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Mineralogical Magazine; April 2004; v. 68; no. 2; p. 395-411; DOI: 10.1180/0026461046820194
© 2004 Mineralogical Society of Great Britain and Ireland
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Platinum-group element mineralization in an As-rich magmatic sulphide system, Talnotry, southwest Scotland

M. R. Power1,*, D. Pirrie1, J. Jedwab2 and C. J. Stanley3

1 Camborne School of Mines, University of Exeter, Redruth, Cornwall TR15 3SE, UK
2 Laboratoire de Géochimie et de Mineralogie, CP160/02 - Université Libre de Bruxelles, 50 Avenue Roosevelt, B-1050 Bruxelles, Belgium
3 Department of Mineralogy, The Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London SW7 5BD, UK

* E-mail:


    ABSTRACT
 TOP

 ABSTRACT
 Introduction
 Geology
 Analytical techniques
 Terminology
 Petrography
 Ore mineralogy
 Platinum-group mineralogy
 Sulphur isotopes
 Discussion
 Acknowledgements
 References
 
Arsenic-rich magmatic sulphide mineralization is hosted by a diorite intrusion at Talnotry, southwest Scotland. A relatively abundant and diverse platinum-group mineral assemblage is present and is dominated by sperrylite, irarsite and electrum with subordinate merenskyite, michenerite and froodite. Early euhedral gersdorffite is enriched with respect to Rh, Ir and Pt and in some cases contains exsolved blebs of irarsite or euhedral grains of sperrylite. Sperrylite is also enclosed within silicates and sulphides indicating that it crystallized directly from an As-rich sulphide liquid. Pyrrhotite-chalcopyrite mineral assemblages are consistent with the fractional crystallization of monosulphide solid solution and are overlain by PGE-, Ni- and As-rich mineral assemblages indicative of crystallization from a NiAs liquid. Late-stage, cross-cutting, electrum-bearing chalcopyrite veins are consistent with the crystallization of Cu- and Au-rich intermediate solid solution. The chemistry, mineralogy and lithological relationships of the diorite suggest that it may be an appinite and as such is potentially analogous to the Au-rich lamprophyre dykes present within southwest Scotland.

KEYWORDS: platinum-group minerals, magmatic sulphide, gersdorffite, appinite, Talnotry, Scotland


    Introduction
 TOP

 ABSTRACT
 Introduction
 Geology
 Analytical techniques
 Terminology
 Petrography
 Ore mineralogy
 Platinum-group mineralogy
 Sulphur isotopes
 Discussion
 Acknowledgements
 References
 
PLATINUM-GROUP element (PGE) mineralization is very commonly co-genetic with mafic-hosted Ni-Cu magmatic sulphide mineralization such as in the Sudbury Igneous Complex (e.g. Farrow and Lightfoot, 2002), Noril’sk-Taimyr region (e.g. Komarova et al., 2002) and the Wellgreen deposit, Canada (Barkov et al., 2002). These ore bodies are typically zoned with Ni-, Ir-, Os-, Ru-and Rh-rich zones towards the footwall and Cu-, Pt-, Pd- and Au-rich zones towards the hanging wall (Naldrett et al., 1982; Li and Naldrett, 1993; Li et al., 1996). Similar PGE-rich Ni-Cu sulphide mineralization also occurs within a small diorite intrusion at Talnotry in southwest Scotland but, unusually, the mineralization is associated with a significant Ni- and As-rich zone that is substantially enriched with respect to Pt, Pd and Au (e.g. Pt up to 49 ppm; Stanley et al., 1987). However, despite the high PGE values, no platinum group minerals (PGM) have previously been described from this locality. In this paper we document the mineralogy and mode of occurrence of PGM at Talnotry and provide a genetic model for the formation of this unusual As-rich ore body.


    Geology
 TOP

 ABSTRACT
 Introduction
 Geology
 Analytical techniques
 Terminology
 Petrography
 Ore mineralogy
 Platinum-group mineralogy
 Sulphur isotopes
 Discussion
 Acknowledgements
 References
 
The Southern Uplands terrane of Scotland marks the northern margin of the Iapetus suture zone and comprises steeply dipping, northeast–southwest striking Early Palaeozoic turbidite sequences, bounded by laterally extensive reverse faults (Fig. 1Go). Each fault-bounded sequence youngs to the northwest but the overall younging direction is to the southeast (e.g. Stone et al., 1987). The distribution of lithologies and the regional structure is interpreted to represent an accretionary prism (Leggett et al., 1979; Leggett, 1987) or a southward migrating foreland basin (Stone et al., 1987). Late syntectonic to post-tectonic (e.g. Rock et al., 1986) lamprophyre dyke swarms occur throughout, largely following the regional strike. Several large post-tectonic granites (41034 to 39232 Ma; Thirlwall, 1988; Halliday et al., 1980) were emplaced within the sedimentary rocks and gave rise to substantial metamorphic aureoles that locally exceed 5 km in width (e.g. Cook, 1976).



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FIG. 1. Simplified regional geological map of the Southern Uplands of Scotland.

