Chromium, nickel, and cobalt distribution in saprolite and river sediment concentrates derived from Medellín dunites
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.32685/0120-1425/bolgeol28.3.1987.308Keywords:
Colombia, Santa Elena, Batea, podiform deposits, spectrography, geochemical prospecting
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Copyright (c) 1953 Servicio Geológico Colombiano
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Abstract
In the Medellín dunite body, several podiform chromite deposits are present. In a restricted area of this body, around a chromite occurrence, a geochemical study was made on the distribution of Ni, Co, and Cr in the saprolite and the concentrates in the pan from the ultramafic e, to know the usefulness of these elements as indicators of mineralization. The analyses were carried out by semiquantitative spectrography.
In saprolite, nickel and cobalt are notoriously affected by chemical weathering being redistributed and leached and are not useful as occurrence indicators of chromite. Both elements have a higher geochemical coherence with iron than with manganese. On the other hand, chromium is found mainly in the resistor minerals (chromite and magnetite) and indicates the primary distribution of chromium in the dunite.
The zone to the west of the Patio Bonito deposit has high chromium values, suggesting a higher chromite concentration and better prospects for chromite bodies.
Geochemical prospecting using pan concentrates proved to be useful, and two anomalous areas were found in the catchment of the Las Palmas stream using this tool.
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