Economic Geology Vol. 89, 1994, pp.

158-167

Geochemistry Platinum-Group of Elementsof the ZonedUltramaficAlto CondotoComplex,NorthwestColombia

M. TISTL

Ostpreuendamm b, D-12207Berlin,Germany 182

Abstract

The Alto Condoto Complex, datedat 20 Ma, is a zonedultramafic intrusion with a magmaticrocksequence ranging fromdunitcto hornblendite. differentpetrographic The units are cumulates formedby fractional crystallization processes. Parts the central of dunitcareanomalously enriched PtFealloys, to a minordegree, in and in IrOs alloys. otherlithologic All unitsof the complex display normal fractionation trends of platinum-group elements (PGE),with a general increase totalPGE fromwehrliteto hornof blendeclinopyroxenite hornblendite. and Thisnormaltrend is bestdescribed increasing by Pd and decreasing abundances. Ir The controlling factorforPGEmineralization zoned in ultramafic complexes probably is an effective PtFe alloyprecipitation duringthe crystallization olivine.Thismaybe initiated of by rapidtectonic movements causing pressure decrease overheating the magma, and of with

PGEalloy formation a result thefo2shiftduring as of olivine crystallization.

The purpose this paper is to analyzethe PGE of distribution within the differentrock types of the PLATINUM-GROUP ELEMENT (PGE)ore deposits ecoof Condoto area where both a zoned ultramafic comnomicimportanceare either of a Bushveld(PGE + peridoCr), Sudbury, Noril'sktype (Cu-Ni ore with PGE plex (Condoto)and orthopyroxene-bearing or asby-products). The three mineralization stylesare tites (Viravira)are mineralizedwith PGM. associated layered with mafic intrusions. largest Geologic The setting placerplatinumdeposits, the other hand,derive on from the erosion of zoned ultramaflc intrusions as is The Tertiary CondotoComplexis the youngest
the case in western Colombia, the Ural Mountains,

Introduction

zoned ultramafic complex (Alaskan-type complex) in

the world knownto date (20 _ i Ma, Tistl et al., in press). The largest Colombian platinum placers are located its western at drainage system area(Fig. 1). Other zonedcomplexes occuralonga north-southtrendinglineament parallelto the axisof the Colombian Western Cordillera, and the occurrenceof Pt

BritishColumbia,Ethiopia, and New SouthWales, Australia. The mainplatinum-group minerals (PGM) in these placersare PtFe alloys,with only minor amounts other PGM. For the principalColombian of PGM miningdistrictin the Condotoarea, Salinas et al. (1992) showed that the placerPGM are mainlyof the samecomposition the primaryPGM, and are as formedby erosion and alluvialincrease the priin marymineralizations. Erosion ultramaflc of partsof ophiolites produce may PGM placers with ferroplatihum andIr-Os-Rualloysin varyingproportions, but generallysuchplacers dominated minerals are by of the Ir-Os-Rugroup(Harris and Cabri, 1973; Cabri andHarris, 1975). In geochemical terms,the generallyobserved increase in PGE concentrations in the cumulate rocks

placers southern in Colombia (Barbacoas) in and northernEcuador(Esmeraldas) points to a total

lengthof morethan 1,000 km for thisbelt of zoned
ultramafic intrusions.

The Colombian WesternCordilleraiscomposed of differentterranesincludingsegments Cretaceous of oceanic crust,earlyTertiaryislandarcs,andvarious subduction-related magmatic rocks predominantly of calc-alkalinecomposition (Restrepoand Toussaint,
1989; Schmidt-Thom(et al., 1992; Tistl and Salazar,

formed froma basaltic melt, andin Pd/Ir ratios with increasing fractional crystallization, pointsto differences the crystallochemical in behavior the PGE, of i.e., differentindividual partitioncoefficients during magmatic evolution. Os, andRu are more easily Ir, incorporated or precipitated in, togetherwith, early crystallizing mineralphases whereas the remaining liquidtends be enriched Pd,Pt, andAu (Harney to in et al., 1990; PeckandKeays,1990).
0361-0128/94/1538/158-1054.00

