Search Results (58)

In a dynamic global market, platinum-group metals (PGMs), particularly palladium, are in high demand across various industries due to their unique properties. Palladium plays a crucial role in environmentally friendly technologies, such as catalytic converters, which mitigate harmful automotive emissions. Additionally, it is essential for clean energy production, particularly in hydrogen generation, which makes palladium a critical resource for building a sustainable and secure supply chain. This study evaluates the prospects of the palladium market through strategic analysis, focusing on the Russian mining and metals company PJSC MMC Norilsk Nickel. The research employs strategic and industry analysis methods to examine palladium production, market dynamics, and technological advancements, as well as emerging applications in the context of a green economy. The article analyzes the economics of palladium production, including price volatility driven by stringent environmental regulations and the rising adoption of electric vehicles. The palladium market faces challenges such as a constrained resource base, supply disruptions due to sanctions, price instability, and growing demand from key sectors, particularly the automotive industry. Nevertheless, innovation-driven trends offer promising opportunities for market growth, aligning with sustainable development principles and the transition toward a green, low-carbon economy in both established and emerging markets. As a key scientific contribution, this study proposes a modified methodological approach to industry analysis, enabling the assessment of a mining and metals company’s competitive sustainability in the palladium market over the medium and long term. Furthermore, the research models the life cycle of palladium as a commodity, considering evolving market trends and the rapid development of new industries within the green economy. Full article

Direct methanol fuel cells (DMFCs) represent a promising pathway for energy conversion, yet their reliance on platinum-group metal (PGM)-based anode catalysts poses critical sustainability challenges, which stem from finite mineral reserves, environmentally detrimental extraction processes, and prohibitive lifecycle costs. Current anode catalysts for DMFCs are dominated by platinum materials; therefore, this review systematically evaluates the following three emerging eco-efficient design paradigms using platinum materials as a starting point: (1) the atomic-level optimization of low-Pt alloy surfaces to maximize catalytic efficiency per metal atom, (2) Earth-abundant transition metal compounds (e.g., nitrides and sulfides) and coordination-tunable metal–organic frameworks as viable PGM-free alternatives, and (3) mechanically robust carbon architectures with engineered topological defects that enhance catalyst stability through covalent metal–carbon interactions. Through comparative analysis with pure Pt benchmarks, we critically examine how these strategic material innovations collectively mitigate CO intermediate poisoning risks and improve electrochemical durability. Such fundamental advances in catalyst design not only address immediate technical barriers, but also establish essential material foundations for the development of DMFC technologies compatible with circular economy frameworks and United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 7 targets. Full article

Nickel (Ni) resources are critical for the development of modern industry. This study investigates the knowledge structure and frontier evolution of Ni deposit research by constructing a domain-specific knowledge graph using bibliometric analysis and semantic extraction from 7090 publications (1966–2024) sourced from the Web of Science Core Collection. The results show that Ni research has three distinct phases: slow growth (1966–1990), early growth (1991–2010), and rapid expansion (2011–present). The collaborative network of institutions in which articles are published forms three regional clusters centered on China, Russia, and Australia. Keyword burst analysis identifies emerging frontiers, including sulfur isotopes, pyrite geochemistry, and LA-ICP-MS applications. Temporal keyword analysis identifies “platinum-group minerals”, “ore-forming fluids”, “isotopic analysis”, and “Eastern Tianshan” interactions as five pivotal research frontiers in nickel deposit studies. The knowledge graph framework demonstrates significant potential in mitigating data fragmentation, enhancing interdisciplinary data accessibility, and guiding future exploration strategies. This study shows the important role of knowledge maps in optimizing the study of nickel deposits. Full article

The article discusses the features of the chemical composition and the formation of intergrowths of platinum-group minerals, gold, gold-bearing phases, and other ore minerals present in placers collected from the Anabar River in the northeast part of the Siberian platform. Based on an analysis of changes in the phase compositions of these intergrowths of noble metals with other ore minerals on (Pt, Pd)-Fe-Au and Pd-Cu-Au phase equilibrium diagrams, potential trends in the crystallization of natural polymineral alloys from multicomponent low-sulfide metallic liquids are discussed. The similarity of the microstructures of natural and metallurgical alloys indicates that the formation of natural multiphase Au-PGE intergrowths occurred in a similar manner to the crystallization of multicomponent synthetic alloys. The authors suggest that magmatic Au-PGE mineralization occurs during the crystallization of a noble-metal-containing, low-sulfide, Cr-rich oxide melt separated from silicate mafic–ultramafic magma. Magmatic gold–platinum deposits are commonly associated with sulfide or oxide disseminated-schlieren ores in layered mafic–ultramafic intrusions. However, due to the high solubility of gold and platinoids in sulfide minerals, PGMs in sulfide ores occur as isomorphic impurities or as microphases and dispersed inclusions that cannot form placers. Therefore, the authors suggest that magmatic Au-PGE mineralization occurs during the crystallization of an immiscible low-sulfide, high-Cr oxide liquid separated from silicate mafic–ultramafic magma. In the northeast part of the Siberian platform, potential sources for these placers are likely alkaline, high-Ti mafic–ultramafic intrusions, as confirmed by the presence of silicate inclusions in ferroan platinum similar in composition to melteigite. Full article

