Geochemical Variations Within Podiform Chromitite Deposits in the Shetland Ophiolite: Implications for Petrogenesis and PGE Concentration

摘要

The Shetland ophiolite, located to the northeast of the Scottish mainland, contains podiform chromitites. Two of these are known to host extremely anomalous PGE concentrations. The chromitite at Cliff is enriched in Pt, Pd, and Rh PGE (PPGE) and the Harold's Grave chromitite is enriched in Ir, Ru, and Os PGE (IPGE). Analysis of multiple samples of chromitite from chrornite quarry spoil tips and surrounding chromite-bearing dunite and chromite-bearing harzburgite has revealed that there are links between the chromite geochemistry and the PGE. Both Cliff and Harold's Grave have a characteristic chromite geochemistry, which distinguishes them from the other PGE-poor chromitites.