Platinum or not Platinum

Eu_citzen

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Daryl Friesen said:
Thanks for all the replies I am still sitting on the rock sample. Not wanting to destroy it by asassy to confirm it as Platinum and keep it as a specimen. Have been back to the area where this was found and have yet to find a sample even close to this good but it had to have come from somewhere.When i find more I will take them in for assay. Hope you enjoyed the video.

Daryl
www.spindlequest.com/treasuremaps.htm

If you don't want it destroyed, maybe XRD might be of help?
Could be costly however. Although I still suggest a assay none the less. :)

All platinum and platinum group metals (platinum, osmium, iridium, palladium, etc) are originally extraterrestrial in origin. Your rock doesn't look extraterrestrial as it is very angular. It does look metamorphic.

Platinum in hardrock mines are very atypical. The only platinum mine ever operated in the United States was on a tributary of the Rogue River in Southern Oregon. The mine actually produced gold, but had a small seam of platinum on either side of the gold ore, which produced the bulk of the recovered metal. In this instance, platinum was in quartz next to a small gold deposit. While the vein was very long the gold and platinum-bearing vein was less than 3 inches across as I recall. Most platinum recovered in the world is a by-product of gold extraction.

Sorry. I don't believe this is platinum.

PGMS can be concentrated via hydrothermal veins, the quartz vein you mentioned in the above would suggest this method of concentration.
Nothing extraterrestrial there. ???
Metamorphic action can also concentrate i.e. gold, this is easily visible in Ädelfors, Sweden where the gold is in quartz veins which are in metabasite and mica schist. Mainly metabasite, from what I've seen.
 

Tuberale

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Concentration of palladium, platinum, iridium and rhodium all strongly point to either meteoric or meteoric weathered concentrated by sedimentation, then altered by metamorphic action.

Only source of non-terrestrial iridium and platinum is from space debris, which would be unlikely to have the silver concentration stated.

Most platinum-bearing alluvial deposits in the world (Ural Mtns of Russia, Venezuela, South Africa) are actually mined for the gold content of the deposits, with platinum, iridium, palladium, osmium, etc produced as by-products of Au production.

I am unfamiliar with the Swedish material.
 

Tuberale

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Eu_citzen said:
Tuberale,
Would you mind posting a source?

Interesting:
http://www.galleries.com/minerals/elements/platinum/platinum.htm
For what? Sources for the above information from 2 different sources, both teachers that I took classes from 25 years ago. First, from my college chemistry teacher, who authored a chemistry textbook; second a teacher at Linn-Benton Community College, where I took a course called "Mineral Prospecting". Both offered the same information on the ultimate source of platinum, osmium, iridium, palladium, and other PGM's. Iridium is especially interesting, as the Cretaceous-Triassic boundary has higher iridium levels than either above or below it, suggesting a large meteoric impact for the Cretaceous-Triassic die-off.

Elevated iridium levels in sedimentary deposits strongly indicate meteoritic impacts, no matter where in the geological record they occur.

Doing a basic search of Iridium and Cretaceous should give you lots of referents.
 

Eu_citzen

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Tuberale said:
Eu_citzen said:
Tuberale,
Would you mind posting a source?

Interesting:
http://www.galleries.com/minerals/elements/platinum/platinum.htm
For what? Sources for the above information from 2 different sources, both teachers that I took classes from 25 years ago. First, from my college chemistry teacher, who authored a chemistry textbook; second a teacher at Linn-Benton Community College, where I took a course called "Mineral Prospecting". Both offered the same information on the ultimate source of platinum, osmium, iridium, palladium, and other PGM's. Iridium is especially interesting, as the Cretaceous-Triassic boundary has higher iridium levels than either above or below it, suggesting a large meteoric impact for the Cretaceous-Triassic die-off.

Elevated iridium levels in sedimentary deposits strongly indicate meteoritic impacts, no matter where in the geological record they occur.

Doing a basic search of Iridium and Cretaceous should give you lots of referents.

