A STUDY OF THE COMPOSITION, DISTRIBUTION, AND GENESIS OF PYRRHOTITE IN THE COPPER CLIFF OFFSET, SUDBURY, ONTARIO, CANADA

摘要

Pyrrhotite (Po) from five orebodies (830, 865, 880, 890, and 100 OB) in the Copper Cliff Offset Dike (CCOD) at Sudbury, Ontario was studied using powder X-ray diffraction data and Rietveld analysis, SEM-EDS, magnetic colloid, optical petrographic techniques, and Laser Ablation-ICP-MS in order to: (1) quantify the distribution of NC (non-magnetic, symmetry higher than monoclinic) and 4C (magnetic, monoclinic in symmetry) Po; (2) characterize the major, minor, and trace-element chemistries of both polymorphs; and (3) determine the factors enhancing the stability of NC Po. Results confirm that both NC and 4C Po are present, with ratios varying between 0 to 0.97. In general, 4C Po is the dominant polymorph within the sampled OB, with the exception of the 100 OB, which is dominated by NC Po.