 
The Talnotry ore body occurs at the lower margin of the larger of two small, steeply dipping, sheet-like dioritic intrusions that have been contact metamorphosed within the aureole of the Cairnsmore of Fleet granite (Fig. 2Go). The ore body is lenticular, reaching a maximum thickness of 4 m and extending laterally for 20 m (Wilson and Flett, 1921). Much of the mineralized zone was removed during limited trial workings at the end of the 19th century (Wilson and Flett, 1921). These workings comprise a small upper chamber and a larger lower chamber within which a shallow shaft was sunk. Approximately 100 tons of rock was extracted at which point the mineralization was effectively exhausted (Wilson and Flett, 1921) but little was processed and most was dumped in a large waste pile at the entrance to the workings. Two small adits were also driven along strike and there is a small opencast excavation where the ore body crops out at the surface. A small amount of ore was dumped immediately south of the open-cast excavation but no mineralized lithologies are present in the spoil tips from the adits suggesting that the ore body was not reached. VLF and magnetic geophysical investigations also indicate that the ore body is probably limited to that delineated by the trial workings (Parker, 1977). The area is now afforested and the exposure is relatively poor but a detailed (unpublished) description of the mineralization was carried out soon after mining had ceased and was summarized by Stanley et al.(1987) on which Fig. 3Go is largely based. The main body of mineralization lies at the lower contact of (and is restricted to) the diorite body and comprises a 3 m thick zone of pyrrhotite with minor pentlandite and chalcopyrite (Fig. 3Go). Within this zone Ni reaches 1.4 wt.% whilst Pt concentrations reach 1.8 ppm and total precious metal values exceed 2.8 ppm (Stanley et al., 1987). Cobaltian gersdorffite is slightly enriched in both Pt and Rh (0.3 wt.% and 0.9 wt.%, respectively) but no discrete PGM were identified (Stanley et al., 1987). A well-defined but irregular contact separates the pyrrhotite-rich mineralization from the overlying 1 m thick zone which is dominated by stringers and veins of niccolite and gersdorffite with subordinate chalcopyrite and pyrrhotite. Very elevated Ni (7.3 wt.%) and PGE (up to 49 ppm Pt) concentrations have been reported from within this zone (Stanley et al., 1987) but again, despite the elevated PGE concentrations, no discrete PGM were identified leading Stanley et al.(1987) to suggest that the PGE were in solid solution within niccolite and gersdorffite.



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FIG. 2. Simplified geological map of the area surrounding the Talnotry ore body (after Cook, 1976). As: arsenopyrite trials.

 


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FIG. 3. Schematic log through the mineralized interval largely based on unpublished work presented in Stanley et al.(1987).

 
Quartz vein-hosted arsenopyrite mineralization was also trialled at two nearby localities in the Glen of the Bar and on the southern bank of the Palnure Burn (Fig. 2Go). The Glen of the Bar mineralization occurs primarily within metasediments but lies within a few metres of the smaller of the two diorite intrusions. On the southern bank of the Palnure Burn the mineralization occurs within a fault zone at the margin of the Cairnsmore of Fleet granite. No in situ exposure is visible at either locality but mineralized specimens are common in the associated waste dumps.

There has long been debate over whether the Talnotry ore body is hydrothermal (e.g. Gregory, 1928; Cook, 1976) or magmatic (Wilson and Flett, 1921; Stanley et al., 1987) in origin. Both Gregory (1928) and Cook (1976) cited the presence of hydrothermal arsenopyrite veins nearby as evidence that the deposit is hydrothermal in origin and assumed that the arsenopyrite mineralization was co-genetic with the copper-nickel mineralization. However, the two mineralization styles are very different both chemically and texturally, and the overall similarity of the lower levels of the Talnotry ore body to the magmatic sulphides at Sudbury, particularly those in the southern range (e.g. Cabri and Laflamme, 1976), strongly suggests that the Talnotry ore body has a magmatic origin (Stanley et al., 1987).


    Analytical techniques
 TOP

 ABSTRACT
 Introduction
 Geology
 Analytical techniques
 Terminology
 Petrography
 Ore mineralogy
 Platinum-group mineralogy
 Sulphur isotopes
 Discussion
 Acknowledgements
 References
 
A suite of 50 samples was collected comprising both mineralized and unmineralized diorite together with samples from the nearby arsenopyrite trial. Only a small amount of material remains in situ; some pyrrhotite-rich mineralization is present in the upper chamber and small stringers of chalcopyrite and gersdorffite are visible in the hanging wall. The majority of the mineralized samples were therefore collected from the waste heaps. Polished thin sections of all samples were examined optically both under transmitted and reflected light to determine the principal mineralogy (expressed as modal percent). All samples were subsequently carbon coated and examined using a Jeol 840 scanning electron microscope (SEM) fitted with a Link Systems (Oxford Instruments) AN10000 energy dispersive spectrometer. An accelerating voltage of 20 kV with a beam current of 3 nA was used to locate phases with high mean atomic number. A lower beam current (0.6 nA) with a count time of 100 s was used to obtain quantitative chemical analyses of gersdorffite and the larger PGM. Whole-rock major and trace element analysis was undertaken on five unmineralized samples by XRF using a Philips PW1400 spectrometer fitted with a Sc-Mo X-ray tube. In addition, prepared metal sulphides from twelve samples were analysed for sulphur isotopic composition using a Micromass Isoprime continuous flow mass spectrometer at the School of Earth Sciences, University of Leeds. All data are reported in standard delta notation relative to the V-CDT standard. Estimated accuracy and precision, from analysis of run standards and international reference materials is better than 0.3{per thousand}.