I just want to read up on that, most of my studies have focused more on earth related minerals.
However you said it comes in from meteoric sources is sedimented and then undergoes metamorphic processes...
Which means it can occur in metamorphic settings, which you suggested the rock in question could be? :coffee2:
 

Tuberale

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Yes.

My understanding of the process is that especially older sedimentary formations, often changed by metamorphic processes, can/will become ore-like material. The Southern Oregon deposit, the only known deposit in the United States, is associated with the Southern Oregon batholith of the Siskiyou Mountains: an area which once was apparently part of China, but crossed the Pacific Ocean as an island, and eventually melded into the PNW. Lots of odd minerals in this area, including a lot of gold, some antimony, iridium, osmium, platinum, palladium, and other minerals. Mostly in a serpentine formation. Serpentine (aka soapstone) is chemically the same thing as asbestos and jade, and may be the reason for huge jade boulders off the Northern California coast. The batholith gave the Southern Oregon and Northern California coastal area one of the biggest "wedgies" in geology.
 

Eu_citzen

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Yes, I'd say that is correct, it is also my observation that older rock formations more often contain ore(like) concentrations.

This very well fits the rule for my area to. Especially Rhyolite seems to be associated with geological "activities" in my area.
Up north in Västervik it known for several mines especeilly Gladhammars which is TL for a few minerals, however the south could be related to that complex.. But its been overlooked! :read2:
There are some point that say its related and another few that say the opposite I want to recall.

You can often see large amounts of Porphyry, Quartz veins, Quartz porphyry and other things that'd show sings of old cracks being re-filled in my area. Galena is plentiful, to.
BUT! Its been overlooked due to glacial activities that hide the naked rock; sometimes as deep as some 20 meters (~65 feet?)
Another reason is the Ryolite has not eroded quite everywhere; which then can hide ore bearing rock. ;D

Very neat is a Quarry here in the south of Småland (where I currently am), it seems to contain several "generations" of hydrothermal veins...
One or two generations contain ore minerals. The hydrothermal veins all seem to relate to intrusive rocks and often bring along clay minerals. (i.e. Hematite, Limonite)
Some nice Smoky quartz crystals are associated with quartz porphyry. ;D


Oh..!! Got a bit carried away.
Anyway, yes, it seems plausible. :thumbsup:
 

FiresEye

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Eu_citzen said:
Yes, I'd say that is correct, it is also my observation that older rock formations more often contain ore(like) concentrations.

This very well fits the rule for my area to. Especially Rhyolite seems to be associated with geological "activities" in my area.
Up north in Västervik it known for several mines especeilly Gladhammars which is TL for a few minerals, however the south could be related to that complex.. But its been overlooked! :read2:
There are some point that say its related and another few that say the opposite I want to recall.

You can often see large amounts of Porphyry, Quartz veins, Quartz porphyry and other things that'd show sings of old cracks being re-filled in my area. Galena is plentiful, to.
BUT! Its been overlooked due to glacial activities that hide the naked rock; sometimes as deep as some 20 meters (~65 feet?)
Another reason is the Ryolite has not eroded quite everywhere; which then can hide ore bearing rock. ;D

Very neat is a Quarry here in the south of Småland (where I currently am), it seems to contain several "generations" of hydrothermal veins...
One or two generations contain ore minerals. The hydrothermal veins all seem to relate to intrusive rocks and often bring along clay minerals. (i.e. Hematite, Limonite)
Some nice Smoky quartz crystals are associated with quartz porphyry. ;D


Oh..!! Got a bit carried away.
Anyway, yes, it seems plausible. :thumbsup:

Very cool :thumbup:


Yeah... knowledge of the hydrothermal veins, the components within them, their natural mineral content and the area where they were found is essential.
I am lucky enough to live one hour away( by car and highway) from the largest gold producing site of the United States( Dahlonega, a city in North Georgia)... IT seems you are from the other side of the world ! Mine on.

The black sands here are rich with gold and even minute amounits of platinum..When I say Platinum can be found in georgia, I mean in VERY small amounts... usually amoung the other noble metals.
 

