Scientists have developed an innovative way to evaluate platinum ores that will increase search accuracy valuable metals. The method has already been tested on Kamchatka rocks and has shown high efficiency.
Platinum, palladium and other platinum group metals are often found in igneous rocks as microscopic particles. Previously, they were almost impossible to detect due to their tiny size – they went undetected even using modern analytical methods.
Scientists from Russia, China, Canada and South Africa have proposed a solution: a combination of computer modeling and an improved Deless principle. This makes it possible to accurately estimate the concentration of metals, even if they are embedded in chromite crystals without the participation of sulfides.
The researchers tested the method on Kamchatka picrites, rocks rich in chromite. Using mass spectrometry and electron microscopy, they studied the samples and then used statistical modeling. The results showed that many deposits, previously considered poor, may actually contain significant reserves of platinum and other valuable metals.
This discovery will allow:
- Increase efficiency geological exploration.
- Involve previously undervalued deposits in development.
- Reduce production costs through more accurate forecasting.
For now, the method is fundamental, but in the future it may become a standard in the search for platinum ores. Scientists continue to work on adapting it for industrial use.
The material was prepared with the support of the Russian Ministry of Education and Science as part of the Decade of Science and Technology.
Source: @dprom
