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 Paper No.117 <Home> <Theme>

PGM MINERALIZATION IN ZONED MAFIC–

ULTRAMAFIC COMPLEXES AND
TECHNOLOGICAL PROSPECTS OF ITS
DEVELOPMENT
Kozlov Andrey1,* and Chanturiya Valentin1

ABSTRACT
The results of mineralogical–technological studies of PGM mineralization in zoned mafic–ultramafic
complexes of the Ural–Alaskan type are given. The most important technological specificity of PGM
mineralization hosted in dunites is its occurrence only in the form of free mineral species with
predominance of Fe–Pt alloys (ferrous platinum, isoferroplatinum, and tetraferroplatinum).
Technological properties, grain size, and good opening of PGM ore in grain size class +80 μm make it
possible to concentrate ore using gravity methods with stadial comminution and between cycle
separation of relatively large grains and nuggets into high-grade concentrates at the early stage of
disintegration.
Keywords: platiniferous dunites, PGM mineralization, mineralogical–technological studies and
processibility research, recovery technology, gravity methods

INTRODUCTION
Since the early 19th century, Russia has been the major producer and supplier of PGM to the world market;
however, in contrast to South Africa, where platinum is a predominant product of mining, palladium sharply
dominates in Russian production.
To retain and, within reason, increase production of Russian platinum, it is necessary to involve new untraditional
platiniferous mineral commodities in development. In this regard, PGM mineralization in zoned mafic–ultramafic
complexes of the Ural–Alaskan type accompanied by unique platinum placers attracts interest. Based on various
estimates, no less than 650 t of platinum has been mined since 1825 from placers of the Urals, Aldan, and
Kamchatka. The metallogenic potential of their primary sources only in the Ural Platinum Belt is estimated at 19
Kt (Dodin et al, 2010).
Possibility of large scale processing of significant volumes of igneous rocks with relatively low Pt concentrations
has not been considered, even in theory. At present, however, when the possibility of efficient reworking of ore
with an average noble metal grade below 1 ppm has been widely demonstrated in practice, the proposed concept
is considered from two stand points: (1) elaboration of criteria determining platinum resource potential of dunites
in zoned complexes and (2) technological possibility and economic expediency of platinum recovery.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Ores and rocks from placer platiniferous mineralization of Gal'moenan zoned massif were used in the study.
Gross chemical composition of ores and rocks was determined by chemical analysis and XRF technique. ICP-MS
was used in this study for the identification of admixtures content in ores and rocks. PGM content in ore samples

1. Institute of Complex Exploitation of Mineral Resources, Russian Academy of Sciences, Kryukovsky Tupik 4, Moscow 111020 Russia. Email:
kozap@mail.ru

XXVI INTERNATIONAL MINERAL PROCESSING CONGRESS (IMPC) 2012 PROCEEDINGS / NEW DELHI, INDIA / 24 - 28 SEPTEMBER 2012 <PAGE NO.>
 ANDREY AND VALENTIN

was determined by AAS technique. SEM and electron microprobe analyses were used for the identification of
rock-building and ore-forming minerals composition.
Heavy-media separation, x-ray-radiometric separation, magnetic separation, methods of gravity separation were
used to confirm the results of mineralogical researches under the semi-industrial conditions.
The comprehensive approach integrates the study of ore bearing rocks and research into mineralization in terms
of technological mineralogy and technological testing of potential ore under laboratory and semi-industrial
conditions (Kozlov and Chanturiya, 2009).

