Features of platinum-group elements (PGE) in gold-bearing breccia of the Taibai gold deposit, Shaanxi

Abstract：The content of platinum-group elements (PGE) in samples of sulfides and gold-bearing breccia from the Taibai gold deposit was determined by the nickel sulfide fire assay and inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). The results show that the PGE content in these samples is higher than that in the Baguamiao gold deposit, Qinling, but lower than that in the primitive mantle. Among the PGE, Pt, Pd and Ru are richer. According to the above-mentioned analysis, combined with the previous study of the sources and transport mechanism of the PGE, the authors think that the PGE may have been subjected to the deep sources, of which the IPGE (Ir, Os and Ru) might occur in the form of sulfides, while PPGE (Rh, Pt and Pd) might occur as simple substance.