Marine Co-rich ferromanganese crusts and polymetallic nodules, which are widely distributed in oceanic environments, are salient potential mineral resources that are enriched with many critical metals. Many investigations have achieved essential progress and findings regarding critical metal enrichment in Fe-Mn crusts and nodules. This study systematically reviews the research findings of previous investigations and elaborates in detail on the enrichment characteristics, enrichment processes and mechanisms and the influencing factors of the critical metals enriched in Fe-Mn crusts and nodules. The influencing factors of critical metal enrichments in Fe-Mn crusts and nodules mainly include the growth rate, water depth, post-depositional phosphatization and structural uptake of adsorbents. The major enrichment pathways of critical metals in marine Fe-Mn (oxy)hydroxides are primarily as follows: direct substitution on the surface of δ-MnO₂ for Ni, Cu, Zn and Li; oxidative substitution on the δ-MnO₂ surface for Co, Ce and Tl; partition between Mn and Fe phases through surface complexation according to electro-species attractiveness for REY (except for Ce), Cd, Mo, W and V; combined Mn-Fe phases enrichment for seawater anionic Te, Pt, As and Sb, whose low-valence species are mostly oxidatively enriched on δ-MnO₂, in addition to electro-chemical adsorption onto FeOOH, while high-valence species are likely structurally incorporated by amorphous FeOOH; and dominant sorption and incorporation by amorphous FeOOH for Ti and Se. The coordination preferences of critical metals in the layered and tunneled Mn oxides are primarily as follows: metal incorporations in the layer/tunnel-wall for Co, Ni and Cu; triple-corner-sharing configurations above the structural vacancy for Co, Ni, Cu, Zn and Tl; double-corner-sharing configurations for As, Sb, Mo, W, V and Te; edge-sharing configurations at the layer rims for corner-sharing metals when they are less competitive in taking up the corner-sharing position or under less oxidizing conditions when the metals are less feasible for reactions with layer vacancy; and hydrated interlayer or tunnel-center sorption for Ni, Cu, Zn, Cd, Tl and Li. The major ore-forming elements (e.g., Co, Ni, Cu and Zn), rare earth elements and yttrium, platinum-group elements, dispersed elements (e.g., Te, Tl, Se and Cd) and other enriched critical metals (e.g., Li, Ti and Mo) in polymetallic nodules and Co-rich Fe-Mn crusts of different geneses have unique and varied enrichment characteristics, metal occurrence states, enrichment processes and enrichment mechanisms. This review helps to deepen the understanding of the geochemical behaviors of critical metals in oceanic environments, and it also bears significance for understanding the extreme enrichment and mineralization of deep-sea critical metals. Full article

The research interest for many authors has been focused on the origin, recovery, and exploration of critical metals, including platinum-group elements (PGEs), with the aim of finding new potential sources. Many giant porphyry Cu deposits are well known around the Pacific Rim, in the Balkan–Carpathian system, Himalayas, China, and Malaysia. However, only certain porphyry Cu-Au deposits are characterized by the presence of significant Pd and Pt contents (up to 20 ppm). This contribution provides new analytical data on porphyry-Cu-Au±Pd±Pt deposits from the Chalkidiki Peninsula and an overview of the existing geochemical characteristics of selected porphyry-Cu deposits worldwide in order to define significant differences between PGE-fertile and PGE-poor porphyry-Cu intrusions. The larger Mg, Cr, Ni, Co, and Re contents and smaller LILE elements (Ba and Sr) in fertile porphyry-Cu-Au-(PGE) reflect the larger contribution from the mantle to the parent magmas. In contrast, the smaller Mg, Cr, Ni, Co, and Re contents and larger Ba and Sr in PGE-poor porphyry-Cu-Mo deposits from the Chalkidiki Peninsula (Vathi, Pontokerasia, and Gerakario) and Russia–Mongolia suggest the presence of parent magmas with a more crustal contribution. Although there is an overlap in the plots of those elements, probably due to the evolution of the ore-forming system, consideration of the maximum contents of Mg, Cr, Ni, and Co is proposed. Magnetite which separated from the mineralized Skouries porphyry of Greece showed small negative Eu anomalies (Eu/Eu* ≥ 0.55), reflecting a relatively high oxidation state during the cooling of the ore-forming system. The relatively high, up to 6 ppm (Pd+Pt), and low Cr content towards the transition from the porphyry to epithermal environment, coupled with the occurrence of Pd, Te, and Se minerals (merenskyite, clausthalite), and tetrahedrite–tennantite in fertile porphyry Cu deposits (Elatsite deposit, Bulgaria), reflect a highly fractionated ore-forming system. Thus, in addition to the crustal and mantle recycling, metasomatism, high oxidation state, and abundant magmatic water, other factors required for the origin of fertile porphyry-Cu deposits are the critical degree of mantle melting to release Pt and Pd in the ore-forming fluids and the degree of fractionation, as reflected in the mineral chemistry and geochemical data. Full article