    Terminology
 TOP

 ABSTRACT
 Introduction
 Geology
 Analytical techniques
 Terminology
 Petrography
 Ore mineralogy
 Platinum-group mineralogy
 Sulphur isotopes
 Discussion
 Acknowledgements
 References
 
For clarity and consistency with previous work, the term magmatic is taken to include late-stage volatile-rich (i.e. hydrothermal) fluids that were an integral component of the magma and its subsequent crystallization and cooling.


    Petrography
 TOP

 ABSTRACT
 Introduction
 Geology
 Analytical techniques
 Terminology
 Petrography
 Ore mineralogy
 Platinum-group mineralogy
 Sulphur isotopes
 Discussion
 Acknowledgements
 References
 
The host diorite intrusion is markedly heterogeneous. Within the ore body itself the host rock (excluding sulphides) approaches hornblendite in composition with up to 80% hornblende, 10% biotite and 10% plagioclase. Above the ore body, the intrusion is more leucocratic grading from a meladiorite with ~40% hornblende, 30% biotite and 30% plagioclase through quartz monzodiorite and then approaching a granitic composition (20% quartz, 10% biotite, 40% plagioclase and 30% alkali feldspar). This heterogeneity is reflected in the whole-rock geochemistry (Table 1Go) with the lower lithologies containing relatively elevated MgO, FeO and CaO whilst the upper, more leucocratic lithologies have relatively enriched SiO2, Al2O3 and Na2O.


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TABLE 1. Major element whole-rock geochemistry of diorite samples. All values in wt.%.
 
In the more melanocratic samples, brown hornblende is abundant but is largely replaced by a colourless hornblende and is often surrounded by late-stage fibrous tremolite-actino-lite overgrowths. Conversely, amphibole is absent from the more leucocratic lithologies and biotite is largely altered to chlorite; pronounced granophyric textures are also present. In all samples plagioclase is strongly sericitized and plates of white mica are developed. Diffuse leucocratic segregations and strongly silicified areas occur within the diorite especially in close proximity to the upper levels of the ore body and commonly in association with the more As-rich mineral assemblages. In addition, quartz veins are present within the mineralized samples collected from the dumps but none are exposed in situ.

Apatite is abundant in all samples and euhedral zircon crystals <100 µm long are common throughout, often with small (<10 µm) inclusions of uraninite and thorianite. Discrete grains of uraninite, thorianite, monazite and baryte also occur, especially in the more leucocratic fractions. All samples contain small, widely disseminated, sulphides most commonly pyrite although pyrrhotite, chalcopyrite, pentlandite, galena and sphalerite are present in the more mafic lithologies together with small, subhedral and often corroded grains of gersdorffite.


    Ore mineralogy
 TOP

 ABSTRACT
 Introduction
 Geology
 Analytical techniques
 Terminology
 Petrography
 Ore mineralogy
 Platinum-group mineralogy
 Sulphur isotopes
 Discussion
 Acknowledgements
 References
 
The Talnotry ore body can be divided into three discrete mineralogical assemblages: the pyrrhotite-chalcopyrite, the niccolite-gersdorffite and the chalcopyrite-gersdorffite assemblages. Each assemblage has distinct mineralogical and textural features as described below (Table 2Go) although bismuthinite, Bi telluride (?tellurobismuthite), Pb telluride (?altaite) and galena are present throughout (Fig. 4aGo). In addition to the three mineral assemblages hosted by the diorite, the metasediment-hosted arsenopyrite mineralization from the Glen of the Bar is also described below.


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TABLE 2. Summary of the mineralogical assemblages within the Talnotry ore body.
 


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FIG. 4. SEM images of ore minerals: (a) ?tellurobismuthite within pentlandite; (b) euhedral cobaltite-gersdorffite grain enclosed within pyrrhotite with hessite grain (hs) and rim (arrowed) at the margin; (c) relict niccolite grain (nc) partially replaced and overgrown by gersdorffite (gf); (d) weathered niccolite (nc) and annabergite (an) with a euhedral gersdorffite (gf1) grain surrounded by a gersdorffite rim (gf2); (e) subhedral niccolite grain enclosing euhedral gersdorffite; (f) euhedral gersdorffite (gf1) and chalcopyrite (ccp) partially rimmed by gersdorffite (gf2).