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Mineralogical study for technology outlook
The feasibility of efficient recovery of platinum from dunites has been considered in detail for ore zones of the
Gal’moenan zoned massif (Kozlov, 2009). The main productivity of the platinum–chromites mineral assemblage
implies that the overwhelming part of PGM mineralization can be recovered together with chromites concentrate.
The results of mineralogical and technological studies show that preliminary separation of ore does not provide
complete recovery of entire platinum because of (1) insignificant concentration of chromites in the initial ore mass
(<1.5%); (2) irregular morphology of ore chromites in the form of disseminations and vein lets, which do not allow
sufficiently large lumps necessary for separation to obtain; and (3) occurrence of the attendant mineral
assemblage of platiniferous dunites, which leads to inevitable loss of platinum in the course of selective
concentrating.
Part of the PGM mineralization with tetraferroplatinum, tulameenite, and other disordered Fe–Pt alloys has
pronounced magnetic properties. Isoferroplatinum, Pt–Cu alloys, and sperrylite are paramagnetic with low
magnetic susceptibility, but forming intergrowths with magnetic PGE minerals and secondary magnetite can also
be separated in a magnetic field. The magnetic fractionation of gravity concentrate of mineralogical technological
samples shows that the total yield of platinum into magnetic and paramagnetic fractions can reach about 84%.
However, the residual magnetic susceptibility of the selected grains overlaps with the magnetic properties of host
chromespinnelide and olivine. Therefore, magnetic separation cannot be recommended for the direct recovery of
productive PGM mineralization.
The most distinct technological property of PGM contained in duniteis their high density, variation of which is
caused by the mineral’s Pt content (10.5–19.5 g/cm3). The PGM mineralization with background and low Pt
contents (<0.1 ppm Pt) is finely disseminated in dunite. The maximum size of PGM grains in low grade ore
reaches 200 µm; however, the average grain size is 20.5 µm and the weighted average is 52.0 µm. These values
are unfavorable for gravity concentrating. The mass distribution of PGM mineralization by classes of grain sizes
has its maximum at class 40–80 µm (refer Figure 1b). The maximal grain size in high grade Pt ore is 1 mm; the
average size of grains is 52.7 µm and weighted average is 191.7 µm. The mass distribution of PGM
mineralization by classes of grain sizes has its maximum at class 200–400 µm (refer Figure 1a).

Figure 1. Quantitative (dark) and mass (light) distribution of PGM grains by grain size classes in ore with (a) high
and (b) low Pt grade.

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PGM MINERALIZATION IN ZONED MAFIC–ULTRAMAFIC COMPLEXES AND TECHNOLOGICAL PROSPECTS OF ITS DEVELOPMENT

Despite a considerable volume, of low grade finely disseminated ore, the main percentage of PGM (60.7 wt %) in
the initial ore mass with forecasted Pt grade of 1.2 ppm is contained in classes +80 µm, which are favorable for
recovery using gravity concentration. The calculated average size of PGM grains is 46.8 µm and weighted
average size is 161.2 µm. The inferred output of platinum in grain size classes –20 µm, which determine
theoretical losses of gravity concentration, will be 16.3 wt %.
Using methods of technological mineralogy, we have established favorable conditions for opening the main
productive phase. The main favorable attributes are (1) localization of relatively large grains of PGE minerals in
cavities, fissures, and inter granular interstices of host chromites or dunites; (2) absence of close intergrowths of
PGM minerals with chromespinnelide and olivine; and (3) occurrence of serpentine and chlorite coatings, which
are destroyed by minimal external mechanical impact. The character of comminution of platiniferous dunite ore is
2
determined by the low micro hardness of PGM minerals (440 kg/mm for isoferroplatinum) against the high
2 2
background micro hardness of host olivine (925 kg/mm ) and chromespinnelide (1375 kg/mm ). The retention of
medium and coarse grained fractions of PGM related to the main productive phase of PGM mineralization
requires stadial comminution of the ore with preliminary recovery of PGM into the high grade gravity concentrates
at the early stages of disintegration.
When mineralogical technological samples with different Pt contents are tested, the highest direct recovery (up to
95.3 wt %) is established for ore with anomalously high Pt grade reaching 50.2 ppm (refer Figure 2). No more
than half of the contained platinum is recovered into gravity concentrates from dunite with low and back ground
contents (<0.1 ppm Pt).

Figure 2. Recovery of platinum into gravity concentrate versus Pt grade in dunite ore of the Gal’moenan massif

Integration and recalculation of the test results allowed us to forecast concentrating of ore by gravity methods. At
the grade of 1.2 ppm Pt, no less than 86 wt % Pt can be recovered from platiniferous dunite and about 85% will
be separated into high grade gravity concentrates containing more than 1 kgpt (refer Figure 3).

