First finding of native Nickel in cumulates of the Canindé Domain, Brazil

oleh: Carlos D. Marques de Sá, Bruno L.L. Martins, Danilo S. Barreto, Márcio Paim, Herbet Conceição

Format: Article
Diterbitkan: Instituto Federal de Educação, Ciência e Tecnologia da Paraíba 2018-12-01

Deskripsi

<p>Studies of the Fe-Ti oxides and Cu-Ni sulfides mineralizations of the Canindé Domain, Sergipe state, Brazil, are being carried out by our research group. These studies, which are aimed at mineralogical and geochemical characterization of these occurrences, involved until now field work, transmited and reflected light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). In the field the Fe-Ti oxides (magnetite-ilmenite with spinel) cumulates occur mainly as small blocks in the contact between the Complexo Gabróico Canindé unit and the Novo Gosto-Mulungu formation. Through SEM analysis it was possible to identify native nickel (Ni) grains as inclusions in spinel of the magnetitic cumulates. This was the first time that native nickel was  discovered in the Canindé Domain and in Brazil and has the additional scientific interest of being one of the extremely rare occurences of native Ni in the world, as only five have been described worldwide, according to our best knowledge. It also determines a necessary re-evaluation of the mineralizations of the Canindé Domain, of the geochemical significance of this occurrence for its genesis, the implications it has in the mineralizations modelling and economical potential.</p>