Geochemical Trace of Silicon Isotopes of Intrusions and Ore Veins Related to Alkali-rich Porphyry Deposits in Western Yunnan, China

Western Yunnan is the well-known polymetallic province in China. It is characterized by copper-gold mineralization related to Cenozoic alkali-rich porphyry. This paper analyzes the silicon isotope data obtained from four typical alkali-rich porphyry deposits based on the dynamic fractionation principle of silicon isotope. The study shows that the ore materials should originate mainly from alkali-rich magmas, together with silicon-rich mineralizing fluids. The process of mineralization was completed by auto-metasomatism, i.e. silicon-rich mineralizing fluids (including alkali-rich porphyry and wall-rock strata) replaced and altered the country rocks and contaminated with crustal rocks during the crystallization of alkali-rich magmas. Such a process is essentially the continuance of the metasomatism of mantle fluids in crust's mineralization. This provides important evidence of silicon isotopic geochemistry for better understanding the mineralization of the Cenozoic alkali-rich porphyry polymetallic deposits

Yixunite and Damiaoite—A Twin of New Native Alloys of Indium and Platinum from the Yanshan Mountains

Yixunite and damiaoite Were found in a cobalt- and copper-bearing platinum ore vein of a contact metasomatic deposit. The chief ore minerals are bornite, chalcopyrite, magnetite and carrollite. The platinum minerals include moncheite, sperrylite, daomanite, cobalt malanite and cooperite. Yixunite and damiaoite occur as immiscible globules, 1.0 to 2.0 mm in diameter. Yixunite is always in the central part of a globule. It is opaque with metallic lustre, bright white colour and black streak. HM = 5.8; VHN50 = 634 kg/mm2 (573-681 kg/ mm2); insoluble in HCl, HNO3, HF or H3PO4; no cleavage; no magnetism. Density is hard to measure because of small grain size. Calculated density = 18.21 g/cm3. Reflective colour is bright white with a yellowish tint. Isotropic. The mean analytical results (ranges) (%) are: Pt 82.8 (81.8-83.6), In 16.4(15.6-17.1) and total 99.2. The empirical formula (based on 4 atoms) is Pt2.993 In1.007 . The five strongest lines of X-ray diffraction (hkl, d,I) are 111, 2.30 (100); 200, 1.99 (60); 202, 1.411 (40);311, 1.203 (80); 222, 1.151(40). Space group: Pm3m with a =0.3988(3) nm and Z= 1. Damiaoite occurs as single globules or was exsolved from yixunite. Opaque with metallic lustre; bright white colour with black streak; HM = 5.3; VHN50 = 485 kg/mm2 (434-529 kg/mm2); insoluble in HC1, HNO3, HF or H3PO4; cleavage: no; magnetism: no. Density: hard to measure because of small grain size. Calculated density = 10.95 g/ cm3. Reflective colour is bright white with a yellowish tint. Isotropic. The mean analytical results (ranges) (%) are Pt 45.6 (45.4-46.0), In 53.5 (52.4-53.9), total 99.1. The empirical formula (based on 3 atoms) is Pt0.002 In1.998. The six strongest lines of X-ray diffraction (hkl.d,I) are 220,2.25 (100); 311,1.92 (60); 400,1.59 (60); 422,1.299 (80); 440,1.125 (60); 620,1.006 (70). Space group: Fm3m with a = 0.6364 (3) nm and Z = 4.