Platinum-metal mineralization of the Norilsk district: history and prospects of research

Abstract

Relevance. Since the 19th century, the Norilsk Ore district has been one of the world leaders in the production of platinum metals. Long-term research focused on the detection of sulfide platinum-copper-nickel ores contributed to the accumulation of a large volume of scientific material on the geology and ore content of the Norilsk region. Due to the emergence of new methods for ores studying, it seems necessary to analyze previously published data and assess the prospects for the joint application of traditional and modern methods in solving the problem of understanding the ore formation process. The purpose of the work – to summarize information about the geology of the Norilsk ore region and the platinum-metal mineralization associated with it, to note the main scientific achievements and identify promising areas for further research. Results. Thanks to comprehensive production and research geological works, differentiated basite-ultrabasite intrusions and ore-containing Paleozoic-Mesozoic sedimentary volcanic rocks of the Norilsk region have been studied at the highest level. The geological structures of the region and its metallogeny are also studied in detail. However, there is still no unambiguous understanding of the geodynamics of the magmatic process and, accordingly, the mechanism of formation of ore-bearing intrusions. Conclusions. In the conditions of depletion of known deposits, the decoding of the genesis of ores of the Norilsk region becomes particularly relevant. The use of modern computer X-ray microtomography in addition to geochemical and petrological studies makes it possible to analyze the three-dimensional distribution of platinum and sulfide minerals, to identify textural and structural evidence of processes that were previously questioned. The results of these studies may lead to a reassessment of established models of ore genesis, as well as an increase in the efficiency of ore processing.