The East Pana intrusion is a part of the Paleoproterozoic Fedorova–Pana complex (FPC), which belongs to the group of Fennoscandian layered mafic–ultramafic massifs. This article discusses the magmatic stratification of the East Pana intrusion, as well as Cu-Ni and platinum-group elements (PGE) mineralization (PGE zones A, B and C) in its various parts with a total length of more than 20 km, including the East Chuarvy PGE deposit. Based on the whole-rock data on the distribution of major, trace, and ore-forming elements, it is assumed that PGE zone A belongs to the main ore–magmatic system of the FPC, while PGE zones B and C belong to the minor ore–magmatic systems. At the same time, additional magmatic injection played an important role in the formation of economic Cu-Ni-PGE mineralization (PGE zone B), characterized by high PGE concentrations and moderate palladium enrichment. On the normalized distribution spectra of trace elements, the crystallization products of this injection (Gabbronorite Zone 2) have a positive Zr-Hf anomaly, which distinguishes it from host rocks with an anomaly of the opposite sign (Gabbronorite Zone 1, Gabbro Zone). It is assumed that this portion of magma was intruded as a sill of crystal mush, the fractionation of which at depth led to its enrichment with residual liquid. Full article

Zoned plutons, composed of dunites, pyroxenites, and gabbroic rocks, have been referred to as the Ural-Alaskan type complexes (UA-complexes) and occur in numerous paleo-arc settings worldwide. Many of these complexes are source rocks for economic placers of platinum-group metals. Thus, it is important to understand how UA-complexes form and the origin and behavior of platinum-group elements (PGEs). It is widely assumed that the UA-complexes result from differentiation of supra-subduction high-Ca high-Mg sub-alkaline magmas. However, there is a lack of direct evidence for the existence and differentiation of such magmas, mainly because cases of UA-complexes being spatially and temporally linked to co-genetic volcanics are unknown. We studied an UA-complex from the Tumrok range (Eastern Kamchatka) where a dunite-clinopyroxenite-gabbro assemblage is spatially and temporary related to high-Ca volcanics (i.e., picrites and basalts). Based on the mineral and chemical composition of the rocks, mineral chemistry, and composition of melt inclusions hosted within rock-forming minerals, we conclude that the intrusive assemblage and the volcanics are co-genetic and share the same parental magma of ankaramitic composition. Furthermore, the compositions of the plutonic rocks are typical of UA-complexes worldwide. Finally, the rocks studied exhibit a full differentiation sequence from olivine-only liquidus in picrites and dunites to eutectic crystallization of diopside or hornblende, plagioclase, and K-Na feldspar in plagio-wehrlites and gabbroic rocks. All these results make the considered volcano–plutonic complex a promising case for petrological studies and modelling of UA-complex formation. Full article

Processing resource requirements in mineral extractive industries tend to increase over time as ore grades decrease, which consequently increases the environmental footprint of operations and products. This phenomenon may be alleviated by cleaner production interventions. South Africa is the largest global supplier of chromium. This study investigates the impact of cleaner production process improvements on selected resource intensities of the South African ferrochrome industry. Sustainability data, available since the start of regular sustainability reporting in 2007, were used to compile resource intensity trends. This was followed by a review of industry capital projects relating to resource-use optimisation, interrogated in interviews with industry experts, to ascertain their effect on resource intensities. The emergence of a symbiotic relationship with the platinum-group metals industry was identified as a major development, with chromite ore intensity decreasing from 2.54 to 1.98 kg per kg ferrochrome. Electrical energy intensity was observed to decrease from 3.47 to 2.86 kWh per ton ferrochrome, mainly as a result of cleaner smelting technology, though cogeneration fired by furnace off-gases also contributed significantly. The introduction of cleaner production interventions in the South African ferrochrome industry was thus documented to have resulted in decreased resource use intensities. Full article

