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REGOLITH DEPOSITS THEORY

1. Which are the factors that control the formation of a regolith?

2. Draw a schematic Ni-Co-laterite profile and name the main parts.

3. List the differences between bauxite and Ni-Co-laterite deposits (grade, tonnage, protolith,
products/byproducts.
REGOLITH DEPOSITS - LABORATORY

A mining company is exploring an area for Ni-Co-(PGE)-laterite exploitation and performed


two drill cores (Fig. 1, left). The Ni-Co-(PGE)-laterite occurrence is located in an ultramafic
complex (Fig. 1, right), which is composed mainly of serpentinized harzburgites, dunites and
serpentinites.

Fig. 1. Left: ortophotograph depicting the location of the two drill cores (source: Google Earth).
Right: schematic geological map of the study area (modified from Villanova-de-Benavent et al.,
2016; Ore Geol Rev).

A visit to a mining exposure in the area nearby gives an overview of the laterite profile of the
study area (Fig. 2):
Fig. 2. Photographs of a mining exposures close to the drill cores.

Taking into account this information, the folder and the sample collection given, follow the
instructions below and answer the questions:
1. BULK ROCK GEOCHEMISTRY. The folder contains one excel worksheet (Ex 1) with the
major and trace element X-ray fluorescence (XRF) analyses on representative samples from the
two drill cores, carried out in a laboratory.

1.1. Represent in a binary diagram the concentration (wt.% content) of NiO versus
depth. Which is the drill core with highest Ni contents?

- El pozo que presenta mayor concentracin de Ni es el Drill #2

Drill #1
0.200 0.400 0.600 0.800 1.000 1.200 1.400
0.00

5.00

10.00
Profundidad (m) Ni
15.00

20.00

25.00

Ni (% en peso)

Drill #2
0.0000.5001.0001.5002.0002.5003.0003.500
0.00
5.00
10.00
15.00
Profundidad (m) 20.00 Ni

25.00
30.00
35.00
40.00

Ni (% en peso)
1.2. Now focus on the drill core with highest Ni concentrations. Represent in a binary
diagram the concentration (wt.%/ppm content) of the major and trace elements (as elements or
oxides) versus depth.

Elementos Mayoritarios (Drill #2)


0.000 20.000 40.000 60.000 80.000
0.00
5.00
10.00
15.00
Profundidad
Ni (m)Fe20.00 MgO SiO2 Al2O3
25.00
30.00
35.00
40.00

% en peso

Elementos Trazas (Drill #2)


0.00 5.00 10.00 15.00 20.00 25.00
0
5 Ir
10 Os
15 Pd
Profundidad (m) 20
Pt
25 Rh
30 Ru
35
40

% en peso

1.2.1. Describe the chemical evolution of the profile. Where are the least/most
soluble elements concentrated? Where are the economically interesting elements
concentrated (Ni, Co, PGE)? Describe the distribution of the different PGE. Do they
behave differently? Are they (positively) correlated to other elements?

Falta analisis
1.2.2. Draw a line separating the different horizons.

Elementos Mayoritarios (Drill #2)


0.000 20.000 40.000 60.000 80.000
0.00
5.00
10.00
15.00
Profundidad
Ni (m)Fe20.00 MgO SiO2 Al2O3
25.00
30.00
35.00
40.00

% en peso

1.2.3. According to the distribution of elements and the thickness of the


horizons, which type of laterite deposit is this (oxide, hydrous Mg silicate, clay)?

- Silicato Hidratado

2. HAND SPECIMEN AND THIN SECTION OBSERVATIONS. The company provides a


selection of hand specimens of the Ni-rich profile (Fig. 3, powerpoint Ex 2), from which
polished thin sections were prepared, to be examined under optical microscopy (Fig. 4,
powerpoint Ex 2).

2.1. Describe the colours, textural features and mineralogy of the hand specimens (Fig.
3, powerpoint Ex 2).

Falta analisis

2.2. Describe the thin section photomicrographs. What can be observed under the
optical microscope (mineralogy, grain size, textures) (Fig. 4, powerpoint Ex 2)?

Falta analisis

2.3. Compare the geochemistry diagram with the hand specimens and the thin section
observations (mineralogy, degree of alteration, degree of oxidation, grain size, etc.).

Falta analisis
Fig. 3. Hand specimen photographs.
Fig. 4. Thin section photomicrographs of a representative selection of samples.
Fig. 4 (continued). Thin section photomicrographs of a representative selection of samples.

3. MINERALOGY. In order to have a more precise identification of the minerals present,


powder X-ray diffraction (XRD) was performed on selected samples.

3.1. Represent in an histogram the relative proportion of minerals (wt.%) obtained by


XRD from the second excel worksheet (Ex 3). Compare the results with the chemical evolution
of the profile.
Mineraloga Cuantitativa
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Serpentina
quartz
hematite
goethite
maghemite
diopside
enstatite
olivine

3.2. Taking into account the mineralogy (from hand specimen and thin section
observations and XRD), draw again a line separating the different horizons.

Mineraloga Cuantitativa
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

Serpentina
quartz
hematite
goethite
maghemite
diopside
enstatite
olivine
4. MINERAL CHEMISTRY. Minerals containing economically interesting elements are
usually fine grained (like PGM or asbolanes), or are hard to distinguish from other minerals
(like Ni-serpentines from Ni-free serpentines). For this reason, some selected polished sections
were examined under scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and analysed qualitatively by
energy dispersive spectrometry (EDS). In Figs. 5a-d, label each EDS spectrum with a mineral
name (PGM, asbolanes, garnierites, Ni-serpentines), and match each EDS spectrum with the
analysed point (red circle).

Fig. 5. BSE images and EDS spectra of four areas of interest of the studied samples.
Fig. 5 (continued). BSE images and EDS spectra of four areas of interest of the studied
samples.

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