Platinum-Group Mineralization in Ultramafic Complexes
Summary
Platinum-group elements (PGE) are concentrated in ultramafic and mafic layered intrusions through a sequence of magmatic and post-magmatic processes. In the deep crust or upper mantle, high-Mg–Ca magmas fractionate to form cumulate sequences of olivine, pyroxene and chromite. Within these cumulates, sulphide segregation or dense chromitite seams act as sinks for highly siderophile PGE. Chromitites and associated sulphide melts trap Pd, Pt, Ir, Os, Ru and Rh in discrete mineral phases such as sperrylite, laurite and Pt–Fe alloys. Subsequent tectonothermal events may overprint magmatic assemblages, modifying PGE distribution via metamorphic fluids. At the surface, weathering of PGE-bearing ultramafic complexes releases platinum-group minerals into alluvial systems, forming economic placers. The interplay of primary magmatic fractionation, structural control of cumulate layering, metamorphic reworking and supergene redistribution governs both the grade and morphology of PGE mineralization. Globally, these deposits represent the principal source of Pt, Pd and Rh for catalytic, electronic and medical applications, and are critical to modern green technologies. Understanding the petrogenesis of PGE in ultramafic complexes thus informs exploration strategies, resource management and environmental stewardship.
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Platinum-Group Mineralization in Ultramafic Complexes publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in platinum-group mineralization in ultramafic complexes across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Platinum-group elements (PGE): A set of six transition metals (Ru, Rh, Pd, Os, Ir, Pt) characterised by high melting points and siderophile behaviour.
Ultramafic complex: An intrusive igneous body dominated by olivine and pyroxene, low in silica and often hosting chromite seams.
Layered intrusion: A stratified igneous body formed by repetitive crystallisation and settling of minerals from a convecting magma chamber.
Chromitite: A cumulate rock composed predominantly of chromite, often enriched in PGE through sulphide segregation or direct alloy precipitation.
Supergene processes: Near-surface chemical weathering and fluid transport that modify primary mineralisation and concentrate resistant metal phases into placers.
References
- Volcano–Plutonic Complex of the Tumrok Range (Eastern Kamchatka): An Example of the Ural-Alaskan Type Intrusion and Related Volcanic Series. Minerals (2023).
- Metamorphic origin of large nuggets of platinum-group metals: evidence from multiphase inclusions in Os-Ir-Ru alloys from the Adamsfield placer, Tasmania. Journal of Petrology (2024).
- Weathering of PGE sulfides and Pt–Fe alloys in the Freetown Layered Complex, Sierra Leone. Mineralium Deposita (2017).
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