XXVI INTERNATIONAL MINERAL PROCESSING CONGRESS (IMPC) 2012 PROCEEDINGS / NEW DELHI, INDIA / 24 - 28 SEPTEMBER 2012 <PAGE NO.>
 ANDREY AND VALENTIN

Figure 3. Recommended process balance and slurry circuit for platinum recovery from platiniferous dunites

Realizations: semi-industrial and pilot plant results

The main theoretical conclusions were confirmed by laboratory technological investigations carried out by the
Mechanobr Engineering Company, which made it possible to conduct semi-industrial testing of a technological
sample of dunite, 8.2 t in mass, based on the concentrating set at the Mining Institute of the Kola Science Center,
Russian Academy of Sciences. The elaborated flow sheet of the direct gravity concentrating of PGE ore without
preliminary separation of chromites, with two-staged comminution and between-cycle recovery of coarse fraction
of PGE minerals into commodity concentrate provides recovery of 94% Pt (Chanturia et al, 2011).
The technological flow sheet for concentration of platiniferous dunite ore from the Gal’moenan deposit, approved
under semi-industrial conditions, is offered for industrial application at a designed concentration plant with an
annual output of 5 Mt of ore. The mining and processing costs of 1 t of ore is estimated at $25 US. At the market
Pt price of $60 US, the production cost of 1 g of Pt is estimated at $16 US.

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 PGM MINERALIZATION IN ZONED MAFIC–ULTRAMAFIC COMPLEXES AND TECHNOLOGICAL PROSPECTS OF ITS DEVELOPMENT

The technological solutions elaborated can be used as a basis for economic development of the large volume
primary platinum deposits hosted in zoned mafic–ultramafic complexes of the Urals. Taking into account the
developed infrastructure of the territory, the efficiency of processing of platiniferous dunite could be much higher.
As follows from the preliminary results of gravity concentrating of small volume technological samples on a
Knelson concentrator and flotation of the concentrate at the final stage, up to 84.8% Pt can be recovered from
platiniferous dunite from ore zones of the Svetly Bor zoned massif at a grade of 0.55–2.53 ppm Pt.

CONCLUSIONS
Low and background Pt concentrations in ore (<0.5 ppm) are determined by the occurrence of fine and very fine
(grain-size class –80 μm) euhedral PGM grains relatively uniformly distributed through the entire volume (mineral
assemblage of platiniferous dunite). The high, occasionally anomalous Pt contents (up to 1 k ppm) are related to
the large xenomorphic PGM segregations localized in marginal parts of chromites bodies and host dunites nearby
(platinum–chromites mineral assemblage).
The most important technological specificity of PGM mineralization hosted in dunites is its occurrence only in the
form of free mineral species with predominance of Fe–Pt alloys (ferrous platinum, isoferroplatinum, and
tetraferroplatinum). Technological properties, grain size, and good opening of PGM ore in grain-size class +80 μm
make it possible to concentrate ore, using gravity methods with stadial comminution and interstadial separation of
relatively large grains and nuggets into high grade concentrates at the early stage of disintegration. The
elaborated technological flow chart approved under semi-industrial conditions allows recovery of as much as 94%
Pt.
The technical and economic calculations related to the possible development of large volume PGM ore of the
Gal’moenan zoned massif in Kamchatka show that despite low Pt tenor, the cost of production of 1g Pt does not
exceed $16 US.The results of the comprehensive mineralogical technological studies of PGM mineral
commodities in the Urals helped to expect the discovery and development of unique primary platinum deposits.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
This study was supported by the Presidium of the Russian Academy of Sciences (program no. 27) and the
Russian Foundation for basic research (project no.12-05-00260).

REFERENCES
Chanturia, V, Kozlov, A, and Tolstykh, N, 2011. Dunite ores – a new kind of platiniferous mineral resources, in
Gorny Informatsionno-Analiticheskiy Bulletin, No 1, pp 553–566.

Dodin, D, Dodina, T, Zoloev, K, Koroteev, V, and Chernyshov, N, 2010. Platinum of Russia: the state-of-the art
and prospects, inLitosphera, No 1, pp 3-36.

Kozlov, A, and Chanturia, V, 2009. Platiniferous dunite ores and their dressability, pp 1-148 (Institute of Complex
Exploitation of Mineral Resources, Russian Academy of Sciences: Moscow)

Kozlov, A, 2009. Mineralogical–Technological Characterization of Placer Forming PGM Ore of Zonal Mafic–
Ultramafic Complexes, in Gorny Informatsionno-Analiticheskiy Bulletin, No15, pp. 529–539.

XXVI INTERNATIONAL MINERAL PROCESSING CONGRESS (IMPC) 2012 PROCEEDINGS / NEW DELHI, INDIA / 24 - 28 SEPTEMBER 2012 <PAGE NO.>

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