The Platinum Group Minerals in two parts of the Massive Sulphide Body of the Uitkomst Complex, Mpumalanga, South Africa

Theart, H.F.J.; Nooy, C.D. de

doi:10.2113/gssajg.104.4.287

Cited by 16 publications

(14 citation statements)

References 13 publications

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“…Several lenses of massive sulphide, up to 150 m long and 15 m high, are located in the immediate floor rocks (Fig. 2d), separated from the BG by between 5 and 30 m of sheared dolomite and quartzite (Theart and de Nooy 2001;Hornsey 1999).…”

Section: Lithologies Of the Uitkomst Complexmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Metamorphosed xenoliths of Fig. 1 , D modified after Theart and de Nooy (2001) b dolomite can constitute up to half of the volume of the LP (Fig. 1d), particularly in the northwestern portion of the intrusion.…”

Section: Lithologies Of the Uitkomst Complexmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The overlying Chromitiferous Harzburgite (CH) is between 30-and 60-m thick, averaging 35 m (Theart and de Nooy 2001). Like the LP, it mostly occupies the dolomitehosted lower trough of the Uitkomst chonolith, but in contrast to the LP, the CH contains only rare dolomite xenoliths.…”

Section: Lithologies Of the Uitkomst Complexmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The Uitkomst intrusion and Nkomati Ni-Cu-Cr-PGE deposit, South Africa: trace element geochemistry, Nd isotopes and high-precision geochronology

et al. 2017

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The Uitkomst intrusion is a tubular maficultramafic layered body that hosts one of South Africa's largest Ni-Cu-Cr-PGE deposits, Nkomati. The sulphide ore occurs in the form of massive lenses in the immediate quartzitic footwall and as disseminations within peridotite. The chromite ore forms an up to ∼10-m-thick layer in the lower portion of the intrusion. Uitkomst has generally been interpreted as a magma conduit, possibly related to the Bushveld event. Here, we present a new high-precision U-Pb zircon date of 2057.64 ± 0.69 Ma that overlaps with the age of the Merensky Reef of the Bushveld Complex and thus demonstrates a coeval relationship between the intrusions. Based on incompatible trace elements as well as O-and Nd isotope data (εNd −4.5 to −6.2), we show that the Uitkomst parent magmas were contaminated with up to 20% Archean upper crust prior to emplacement, and with up to 15% dolomitic country rock during emplacement. Ore formation at Nkomati was critically aided by substantial devolatisation and removal of dolomitic floor rocks leading to hydrodynamic concentration of sulphide and chromite during slumping of crystal mushes into the trough-like centre of the subsiding intrusion and its footwall.

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Section: Lithologies Of the Uitkomst Complexmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Lithologies Of the Uitkomst Complexmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The Uitkomst intrusion and Nkomati Ni-Cu-Cr-PGE deposit, South Africa: trace element geochemistry, Nd isotopes and high-precision geochronology

et al. 2017

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“…The concentration of PGE is highest in the MSB (>6 ppm), whereas the concentration of PGE is lower in the other zones (<1.1 ppm) [72]. The major sulfide minerals in the MSB are pyrrhotite, chalcopyrite and pentlandite; the major PGE-bearing minerals are merenskyite, michenerite and sperrylite [71]. PGEs are either found to be enclosed in minerals (mostly in pyrrhotite) or along grain boundaries (mostly pyrrhotite-pyrrhotite, pyrrhotite-magnetite and pyrrhotite-silicate) [73].…”

Section: The Bushveld Complexmentioning

confidence: 93%

“…PGEs are produced as a valuable by-product from the extraction of Ni and Cu. The lithostratigraphic units of the Uitkomst Complex are Gabbronite, Upper Pyroxenite, Periotite, Massive Chromitite, Chromititic Peridotite, Lower Peridotite and Basal Gabbro [71]. The first three constitute the Main Group whereas the latter three constitute the Basal Group.…”