1993). The emplacement the zoned ultramafic of complexes into shallowcrustal levels seemsto be controlled largetransverse by movements along a the north-south lineament duringan extensional stage of a generallyeast-west compressive tectonicframework (Tistl and Salazar,1993). The zoned ultramaficCondoto Complex (Fig. 2) hasaneliptical formwith concentric layers composed of a dunitccore,with wehrlite,olivineclinopyroxen-

158

PGE,ALTO CONDOTOCOMPLEX, NORTHWEST COLOMBIA

159

--

Goo. de.,.,

77J

76 '

Monteria

-8 Ura

Quibdd)

Condoto

Complex

Manizales

Buenaventura

opyroxene,and magnetitewas controlledby fractionalcrystallization an Mg-richbasaltic of melt (see discussion Findlay, 1969). in The central part of the intrusionconsists fresh of dunitewith minoramounts clinopyroxene 0.8 of (avg wt % CaO, Table 1, corresponding 2.5 modal% to diopside),up to 1.6 modal percent chromite,and traces pargasite, of phlogopite, magnetite, PtFe and alloys. An early, prekinematicolivine generation with crystals to several up millimeters largestdiin mension with kink bands surrounded a synand is by to postdeformational fine-grained olivinegeneration that forms rims around the prekinematicolivine grains.Forsteritc contentsare greater than 90 mole percent. Chromite occursas inclusions prekinein matic olivine and as interstitialidiomorphicgrains. The Fe/Fe + Mg ratio of chromites from the dunite corevariesfrom 0.9 in accessory chromiteto 0.5 in chromite fromchromitite stringers (K.P.Burgath and M. Tistl, in prep.). From the centraldunite toward the outer layers, the modalclinopyroxene contentincreases until the rockbecomes olivineclinopyroxenite an (10-30% olivine) which comprises major part of the comthe plex. With increasing modalclinopyroxene, forthe steritecontentof olivinedecreases 89 mole perto cent in wehrlite and 77 mole percent in olivine clinopyroxenite (Salinas Tistl, 1992). The olivine and grains the outer partsof the olivineclinopyroxenin itc displaymagmatic resorptionfabricsand point to disequilibrium betweenolivineand the clinopyroxenemelt.Asistypicalof zonedultramafic complexes, orthopyroxeneis extremely rare. Amphibole of edenitic composition within the olivine clinopyroxenite zoneis late to postmagmatic replaces and clinopyroxene,pointingto a strongmetasomatic exchange
of Ca and AI.

abundant clinopyroxenites hornblendites. in and The latter occur as massive bodies and dikes preferentially within the injection zone and containtotally saussuritized interstitialplagioclase. Clinopyroxene cores withinhornblende crystals common. ulare All ite, and hornblende-magnetite clinopyroxenite to- tramaficrocksof the zonedcomplexare freshand wardthe margins. strongly A heterogeneous (in- show no appreciablepostintrusivealteration. The unit jection zone) occursbetween the hornblende-bear- zonedcomplex intrudedhighMg basalts pelitic and ing clinopyroxenites the hornblendehornfelses. sedimentscausinga pronouncedthermometamorand and It includes metasomatically alteredclinopyroxenitesphic aureole(Salinas Tistl, 1992).
ley represent Mesozoic ophiolites.

bian Western Cordillera. Hatched areasnear the Cauca River val-

Coarse-grained and pegmatitictexturesare comFIc. l. Zonedultramafic complexes (black)and main PtFe placer occurrences (hatched) thewestern at slope the Colom- mon in the whole complex, of but they are especially

and contactmetamorphic rocksof the pyroxene hornfels facies. Typically,this unit is intrudedby Platinum-Group Mineralization in comb-layered hornblende-plagioclase The todikes. the Condoto Area tal areaof the magmatic intrusion 8 x 5 km. Withis out any doubt metasomatism playedan important A 200- x 300-m area of the central dunite is role in the late stage consolidation the border enriched of of with PtFe alloys(PtaFe) that occurasaczones theintrusion, of including hornblende-bear-cessory all minerals. Strong localPGEenrichment found inglithologies, the crystallization olivine,clin- in weathered but of saprolite interpretedasschlierenlike is