Water scarcity is compelling mining houses to not only recycle process water but to also identify alternative sources of make-up water in concentrators. South Africa has significant volumes of acid mine drainage (AMD) generated from vast mining operations. This study investigated the viability of using AMD as a replacement for potable water in the flotation of a platinum-group-minerals (PGM)-bearing Merensky ore. Rougher and cleaner flotation testwork was conducted at laboratory scale to compare the performances of potable water (baseline water), AMD treated with Ca(OH)₂, and AMD treated with the Veolia process. Water analysis showed that the three water types differed in pH, water hardness, conductivity, and total dissolved solids. The results showed the AMD treated with Ca(OH)₂ was detrimental to PGM recovery compared to potable water at depressant dosages of 50 g/t. Specifically, AMD treated with Ca(OH)₂ achieved a PGM rougher recovery of 67.8%, while potable water achieved a PGM rougher recovery of 88.4%. Depressant dosage optimisation and treatment of the AMD using the Veolia process were investigated as potential strategies to mitigate the detrimental effects of the AMD treated with Ca(OH)₂ on the flotation performance of a Merensky ore. The AMD treated with the Veolia process achieved a PGM rougher recovery of 70.8%. Thus, treatment of the AMD was beneficial, though the PGM and base metal sulphides (BMS) recoveries were still lower than those achieved in potable water. Reducing the depressant dosage to 25 g/t in AMD treated with Ca(OH)₂ resulted in the highest PGM, Cu, and Ni rougher recoveries of 91%, 60.2%, and 58%, respectively. The AMD treated with Ca(OH)₂ at lower depressant dosage outperformed the potable water in terms of PGM and BMS recoveries and concentrate grades, indicating that AMD has the potential to replace potable water as make-up water in Merensky ore processing plants. The results showed that depressant optimisation is important to achieve superior metallurgical results when using AMD treated with Ca(OH)₂. The use of AMD in Merensky ore processing plants not only conserves freshwater in minerals processing plants but also reduces high volumes of contaminated effluents. Full article

Listwaenitization processes have significantly altered the mantle section of the West Chalkidiki ophiolites, generating the second largest magnesite deposit in Greece. Although research studies have been conducted in the region, the post-magmatic processes, and especially the geotectonic settings under which listwaenitization took place, remain unclear. In this study, minerals and rocks were studied applying XRD, clay fraction, SEM, EMPA, ICP-MS, INAA, LA-ICP-MS, and thermodynamic modeling. The results revealed that alteration processes significantly affected the mantle wedge peridotite protoliths leading to the following chemical changes (a) SiO₂ increase with decreasing MgO, (b) Cs, Pb, As, and V enrichments, (c) limited alteration of magnesiochromite hosted within listwaenitized chromitites and (d) enrichment in PPGE and Au in listwaenitized chromitites and desulfurized laurite. Alteration was induced by fluids deriving from subducted Mesozoic sediments, represented by the Prinochori Formation or chemically similar formations. The final product of completely silicified peridotite (silica listwaenite) is thermodynamically stable in Earth-surface conditions, with dolomite and phyllosilicates transforming into clay minerals. Based on detailed petrographical observations, peridotites were subjected to serpentinization, and subsequently, serpentine interacted with CO₂, silica and calcium-bearing fluids, leading to its transformation into amorphous rusty-silica mass and/or tremolite. Full article

We describe occurrences of platinum-group minerals (PGM) and an uncommon mineral enriched in Cl, and provide a brief review of Cl-bearing minerals associated with basic–ultrabasic complexes. An unusual phosphohedyphane-like phase (~30 µm), close to CaPb₄(PO₄)₃Cl, occurs in one of the PGM-bearing veins of massive sulfides in the Monchepluton layered complex, Kola Peninsula, Russia. These veins consist of varying amounts of pyrrhotite, pentlandite, chalcopyrite, pyrite and accessory grains of galena; they are fairly abundant in the heavy-mineral concentrate, as are small (<0.1 mm) grains of PGM: michenerite, sperrylite, Bi-enriched members of the merenskyite–moncheite series and kotulskite, also rich in Bi. The PGE mineralization is attributed to a low-temperature deposition at the hydrothermal stage. The pyromorphite–phosphohedyphane solid solution likely formed as a secondary phase under conditions of a progressive build-up of oxygen fugacity via oxidation reactions of a precursor grain of galena and involving Ca, as an incompatible component of the sulfides, in a medium of residual fluid enriched in Cl. Full article