Section: The Bushveld Complexmentioning

confidence: 99%

PGE Production in Southern Africa, Part I: Production and Market Trends

et al. 2017

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Platinum group elements (PGEs) are an important resource for many applications, such as automotive catalytic converters for vehicles, jewelry, electrical devices and as catalysts in the chemical and petroleum industries. At present, the greatest share of global PGE supply is extracted from the South African Bushveld Complex and from the Zimbabwean Great Dyke. In this context, this article provides a comprehensive summary of detailed mining data between 2010 and 2015 and discusses these in regard to the global PGE market. On the supply side, the data reveal that the production volumes as well as the ore grades fluctuated in recent years, while the mining and processing of economically less favorable Upper Group 2 (UG2) ore increased. The average head grade from 2010 to 2015 was 3.58 g 6E/t. In the long term, the ore grades decreased. On the market side, PGE prices and increasing (primary) production costs can be observed. On the market side, the demand for vehicles is expected to grow globally resulting in an increase in PGE demand. At the same time, secondary production is expected to increase and will eventually compete with primary production. These findings indicate challenging conditions for the Southern African PGE industry.

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The life cycle impact for platinum group metals and lithium to 2070 via surplus cost potential

Jasiński

Meredith

Kirwan

2017

Int J Life Cycle Assess

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Purpose A surplus cost potential (SCP) indicator has been developed as a measure of resource scarcity in the life cycle impact assessment (LCIA) context. To date, quality SCP estimates for other minerals than fossils are either not yet available or suffer methodological and data limitations. This paper overcomes these limitations and demonstrate how SCP estimates for metals can be calculated without the utilisation of ore grade function and by collecting primary economic and geological data. Methods Data were collected in line with the geographical distribution, mine type, deposit type and production volumes and total production costs in order to construct costcumulative availability curves for platinum group metals (PGMs) and lithium. These curves capture the total amount of known mineral resources that can be recovered profitably at various prices from different types of mineral deposits under current conditions (this is, current technology, prevailing labour and other input prices). They served as a basis for modelling the marginal cost increase, a necessary parameter for estimating the SCP indicator. Surplus costs were calculated for different scenario projections for future mineral production considering future market dynamics, recyclability rates, demand-side technological developments and economic growth and by applying declining social discount rate. Results and discussion Surplus costs were calculated for three mineral production scenarios, ranging from (US$ 2014 /kg) 6545-8354 for platinum, 3583-4573 for palladium, 8281-10,569 for rhodium, 513-655 for ruthenium, 3201-4086 for iridium and 1.70-5.80 for lithium. Compared with the current production costs, the results indicate that problematic price increases of lithium are unlikely if the latest technological trends in the automotive sector will continue up to 2070. Surplus costs for PGMs are approximately one-third of the current production costs in all scenarios; hence, a threat of their price increases by 2070 will largely depend on the discovery of new deposits and the ability of new technologies to push these costs down over time. This also applies to lithium if the increasing electrification of road transport will continue up to 2070. Conclusions This study provides useful insight into the availability of PGMs and lithium up to 2070. It proves that if time and resources permit, reliable surplus cost estimates can be calculated, at least in the short-run, based on the construction of one's own curves with the level of quality comparable to expert-driven consulting services. Modelling and incorporating unknown deposits and potential future mineral production costs into these curves is the subject of future work.

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The Platinum Group Minerals in two parts of the Massive Sulphide Body of the Uitkomst Complex, Mpumalanga, South Africa

Cited by 16 publications

References 13 publications

The Uitkomst intrusion and Nkomati Ni-Cu-Cr-PGE deposit, South Africa: trace element geochemistry, Nd isotopes and high-precision geochronology

The Uitkomst intrusion and Nkomati Ni-Cu-Cr-PGE deposit, South Africa: trace element geochemistry, Nd isotopes and high-precision geochronology

PGE Production in Southern Africa, Part I: Production and Market Trends

The life cycle impact for platinum group metals and lithium to 2070 via surplus cost potential

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