Tuberale

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I would anticipate platinum would be found worldwide in tiny concentrations, especially where erosion has concentrated material over millenia in black sand deposits.

It seem quite possible for hydrothermal vents and fumaroles to be able to concentrate noble metals in the same manner using superheated steam from magma sources. There is a huge undersea shield-type volcano off the coast of southern Oregon and northern California, covering hundreds of square miles, where underwater "black spouters" have been shown to have (relatively) high concentrations of gold, silver, and pgms. As that volcano is still periodically erupting, it can cause massive upswellings in superheated water. I regret I have not kept up on its history, but believe it is located some 150 miles WSW of Coos Bay. That's just a guess, though.
 

Eu_citzen

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FiresEye said:
Eu_citzen said:
Yes, I'd say that is correct, it is also my observation that older rock formations more often contain ore(like) concentrations.

This very well fits the rule for my area to. Especially Rhyolite seems to be associated with geological "activities" in my area.
Up north in Västervik it known for several mines especeilly Gladhammars which is TL for a few minerals, however the south could be related to that complex.. But its been overlooked! :read2:
There are some point that say its related and another few that say the opposite I want to recall.

You can often see large amounts of Porphyry, Quartz veins, Quartz porphyry and other things that'd show sings of old cracks being re-filled in my area. Galena is plentiful, to.
BUT! Its been overlooked due to glacial activities that hide the naked rock; sometimes as deep as some 20 meters (~65 feet?)
Another reason is the Ryolite has not eroded quite everywhere; which then can hide ore bearing rock. ;D

Very neat is a Quarry here in the south of Småland (where I currently am), it seems to contain several "generations" of hydrothermal veins...
One or two generations contain ore minerals. The hydrothermal veins all seem to relate to intrusive rocks and often bring along clay minerals. (i.e. Hematite, Limonite)
Some nice Smoky quartz crystals are associated with quartz porphyry. ;D


Oh..!! Got a bit carried away.
Anyway, yes, it seems plausible. :thumbsup:

Very cool :thumbsup:

Yeah... knowledge of the hydrothermal veins, the components within them, their natural mineral content and the area where they were found is essential.
I am lucky enough to live one hour away( by car and highway) from the largest gold producing site of the United States( Dahlonega, a city in North Georgia)... IT seems you are from the other side of the world ! Mine on.

The black sands here are rich with gold and even minute amounits of platinum..When I say Platinum can be found in georgia, I mean in VERY small amounts... usually amoung the other noble metals.
Yeah, its essential. Especially when prospecting on any "serious" level. :)

For me the closest known gold producing area is a 15 min hike from here. :)
However its not very rich in gold.
Yeah, I'm on the other side of the world. :headbang:

Tuberale,
Hydrothermal fluid is technically seen not vapour, its basically "Supercritical Fluid" meaning there is little or no distinction between fluid or vapour. I think that was the term they use these days. :icon_pirat:
 

Tuberale

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According to the sensors put inside "black smokers" on the site by Oregon State University researchers, the superheated water coming out is in the 700+ degree F. range. On land this would be called a geyser, but under nearly a mile of seawater, it's a "black smoker". Fluid rich in sulphuric acid as well as supersaturated metal sulphides. Produces chimney-like smokestacks several meters high that are rich in gold, silver, some platinum, and other metals; but too deep for serious mining opportunities ... yet.
 

Eu_citzen

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Tuberale said:
According to the sensors put inside "black smokers" on the site by Oregon State University researchers, the superheated water coming out is in the 700+ degree F. range. On land this would be called a geyser, but under nearly a mile of seawater, it's a "black smoker". Fluid rich in sulphuric acid as well as supersaturated metal sulphides. Produces chimney-like smokestacks several meters high that are rich in gold, silver, some platinum, and other metals; but too deep for serious mining opportunities ... yet.

Yeah, I've heard of similar activities in the Atlantic ocean.
Its amazing for sure! :)
 

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