160

TISTL

Low grade metamorphicrocks High grade metamorphic rocks Gabbro-diodtic injectionzone

Hornblende-magnetite clinopyroxenite v

Wehrlite
Dunite

Olivineclinopyroxenite

F basaltslenses High-Mg with //" peridotite

Cretaceous-Tertiary sediments
v v v v v v v

Alto

(zoned ultra-

maficcomplex)
v v v v v

V VVvV vVVv vv v \ (V v v v v
v v v Aguacatev v v
Guineo v

\
V

v v v v v v

V
v

V
v

V
v

V
v

V
v v

v
v v v

v
v

v iv v Viravirav v v v v v
v v v v v V v v v v v \ ' V V V X/ V V V 0

km

FIG. 9,. Generalized map of the zonedultramafic CondotoComplexwithin high Mg basalts with serpentinized peridotites Viravira(black).Modifiedfrom Salinas al. (1992). of et

location analytical and methods PGM occurrences (Salinas al., 1992; K.P. Burgath Sample et and M. Tistl, in prep.). The majorityof the primary Fortyrocksamples fourheavymineralconcenand PtFe alloys euhedral are (cubic)single crystals to up havebeen analyzed i mm in diameter,frequently with skeletal growth tratesmadefrom rock samples were selected during and growth defects. Crystal aggregates PtFe forPGEandAu. Thesesamples of a detailedsampling and mappingprogramwith exgreaterthan 13 mm in size are foundsporadically. control. The Some Os lamellae are intergrownwith PtFe, but tensive petrologicaland geochemical havebeentakenfrom differentserother PGM are very rare. PGM-chromite inter- Viravirasamples growthsare presentbut not common.Within this pentinized peridotiresnear Viravira, located about
central zone chromite occurs in the form of dissemi10 km west-southwest of the zoned Condoto Com-

wereprepared natedgrainsaswell asin form of irregularnodules plex.The heavymineralconcentrates of (generally than5 cmin diam)andschlieren; less how- by crushing up to 25 kg of rockandconcentrating shaking table. ever, larger or continuous chromititelenses not the <l-mm fractionon a laboratory are However,the extraction the heavyminerals of was typical. Samples g) wereprocessed (25 A secondtype of primary PGM mineralization notfully quantitative. and by (Viravira type)occurs withinmagmatotectonic frag- by NiS fire-assay analyzed ICP-MS at XRAL, Toronto,Canada. Detectionlimitsare 1 ppb for Ru, ments largelyserpentinized, of orthopyroxene-bearing peridotites (dunitc, harzburgite, lherzolite) Rh, Pt, Pd, andAu, 0.2 ppb for Ir, and 3 ppb for Os. were made usingthe sefoundin highMg basalts (Salinas Tistl, 1992;K.P. Whole-rockXRF analysis and RF-spectrometric routinemethodat the labBurgath and M. Tistl, in prep.). The basaltsare quential thought represent early-stage oftheparen- oratories of the Bundesanstalt fiir Geowissenschaften to an melt Hannover,Germany. tal magmaof the zonedcomplex.As in the zoned und Rohstoffe, complex, PtFe alloys(-PtaFe) are by far the dominant PGM. Intergrowths with Os alloysand with Geochemistry PGE in the Zoned Ultramafic of chromiteare morefrequentin the Viraviratype, and CondotoComplex in somecases, severalcentimeter-large nuggets ocGeochemical investigations PGE in ultramafic of cur wherePtFe forms intercumulus the phase euof by problems: first, hedralchromite grains (K.P.Burgath M. Tistl,in rocksare hampered two essential and the restrictedanalytical sensitivity PGE at or beof prep.).