 
Pyrrhotite-chalcopyrite
Sulphides within the lower zone of the ore body are coarsely disseminated (30–40% sulphide) although a semi-massive framework of sulphides (>60% sulphide) is developed locally. In all cases the sulphides occur as coarse interstitial aggregates dominated by pyrrhotite with subordinate pentlandite and chalcopyrite, partially surrounding early subhedral hornblende and biotite. A later stage of chalcopyrite mineralization is also present and is characterized by thin diffuse veins that cross-cut the earlier sulphide framework, frequently parallel to cleavage within pyrrhotite. Small (<100 µm) euhedral isotropic cobaltian gersdorffite grains are commonly enclosed within pyrrhotite and to a lesser extent in chalcopyrite but only rarely within silicates (Fig. 4bGo). All of the gersdorffite grains are very cobalt-rich in composition (typically Co >13 wt.%) and straddle the gersdorffite–cobaltite boundary (Fig. 5Go). Subhedral grains of Ag telluride (?hessite) and Bi telluride (?tellurobismuthite) are common within, or concentrated at the margins of the gersdorffite (Fig. 4bGo). One small grain of an unidentified Re-Bi-Pb sulphide mineral was located, possibly similar to other Re-rich phases described by Jedwab and Fletcher (1991).



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FIG. 5. Ternary diagram showing restricted composition of PGM- and PGE-bearing gersdorffite grains. Po-ccp (PGE-rich): PGE- or PGM-bearing euhedral gersdorffite within the pyrrhotite-chalcopyrite assemblage: Po-ccp: euhedral gersdorffite within the pyrrhotite-chalcopyrite assemblage; Nc-gf (euhedral): euhedral gersdorffite within the niccolite-gersdorffite assemblage; Nc-gf (rims): gersdorffite rims and overgrowths within the niccolite-gersdorffite assemblage. Temperature data after Klemm (1965).

 
Niccolite-gersdorffite
The niccolite-gersdorffite mineralization comprises coarse anhedral aggregates of niccolite that contain large (>100 µm) scattered euhedral gersdorffite grains. Small (<100 µm) euhedral niccolite grains are also widely disseminated but uncommon. Rims of gersdorffite surround virtually all of the niccolite grains which are strongly corroded (Fig. 4cGo), or entirely replaced, suggesting that the gersdoffite is forming alteration rims. Conversely, gersdorffite overgrowths enclose and preserve earlier euhedral gersdorffite grains (Fig. 4dGo). The gersdorffite overgrowths have a restricted chemistry which is characterized by very low Co (typically <1 wt.%) and variable Fe contents (<1 to >8 wt.%) whereas the earlier euhedral grains typically have a uniform Fe content (mean = 6.5 wt.%) and Co contents ranging from Co-rich (17.5 wt.%) through to Co-poor (below detection; Fig. 5Go). Both morphological forms of gersdorffite are optically isotropic. Some small euhedral grains of niccolite remain unaltered and in some cases contain small euhedral inclusions of early euhedral gersdorffite (Fig. 4eGo) suggesting that niccolite and euhedral gersdorffite are contemporaneous. On weathered surfaces, niccolite is oxidized to the Ni-As-oxide annabergite (Fig. 4dGo).

Chalcopyrite-gersdorffite
The chalcopyrite-gersdorffite mineralization comprises thin stringers of chalcopyrite and gersdorffite that cross-cut both the niccolite-gersdorffite and the upper levels of the pyrrhotite-chalcopyrite assemblages and locally extend into the largely unmineralized meladiorite above. Chalcopyrite (75%) and gersdorffite (25%) are present with minor pyrrhotite and niccolite. In common with the niccolite-gersdorffite assemblage, the gersdorffite occurs as large euhedral grains (variable Co, uniform Fe content) and as overgrowths (variable Fe, uniformly low Co; Fig. 5Go) not only around earlier euhedral gersdorffite grains but also chalcopyrite (Fig. 4fGo).

Arsenopyrite mineralization
Arsenopyrite occurs as brecciated stringers and rare euhedral grains, often in association with quartz. Galena commonly forms tiny inclusions within individual arsenopyrite grains and contains significant Ag. Chalcopyrite and pyrite are also present but are rare; the pyrite often contains numerous bismuthinite inclusions.


    Platinum-group mineralogy
 TOP

 ABSTRACT
 Introduction
 Geology
 Analytical techniques
 Terminology
 Petrography
 Ore mineralogy
 Platinum-group mineralogy
 Sulphur isotopes
 Discussion
 Acknowledgements
 References
 
A diverse assemblage of PGM (here taken to include gold) is present within all of the samples from the Talnotry ore body although no PGM were found in any of the unmineralized diorite samples, or those from the arsenopyrite trials. In addition, PGE oxides were specifically sought, but none was found. Individual PGM grains range in size from the smallest detectable by SEM (nominally 0.2 µm) through to large irregular grains in excess of 40 µm long, but most are <10 µm in length (median = 4 µm). The PGM occur in a wide variety of mineralogical and textural associations that are largely dependent on the host ore mineralization (Table 2Go).

