Nickel in olivine as an exploration indicator for magmatic Ni-Cu sulfide deposits [Publication][Presentation]

February 14th, 2022

Nickel content of olivine has been found to be a useful additional tool for the exploration of magmatic Ni-Cu sulfide deposits. The key points from the publication are outlined here, and a recording of Steve Barnes, presenting this research at the Society for Geologists Applied to Mineral Deposits (SGA)  conference is available below.

Main points:

  • Baseline data presented for “sulfide-free” olivine from LIPs and convergent margins
  • New models of olivine compositions from partial melting and fractional crystallisation under various conditions, using latest experimental values for DNi ol/liq
  • Olivines in mineralised intrusions can be enriched or depleted depending on a variety of possible histories – in some cases within the same host body (e.g. Kevitsa, Nova)
  • Clear evidence of olivine Ni depletion is mainly associated with low-Ni-tenor ores
  • Ni enrichment in sulfide-poor rocks can be due to reaction of sulfide droplets with pre-existing sulfide pools formed from more Mg-rich carrier magmas.
  • Wide variability of both Fo and Ni between related intrusions at regional scale may be a useful regional prospectivity indicator

Read more:

Barnes, S. J., Yao, Z.-S., Mao, Y. J., Jesus, A. P., Yang, S. H., Taranovic, V., and Maier, W. D., 2022, Nickel in olivine as an exploration indicator for magmatic Ni-Cu sulfide deposits: a data review and re-evaluation: American Mineralogist,https://doi.org/10.2138/am-2022-8327,