Efficient and accurate identification of platinum group minerals by a combination of mineral liberation and electron microprobe analysis

Identification and accurate characterization of platinum group minerals (PGM) is a very cumbersome procedure due to grain sizes that are mostly below 10 µm and inconspicuous appearance. A novel strategy on finding and quantifying PGM was applied by combining Mineral Liberation Analyzer (MLA) 650F, point logger (JEOL) and a field emission electron probe micro-analyzer (FE-EPMA, JEOL JXA-8530F). Thin sections from a layered intrusion (UG2) in the Bushveld Complex and from two Uralian-Alaskan-type complexes in the Ural Mountains, Russia, were investigated as case studies.
As a first step the PGM are identified, using the Mineral Liberation Analyzer (MLA). The SPL (Sparse Phase Liberation) mode is the best way to find and identify the PGM with high spatial resolution and great accuracy. For this purpose, a series of back-scattered electron images is collected. Within these images, mineral grains are selected that match or exceed a set grey-scale value. These grains are characterized by collecting EDS spectra. Grains identified as PGMs are then marked and coordinates recorded in a format suitable for the EPMA at the point logger. With these coordinates recorded, the sample can be transferred to the microprobe. Despite their small grain sizes the PGM can be retrieved without any difficulties (deviation from the position logged with the point logger is only a few µm). Case studies illustrate that the combination of MLA, point logger and EPMA results in the identification of 4-5 times more PGMs than by careful reflected light microscopy. This is mainly due to the facts that (a) PGM with grain sizes < 5µm are reliably identified and (b) PGM and closely associated base metal sulfides and sulfosalts are well differentiated with the MLA. Furthermore, identification of PGMs remains unaffected by human error and is efficient with respect to the time spent by the mineralogist on a particular sample.
Despite the efficient identification of PGM grains using MLA, the combination with FE-EPMA bears at least one significant advantage. FE-EPMA allows for the accurate determination of mineral chemical composition by WDS, whereas MLA permits only for EDS spot analyses. WDS analyses of PGM by FE-EPMA requires considerable caution, though, due to overlaps of X-rays on both peak and background of almost all PGE and associated elements (e.g. OsMβ on IrMα and AuMβ on HgMα). It is thus necessary to look carefully at every element and to set peak and backgrounds individually for every element. X-ray lines suitable for quantitative analyses (e.g. Mβ instead of Mα) need to be carefully selected. As peak overlaps cannot be avoided completely, an offline overlap correction has been developed in order to correct the interferences afterwards. Results obtained in this study attain acceptable totals and atomic proportions, suggesting that the applied corrections are appropriate.