Pyrrhotite-chalcopyrite
The pyrrhotite-chalcopyrite assemblage contains the most abundant and diverse PGM assemblage and >100 individual PGM grains have been located in 19 polished sections. The grains are widely distributed and relatively sparse; a single 4x2 cm polished thin section rarely contains more than 10 PGM grains. Although the PGM assemblage is quite diverse, almost 90% of the grains are sperrylite (PtAs2), irarsite (IrAsS) or electrum (50%, 26% and 13%, respectively). The remaining 11% comprises a variety of Pd- bearing phases including merenskyite (PdTe2), michenerite (PdBiTe) and froodite (PdBi2) (Table 3Go).


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TABLE 3. Selected analyses of PGM phases (all values in wt.%).
 
Sperrylite occurs in a variety of mineralogical associations but is most common as euhedral cores or anhedral inclusions within early euhedral cobaltian gersdorffite (Fig. 6a,bGo). It is also commonly enclosed within sulphides usually as large (>10 µm) anhedral grains (Fig. 6cGo) but also, more rarely as euhedral crystals (Fig. 6dGo). Furthermore, large (>10 µm) anhedral grains occur entirely enclosed by silicates such as hornblende (Fig. 6eGo). Irarsite (commonly Pt- and Rh- bearing) only occurs as small (typically <5 µm) anhedral blebs at the centre of euhedral cobaltian gersdorffite. Electrum is also relatively restricted in its occurrence being most commonly enclosed by chalcopyrite although in some samples it is enclosed within silicates. The Pd-rich phases always occur within silicates (Fig. 6fGo).



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FIG. 6. (facing page) Representative SEM images of PGM: (a) euhedral sperrylite enclosed within euhedral cobaltian gersdorffite at edge of pyrrhotite grain; (b) euhedral cobaltian gersdorffite grain with Rh-rich zone (arrowed) and anhedral sperrylite inclusion (bright phase); (c) two anhedral sperrylite grains within chalcopyrite; (d) euhedral sperrylite (sp) and gersdorffite (gf) grains within pyrrhotite; (e) large anhedral sperrylite enclosed within amphibole; (f) michenerite (mi) and froodite (fr) within amphibole; (g) thin veins of electrum (el) and chalcopyrite (ccp) cutting gersdorffite; (h) Pd-Bi-Te (?michenerite) (mi) at edge of euhedral niccolite (nc) and gersdorffite (gf).

 
In addition to discrete PGM, many of the cobaltian gersdorffite grains have zones close to the centre of the grain and often concentric to the grain outline (Fig. 6bGo), that are substantially enriched with respect to Rh (up to 2.9 wt.%) and to a lesser extent Ir (up to 1 wt.%); Pt and Pd are below detection limits (~0.25 wt.%). Very commonly, irarsite or euhedral sperrylite grains occur at the centre of the concentric zones (e.g. Fig. 6aGo) whilst anhedral sperrylite inclusions are rarely coincident with the zoning (Fig. 6bGo). The chemistry of the PGE- and PGM-bearing cobaltite-gersdorffite grains is remarkably restricted (Fig. 5Go) but there is no correlation between PGE content and Ni, Co or Fe content suggesting that the PGE substitute for one or more of these elements.

Niccolite-gersdorffite
Despite the previously identified extremely high PGE values (Stanley et al., 1987), PGM are relatively rare within the niccolite-gersdorffite mineralization; 63 grains have been located in 17 polished thin sections. A relatively restricted assemblage is present and is dominated by electrum (63%), Pd-Bi-Te phases (21%) and sperrylite (13%) with rare hollingworthite (RhAsS) and irarsite. Electrum occurs in a variety of mineralogical associations but most commonly as blebs and veins within gersdorffite often in association with thin, cross-cutting chalcopyrite veins (Fig. 6gGo) but may also occur enclosed within silicates. The Pd-bearing phases typically occur at the boundary between niccolite and gersdorffite (Fig. 6hGo) but also occur enclosed within amphibole and biotite. Sperrylite occurs sporadically throughout, enclosed within sulphides and silicates but, as with the other PGM, never enclosed within niccolite. The PGE values within gersdorffite are all below detection limits.

Chalcopyrite-gersdorffite
The diffuse nature of the chalcopyrite-gersdorffite mineralization and the fact that it cross-cuts both the pyrrhotite-chalcopyrite and niccolite-gersdorffite assemblages, means that it is difficult to identify the PGM assemblage associated with this stage of mineralization. Sperrylite and electrum both occur, but only the electrum is unambiguously associated with the chalcopyrite-gersdorffite assemblage where it occurs as small blebs and veins within chalcopyrite. The PGE concentrations within gersdorffite are below detection limits.