PGE, ALTO CONDOTO COMPLEX, NORTHWEST COLOMBIA

] 6]

162

TISTL

lithological differentiation, available are lowtheparts billionlevel,andsecond, irregu- outaccurate per the
lar distribution of PGE within the rocks. It is reason-

able to suppose that PGE occur,when presentin

anomalous concentrations,as discrete but rare PGM

from the literature. However, in view of the fact that the rocksof zoned intrusionsare cumulates,i.e., frac-

tional crystallization products, a statistical such treat-

an of grains. iswell knownfor golddeposits, As such occur- mentprevents understanding the differentiarence patternscausesevereproblems sampling tion processes. in Theanalytical results 32 rocksamples three of and andinterpretation the analytical of results. therelaIn from the zonedultratively few availabledata sets,the large variationin heavymineralconcentrates
PGE contents in rocks of zoned ultramafic intrusions

maficCondoto Complex listedin Table 2. The are average ppb in dunites 43 and hasbeenresolved mostinvestigators statistical total PGE contents by by and methods. Therefore,for manyof thesecomplexes, olivine clinopyroxenites, average136 ppb in clinopyroxenites. total The onlyaverage PGE contents, in mostcases, and with- magnetite-hornblende
TABr Platinum-Group 2. Elements, andCr2Oa Au, Contents Pd/Ir, Pt/Ir, andPt/(Pt+ Pd)Ratios and of Rocks the ZonedUltramafic of Complex Condoto (contents ppb, Cr2Oa wt %) in in

Rock type
i i i I I 1 1 1 1

Sample no.
RM~7778F RM-7790A RS-4380 RS-4450 RS-4375 RS-4379 RM-7127 RM-7137 GZ-2857

Os
<3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3

Ir
1.1 4.3 2.9 2.2 2.9 2.6 3.4 2.2 2.7

Ru
<1 <1 2 1 3 4 11 8 9

Rh
i 3 2 <1 2 2 6 2 2

Pt
2 117 19 2 38 6 12 90 53

Pd
I 2 1 1 2 1 5 2 i

Au
<1 <1 <1 1 1 1 4 7 i

Cr2Oa
0.41 0.26 0.76 0.39 0.35 0.28 2.36 0.27 0.19

Pd/Ir
0.9 0.5 0.3 0.5 0.7 0.4 1.5 0.9 0.4

Pt/Pt + Pd
0.7 1.0 1.0 0.7 1.0 0.9 0.7 1.0 1.0

Pt/Ir
1.8 27.2 6.6 0.9 13.1 2.3 3.5 40.9 19.6

Sum PGE
5 124 25 6 46 14 31 102 66

Avgdunite
2 MT-1649

<3
<3

2.7
2.1

4.4
10

2.3
4

38
9

1.8
7

2
<1

0.60
1.64

0.7
3.3

0.9
0.6

12.9
4.3

43
28 258 104 114
16 21 43 45 81

2 2 2
3 3 3 3 3

MT-16521 MT-16561 MT-16591

RM-7081 RM-7177 RS-3748 GZ-2848 RS-3774

25 7 6
<3 <3 <3 <3 <3

25 23 10
<0.2 <0.2 <0.2 <0.2 <0.2

27 23 28
9 8 8 7 8

38 28 21
<1 <1 <1 <1 2

150 31 60
3 6 16 16 19

56 27 16
4 7 19 22 54

680 210 230

3 2 2 1 2

n.d. n.d. n.d.

