusammenfassung

Der ultramafisch-alkalische Lesnaya Varaka Komplex im nordöstlichen Fennoskandischen Schild (Halbinsel Kola, NW Rufland) ist eine konzentrisch zonierte Intrusion mit einem Dunitkern (Fo85-92) umgeben von Klinopyroxeniten. Der Komplex ähnelt einer Alaskan-Typ Intrusion, unterscheidet sich aber durch seine stark alkalische Affinität. Gedigen Kupfer tritt in einem Dunit, der verbreitet eine TitanomagnetitPerovskit Mineralisation führt, in Form kleiner (5 bis 15 μm), sub- bis euhedraler Kristalle isoliert im Titanomagnetit auf. Nickel-reiches (4.l-4.5 Gew. % Ni Tetraferroplatin kommt ebenfalls in Form winziger (bis zu ca. 5 μm subhedraler Kristalle im Titanomagnetit vor. Typischerweise sind diese Kristalle zum Teil von Rhodium-führendem Pentlandit (ca. 6 Gew.% Rh) umgeben. Die Kupferkristalle führen 0.6 bis 10.1 Gew.% Pt, 2.1 bis 3.0 Gew.% Ni und beträchtliche Gehalte an Fe (ca. 2–3 Gew.%). Die Pt-Gehalte zwischen verschiedenen Kristallen streuen stark, während sie innerhalb einzelner Kristalle ziemlich konstant sind. Im Vergleich mit Cu-Pt Legierungen von anderen Lokalitäten ist die Mischbarkeit von Cu und Pt im Kupfer von Lesnaya Varaka gering. Im Unterschied zu den meisten anderen ultramafischen Gesteinen, scheint das kristalline Kupfer von Lesnaya Varaka eine primäre Phase zu sein, die sich unter mäßig oxidierenden Bedingungen und bei sehr niedrigen Schwefelaktivitäten gebildet hat.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Geosciences, University of Oulu, FIN-90570, Oulu, Finland

    A. Y. Barkov, K. V. O. Laajoki & S. A. Gehör

  2. Institute of Mineralogy and Petrology, University of Hamburg, Grindelallee 48, D-20146, Hamburg, Germany

    M. Tarkian

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  1. A. Y. Barkov
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  2. M. Tarkian
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  3. K. V. O. Laajoki
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  4. S. A. Gehör
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Barkov, A.Y., Tarkian, M., Laajoki, K.V.O. et al. Primary platinum-bearing copper from the Lesnaya Varaka ultramafic alkaline complex, Kola Peninsula, northwestern Russia. Mineralogy and Petrology 62, 61–72 (1998). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01173762

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