    Sulphur isotopes
 TOP

 ABSTRACT
 Introduction
 Geology
 Analytical techniques
 Terminology
 Petrography
 Ore mineralogy
 Platinum-group mineralogy
 Sulphur isotopes
 Discussion
 Acknowledgements
 References
 
All of the samples analysed from the mineralized diorite have a restricted range of isotopic values from –0.3 to –3.3{per thousand} (Table 4Go). There is no significant difference between the pyrrhotite-chalcopyrite, the niccolite-gersdorffite or the chalcopyrite-gersdorffite assemblages. The two analyses of the metasediment-hosted arsenopyrite mineralization have values (–1.5 and –1.8{per thousand}) that are indistinguishable from the analyses from the mineralized diorite. These results are similar to the S isotopic ratios in magmatic sulphide mineralization associated with mafic lithologies (typically 0{per thousand}; Hoefs, 1997). Similarly, although granitic S isotopic ratios are slightly more varied, they also straddle 0{per thousand}(e.g. Hoefs, 1997). Furthermore, marine sedimentary rocks can have a very wide range of S isotopic values from very negative to strongly positive (–56 to +40{per thousand}; e.g. Rollinson, 1993). The results are therefore ambiguous as they could suggest a common S source (and presumably As; cf. Stanley et al., 1987), two separate S sources with coincidentally similar isotopic ratios, or that the isotopic signature has been reset, possibly during contact metamorphism following the emplacement of the Cairnsmore of Fleet granite.


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TABLE 4. Summary of the sulphur isotope analyses (all values in{per thousand}).
 

    Discussion
 TOP

 ABSTRACT
 Introduction
 Geology
 Analytical techniques
 Terminology
 Petrography
 Ore mineralogy
 Platinum-group mineralogy
 Sulphur isotopes
 Discussion
 Acknowledgements
 References
 
Origin and paragenesis
Although the mineralization at Talnotry exhibits many of the features characteristic of magmatic sulphide bodies (such as high PGE content and an intercumulus sulphide framework), the abundant niccolite and gersdorffite mineralization coupled with the close proximity of arsenopyrite mineralization prompted Gregory (1928) and Cook (1976) to suggest an entirely hydrothermal origin. This view was discounted by Stanley et al.(1987) on the basis of sulphide textures and the low concentrations of Ni within the arsenopyrite mineralization. However, wall-rock chemistry can strongly control the chemistry and mineralogy of vein mineralization (cf. Power et al., 1997) and although the pyrrhotite-chalcopyrite assemblage is unequivocally magmatic, the model proposed by Stanley et al., (1987) does not account for the significant niccolite-gersdorffite mineralization. Therefore the possibility exists that the pyrrhotite-chalcopyrite magmatic sulphide assemblage may have undergone As metasomatism to give rise to the niccolite-gersdorffite mineralization. This model is in accord with the distribution and mineralogy of the different assemblages but there are several problems. In particular, the high Ni content of the niccolite-gersdorffite assemblage requires substantial remobilization of Ni from the bulk of the intrusion and the pre-existing mineralization. No evidence for major remobilization or alteration is apparent in either the pyrrhotite-chalcopyrite assemblage or the unmineralized intrusion. Furthermore, studies in the arsenopyrite-cobaltite-gersdorffite system (Klemm, 1965) indicate that the composition of cobaltite-gersdorffite can give an indication of the temperature of crystallization. As reported by Klemm (1965), there is an extensive solid solution between cobaltite and gersdorffite at temperatures above 650°C but this breaks down at lower temperatures and an immiscibility gap occurs at ~500°C (partially shown in Fig. 6Go). The chemistry of the early euhedral cobaltite-gersdorffite within both the pyrrhotite-chalcopyrite and niccolite-gersdorffite assemblages therefore indicates a temperature in excess of 550°C (Fig. 6Go). This is unusually high for an externally driven hydrothermal system, even given the proximity of the Cairnsmore of Fleet granite and is therefore more consistent with magmatic processes.

A largely magmatic origin is therefore a more plausible model but, although the Fe-Cu-Ni-S-PGE system is fairly well constrained by experimental studies (e.g. Fleet et al., 1993; Li et al., 1996; Ballhaus et al., 2001), little is known of the effects of significant As concentrations; this may explain the presence of the niccolite-gersdorffite assemblage. The pyrrhotite-chalcopyrite assemblage displays compositions and textures typical of monosulphide solid solution (MSS) crystallization. In metal-rich, S-under-saturated systems (or S-saturated systems at high T), Ni acts incompatibly and preferentially partitions into the sulphide liquid (Li et al., 1996) whilst Co, Ir, Ru, Os and Rh preferentially partition into the MSS. Therefore, during MSS fractionation and crystallization, the residual sulphide liquid becomes increasingly rich in Ni, Cu, Pt, Pd and Au (e.g. Li et al., 1996) and in this case As (cf. Fleet et al., 1993). Following MSS crystallization, it is proposed that a NiAs liquid fractionated from the sulphide liquid and crystallized to form the niccolite-gersdorffite assemblage leaving the residual sulphide liquid enriched in Cu (and presumably volatiles). This eventually crystallized as an intermediate solid solution (ISS) to form the chalcopyrite-gersdorffite assemblage which, possibly due to the high volatile content and low viscosity, locally reacted with and cross-cut the pre-existing ore mineralization resulting in the development of gersdorffite alteration rims around niccolite and the formation of electrum-bearing chalcopyrite veins and disseminations. Minor late-stage hydrothermal redistribution of Cu and Au may also have occurred but the lack of PGE-oxides and vein-hosted PGM suggests that if this occurred it was limited in extent.