The occurrence of very-high-grade bauxite ores of karst-type deposits resulting from Fe-leaching is of particular importance, because they are widespread in the Mediterranean metallogenetic province and result in the natural beneficiation of the ore quality. The present study focuses on mineral transformations and variations of major and trace elements, including platinum-group elements (PGE) and mineral chemistry along a bauxite profile from the Parnassos-Ghiona deposit, Greece underlying a fault. The most salient feature of the multicolor ores (grey–whitish, yellowish, deep red, deep grey to brown-red color, from top to bottom) is their association with fossilized and present-day microorganisms, which, by their reducing and/or oxidizing activity, catalyze redox reactions and provide nucleation sites for the precipitation of secondary minerals. Texture relationships between mineral and variations in the mineral chemistry, suggesting the sequence in their formation, indicate a multistage evolution. The recorded compositional variations show that the Al enrichment is accompanied by increase in the TOC, As, Pd and U, and chondrite-normalized REE patterns exhibit a similar trend and positive Ce anomalies. A lower (Pt + Pd) content and higher Pd/Pt ratio, ranging from 1.0 to 5.5 in the bauxite profile compared to those in Fe-Ni laterite deposits with the Pd/Pt ratio ranging from 0.1 to 0.68, reflect the higher solubility and mobility of Pd compared to that of Pt, and differences in their origin and genesis. A positive correlation between Pd and As and the elevated As content (up to 960 mg/kg) in multicolor ores compared to brown-red samples (average 10 mg/kg As) confirms their mobilization and redeposition. Full article

The crystal structures of newly found minerals are routinely determined using single-crystal techniques. However, many rare minerals usually form micrometer-sized aggregates that are difficult to study with conventional structural methods. This is the case for numerous platinum-group minerals (PGMs) such as, for instance, zaccariniite (RhNiAs), the crystal structure of which was first obtained by studying synthetic samples. The aim of the present work is to explore the usefulness of USPEX, a powerful crystal structure prediction method, as an alternative means of determining the crystal structure of minerals such as zaccariniite, with a relatively simple crystal structure and chemical formula. We show that fixed composition USPEX searches with a variable number of formula units, using the ideal formula of the mineral as the only starting point, successfully predict the tetragonal structure of a mineral. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations can then be performed in order to more tightly relax the structure of the mineral and calculate different fundamental properties, such as the frequency of zone-center Raman-active phonons, or even their pressure behavior. These theoretical data can be subsequently compared to experimental results, which, in the case of newly found minerals, would allow one to confirm the correctness of the crystal structure predicted by the USPEX code. Full article

The platinum-group minerals (PGM) in placer deposits provide important information on the types of their primary source rocks and ores and formation and alteration conditions. The article shows for the first time the results of a study of placer platinum mineralization found in the upper reaches of the Kitoy River (the southeastern part of the Eastern Sayan (SEPES)). Using modern methods of analysis (scanning electron microscopy), the authors studied the microtextural features of platinum-group minerals (PGM), their composition, texture, morphology and composition of microinclusions, rims, and other types of changes. The PGM are Os-Ir-Ru alloys with a pronounced ruthenium trend. Many of the Os-Ir-Ru grains have porous, fractured, or altered rims that contain secondary PGE sulfides, arsenides, sulfarsenides, Ir-Ni-Fe alloys, and rarer selenides, arsenoselenides, and tellurides of the PGE. The data obtained made it possible to identify the root sources of PGM in the placer and to make assumptions about the stages of transformation of primary igneous Os-Ir-Ru alloys from bedrock to placer. We assume that there are several stages of alteration of high-temperature Os-Ir-Ru alloys. The late magmatic stage is associated with the effect of fluid-saturated residual melt enriched with S, As. The post-magmatic hydrothermal stage (under conditions of changing reducing conditions to oxidative ones) is associated with the formation of telluro-selenides and oxide phases of PGE. The preservation of poorly rounded and unrounded PGM grains in the placer suggests a short transport from their primary source. The source of the platinum-group minerals from the Kitoy River placer is the rocks of the Southern ophiolite branch of SEPES and, in particular, the southern plate of the Ospa-Kitoy ophiolite complex, and primarily chromitites. Full article