Jump to main content
US EPA
United States Environmental Protection Agency
Search
Search
Main menu
Environmental Topics
Laws & Regulations
About EPA
Health & Environmental Research Online (HERO)
Contact Us
Print
Feedback
Export to File
Search:
This record has one attached file:
Add More Files
Attach File(s):
Display Name for File*:
Save
Citation
Tags
HERO ID
7463760
Reference Type
Journal Article
Title
Cu-Ni-PGE Mineralization in the South Filson Creek Area, South Kawishiwi Intrusion, Duluth Complex: Mineralization Styles and Magmatic and Hydrothermal Processes
Author(s)
Gal, B; Molnar, F; Peterson, DM
Year
2011
Is Peer Reviewed?
Yes
Journal
Economic Geology and the Bulletin of the Society of Economic Geologists
ISSN:
0361-0128
EISSN:
1554-0774
Publisher
SOC ECONOMIC GEOLOGISTS, INC
Location
LITTLETON
Volume
106
Issue
3
Page Numbers
481-+
Language
English
DOI
10.2113/econgeo.106.3.481
Web of Science Id
WOS:000290979100008
URL
https://pubs.geoscienceworld.org/economicgeology/article/106/3/481-509/128302
Exit
Abstract
The South Filson Creek mineralization occurs above the basal units of the South Kawishiwi intrusion and represents an uncommon geologic setting of Cu-Ni-platinum-group element (PGE) mineralization within the Duluth Complex. Unlike other mineralization of economic interest in the basal heterogeneous troctolite units along the lower contact, it is located at an approximate stratigraphic height of 1,000 in above the contact with the footwall granitoids in the usually unmineralized homogeneous troctolite unit.Magmatic sulfide mineralization forms disseminated fine-grained patches and pockets in an area of approximately 1/2 km(2) of homogeneous troctolitic rocks in the northeastern part of the South Kawishiwi intrusion. Pyrrhotite, chalcopyrite, pentlandite, and cubanite are the main sulfide minerals with subordinate amounts of other copper-bearing phases (bornite, covellite, talnakhite). Cu/Pd ratios for unaltered mineralization indicate that sulfides were formed from multiple injections of magma that segregated sulfides with different R factors or having different initial compositions.Variation in the halogen contents of apatite from pegmatoids within troctolitic rocks revealed that a fluid has segregated from the crystallizing melt into which fluid Cl and rare earth elements partitioned.Amphibole, chlorite, sericite, prehnite, pumpellyite, and carbonate are associated with alteration along brittle structures and isolated patches in the area. The hydrothermal fluid-rock interaction has affected the composition of primary magmatic sulfide mineralization and is also responsible fix mineralization in the anorthositic hanging wall of the South Kawishiwi intrusion. Hydrothermal alteration resulted in a slight Pd depletion in magmatic sulfide mineralization, which might indicate remobilization of precious metals to an unknown location. The hanging-wall mineralization is characterized by relative Cu enrichment in comparison to the magmatic sulfide mineralization with no PGE enrichment.Partial remobilization of platinum group elements (PGE) has also occurred as a result of a separate alteration event, on the evidence that platinum group minerals (PGM) are also associated with serpentinization of olivine and Ca enrichment of plagioclase along grain boundaries with sulfides. This alteration was probably effective on a very local scale.
Keywords
Physical Sciences - Other Topics; platinum-group element, sudbury igneous complex, spruce road area,; sulfide mineralization, stillwater complex, deposit, geochemistry,; silicate, minerals, apatite
Home
Learn about HERO
Using HERO
Search HERO
Projects in HERO
Risk Assessment
Transparency & Integrity