This model is broadly in accord with the distribution of the PGE. As noted by Fleet et al.(1993) and Peregoedova and Ohnenstetter (2002), Pt phases commonly crystallize directly from the sulphide liquid at an early stage (prior to MSS crystallization) to give PtFe alloy in Fe-rich systems or PtS in Ni-Cu-rich systems. Significantly, experimental data show that there is a strong correlation between the distribution of Pt and As in quenched sulphide liquids (Fleet et al., 1993) suggesting that in As-rich systems, sperrylite may preferentially crystallize directly from the sulphide liquid (cf. Skinner et al., 1976). This is in accord with the presence of large scattered sperrylite grains enclosed within amphibole, pyrrhotite and gersdorffite in the pyrrhotite-chalcopyrite assemblage and suggests that crystallization of sperrylite preceded MSS fractionation and crystallization. Similarly, anhedral sperrylite grains within cobaltian gersdorffite are rarely coincident with Rh-rich zones suggesting that these grains are inclusions and that the cobaltian gersdorffite and anhedral sperrylite are approximately contemporaneous. In contrast, Rh-rich zones are concentric to irarsite and euhedral sperrylite cores in cobaltian gersdorffite which is consistent with the exsolution of Ir and Pt (probably on cooling) indicating that these elements also partition preferentially into sulpharsenide phases at an early stage, again possibly before MSS fractionation and crystallization. The partitioning of Ir, Os, Ru and Rh into MSS and early sulpharsenides results in a sulphide liquid depleted in these elements, hence the lack of detectable amounts of PGE within the euhedral gersdorffite of the niccolite-gersdorffite assemblage.

The proposed paragenetic sequence of events in the main ore body is shown schematically in Fig. 7Go and outlined below:



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FIG. 7. Simplified summary of the paragenetic sequence showing evolution of the sulphide liquid. Direct: direct crystallization from an immiscible sulphide liquid; MSS: crystallization and exsolution from a monosulphide solid solution; NiAs: crystallization from a Ni- and As- rich liquid; ISS: crystallization from intermediate solid solution.

 
  1. Sperrylite and gersdorffite (often PGE-rich or nucleated on sperrylite) crystallize directly from the metal-rich sulphide liquid. Pt and Ir subsequently exsolve from the gersdorffite on cooling which results in euhedral sperrylite and anhedral irarsite blebs within the centre of some gersdorffite grains whilst Rh remains in solid solution.
  2. Monosulphide solid solution fractionates from the sulphide liquid to form the main pyrrhotite-chalcopyrite assemblage. Ir, Os, Ru and Rh behave compatibly whilst As, Ni, Cu, Pt, Pd and Au are largely incompatible in the metal-rich system (or at high temperature) and are concentrated in the residual sulphide liquid.
  3. A NiAs liquid separates and crystallizes to form the niccolite-gersdorffite assemblage leaving a Cu-rich (and presumably volatile-rich) residual sulphide liquid. Both Pt and Pd preferentially partition into the NiAs liquid whilst Au partitions into the residual liquid along with Cu.
  4. Finally, a Cu- and Au-rich intermediate solid solution crystallizes, and locally reacts with, and cross-cuts, the pre-existing ore assemblages forming electrum-bearing chalcopyrite veins and disseminations. Minor late-stage hydrothermal redistribution of Cu and Au may also have occurred.

Implications of the PGE mineralization
This study shows that although PGM and PGE-enriched gersdorffite are relatively common within the Talnotry ore body, they are not abundant enough to account for the strongly enriched whole-rock PGE concentrations (especially in the niccolite-gersdorffite assemblage). Therefore, as proposed by Stanley et al.(1987), the sulphides, sulpharsenides and arsenides are probably enriched with respect to PGE (albeit below the 0.25 wt.% detection limit of the SEM).

One notable feature of the mineralization is that despite the presence of irarsite grains and Rh-rich zones within cobaltite-gersdorffite, no platarsite (PtAsS) is present, only sperrylite. Platarsite, irarsite, hollingworthite and cobaltite are isostructural and complete solid solution exists between hollingworthite and cobaltite-gersdorffite (e.g. Gervilla et al., 1997; Szentpéteri et al., 2002). The exsolution of Pt from the cobaltite structure should result in platarsite rather than sperrylite (which has a pyrite structure). Therefore, the presence of euhedral sperrylite at the core of cobaltite-gersdorffite rather than platarsite is unexpected and possibly indicates that platarsite may not be stable under as wide a range of conditions as sperrylite.

Elevated PGE values within the euhedral cobaltian gersdorffite have previously been described (Stanley et al., 1987), with maximum Rh and Pt values of 0.9 wt.% and 0.3 wt.%, respectively. However, this study shows that the PGE concentrations within gersdorffite can be substantially higher with Rh contents reaching almost 3 wt.% and Ir contents exceeding 0.9 wt.%. This is in common with numerous other PGE deposits where Rh, Pd and to a lesser extent Ir, are concentrated in cobaltite-gersdorffite (e.g. Cabri, 1992; Gervilla et al., 1997; Barkov et al., 2002). The exsolved grains of sperrylite and blebs of irarsite within gersdorffite suggest that the solubility of Pt and Ir in the cobaltite-gersdorffite lattice decreases with temperature whilst the high Rh concentrations and absence of exsolved hollingworthite blebs are indicative of extensive solid solution over a range of temperatures. Notably, all of the gersdorffite grains that contain either discrete PGM, or have elevated PGE contents, have a restricted range of Ni and Co contents, straddling the cobaltite-gersdorffite boundary (Fig. 5Go). This is a feature common to many examples of PGE-rich cobaltite-gersdorffite (e.g. Gervilla et al., 1997; Barkov et al., 1996; Szentpéteri et al., 2002) suggesting that the solubility of Rh, Ir and Pt is closely related to the Co:Ni ratio of cobaltite-gersdorffite.

Although the PGE mineralization is probably magmatic in origin, the presence of such elevated PGE concentrations in such a small intrusion is rather unusual, as most PGE deposits require a large volume of magma from which to scavenge and concentrate the PGE. This suggests that the Talnotry diorite was considerably larger, or a large flux of magma has passed through the intrusion (cf. Maier et al., 2001), or that the magma was anomalously enriched with respect to PGE. As there is no significant aureole associated with the diorite, it is unlikely that the intrusion was substantially larger or that a large flux of magma has passed through it. Hence it seems most likely that the magma was PGE-rich, possibly through assimilation of PGE-enriched lithologies or melting of a PGE-rich source region.

Notably, the overall timing, chemistry, mineralogy and range of the host lithologies exposed at Talnotry (e.g. Table 1Go) bear a remarkable similarity to the appinite suite of intrusive rocks (cf. Fowler and Henney, 1996). Appinites are primarily plutonic vogesites and spessartites (LeMaitre, 2002) together with more leucocratic lithologies that occur as abundant intrusions (commonly coeval and cogenetic with lamprophyre swarms; Rock, 1991) associated with, but pre-dating, the post-tectonic Caledonian granites throughout Scotland (Platten, 1991). They are typically very heterogeneous, often with more mafic marginal lithologies (Platten, 1991) and commonly containing diffuse leucocratic inclusions (Barnes et al., 1986). The Talnotry diorite is essentially a plutonic spessartite and displays all of these features. Despite these similarities, the Talnotry diorite has never been formally recognized as an appinite. In fact, the Southern Uplands granites are among the few Caledonian post-tectonic granites in Scotland that do not have well-documented appinites associated with them although Barnes et al.(1986) suggested that many of the diorite dykes in the region could be reclassified as appinites. As lamprophyres may carry PGE in addition to Au (Rock and Groves, 1988), by association appinites may also carry these elements. Indeed, rare disseminated PGM are present in sulphide-poor appinites from the Scottish Highlands (MRP, unpublished data) despite low whole-rock PGE and Au contents (Pt up to 36 ppb; Henney, pers. comm., 2003). Conversely, very enriched Au values (>500 ppb) were obtained from calc-alkaline lamprophyres from the Southern Uplands (Rock and Groves, 1988) suggesting that the mantle source beneath the Southern Uplands may be anomalously enriched with respect to Au and PGE (cf. Rock and Groves, 1988). Thus, assuming the diorite intrusion at Talnotry is an appinite, it is possible that the high PGE content may be due to melting of an enriched mantle source region coupled with efficient concentration of the PGE by magmatic sulphides. However, a variety of other mechanisms such as assimilation of a PGE-rich body cannot be discounted.


    Acknowledgements
 TOP

 ABSTRACT
 Introduction
 Geology
 Analytical techniques
 Terminology
 Petrography
 Ore mineralogy
 Platinum-group mineralogy
 Sulphur isotopes
 Discussion
 Acknowledgements
 References
 
We thank Steve Pendray, Julian Curnow and Anne Osman for preparing the polished sections. Fiona Thomas and Tim Ball performed the XRF analyses. Galloway Forest Enterprise is thanked for providing permission to access and sample the site and we are grateful to Scottish Natural Heritage for allowing us to sample the Talnotry SSSI. We would like to thank Simon Bottrell and Rob Newton at the University of Leeds for undertaking the sulphur isotope analyses and Iain MacDonald, Robin Shail, Jens Andersen and Peter Scott for useful and informative discussions. Bernd Lehmann is thanked for his constructive comments on the manuscript. MRP is funded through ESF grant no. 011019SW1.


   
 TOP

 ABSTRACT
 Introduction
 Geology
 Analytical techniques
 Terminology
 Petrography
 Ore mineralogy
 Platinum-group mineralogy
 Sulphur isotopes
 Discussion
 Acknowledgements
 References
 
Dedicated to the memory of Dr A. J. Criddle, Natural History Museum, London, who died in May 2002

[Manuscript received 16 June 2003: revised 10 October 2003]


    References
 TOP

 ABSTRACT
 Introduction
 Geology
 Analytical techniques
 Terminology
 Petrography
 Ore mineralogy
 Platinum-group mineralogy
 Sulphur isotopes
 Discussion
 Acknowledgements
 References
 

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