0.35 0.24 0.13 0.09 0.06

2.2 1.2 1.6

0.7 0.5 0.8

6.0 1.3 6.0

Avgwehrite

2.1
>20 >35 >95 >110 >270

0.7
0.4 0.5 0.5 0.4 0.3

4.4
>15 >30 >80 >80 >95

Avg Olivineclinopyroxenite
4 5 5 5 6 6 6 RM-7124 RS-3877 RS-3961 RS-3984 RS-4038 RS-3955 RS-4322

<3
<3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3

<0.2
<0.2 <0.2 <0.2 0.6 <0.2 <0.2 0.3

8
6 5 7 7 7 9 4

<1.2
1 1 2 1 2 3 <1

12
11 6 120 23 36 64 82

21
2 4 100 1 57 65 84

2
1 2 1 1 2 3 1

0.17
0.13 0.08 0.02 0.06 0.05 n.d. 0.01

>106
>10 >20 >500 1.7 >285 >325 280

0.4
0.8 0.6 0.5 1.0 0.4 0.5 0.5

>60
>55 >30 >600 38 >180 >320 273

42
19 15 227 32 100 138 170

Avg Hornblenditeclinopyroxenite
7 7 8 8 8 8 RS-3723 RS-3724 RM-7057 RM-7184 RS-3749 RS-3756

<3
<3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3

<0.2
<0.2 <0.2 <0.2 <0.2 <0.2 <0.2

6.6
6 9 10 4 7 7

<2
1 1 1 1 1 1

61
11 5 27 12 38 21

69
12 12 28 11 23 23

2
1 1 1 14 1 2

0.03
0.006 0.01 0.03 0.002 0.05 0.04

297
>60 >60 >140 >55 >115 >115

0.5
0.5 0.3 0.5 0.5 0.6 0.5

>258
>55 >25 >135 >60 >190 >105

136
29 26 65 27 68 51

AvgHornblendite 9 MJ-0709
9 9 GS-3018 RM-7368

<3 <3
<3 <3

<0.2 <0.2
<0.2 <0.2

7 4
4 5

1 1
1 1

25 5
22 3

21 6
35 4

5 1
1 1

0.03 n.d.
n.d. 0.008

>106 >30
>175 >20

1 0.5
0.4 0.4

>123 >25
>110 >15

53 15
61 12

KOL-90/5

<3

<0.1

<1

n.d.

>30

0.4

>20

Rock type: = dunitc, = wehrlite, = olivine I 2 3 clinopyroxenite,clinopyroxenite, magnetite 4 -5= clinopyroxenite, hornblende 6=
clinopyroxenite,= hornblendite-clinopyroxenite, 7 8 = hornblendite, = hornblende-plagioclase 9 pegmatite Heavymineral concentrate about25 kg of rock from

PGE, ALTOCONDOTO COMPLEX, NORTHWEST COLOMBIA

163

PGE contents essentially are controlled Pt and/or by

Pd abundances.

lOO

The osmiumcontent is below detectionlimit (3 ppb) in all the rock types,and only the three heavy mineralconcentrate samples showdetectable values, 25, 7, and 6 ppb. Thesedata suggest originalOs/Ir ratiosin wehrlite rangingfrom 0.3 to 0.6 and give
recalculated Os contents on the order of 0.6 to 1.2

Pd

(ppb)

ppb (for sample MT 1649). The Ir contents range from1.1to 4.3 ppbin dunites 2.7 ppb)andis2.1 (avg in a wehrlitesample; otherrocktypeshaveIr valall uesbelowthe detection limit (0.2 ppb).The amount of Ru varies between and11 ppbin dunites <1 (avg 4.4 ppb)butisrelatively constant olivine in clinopyroxenites 8 ppb)andhornblendites 7 ppb). (avg (avg This trend differssignificantly from the behaviorof Ru whichhasbeen reportedto correlatepositively with Os andIr (Angioritis Wolf, 1978; Crocket, and 1981). The low Ru abundances all rock typesin in
combination with low Ru contents in PtFe and OsIr

[]
v

[] WHU-

Ir (ppb)

Hb-CLINOPYROXENITE

alloys Weiseret al.,in prep.)seem be a general (T. to characteristic zoned of ultramafic complexes (Weiser
andSchmidt-Thom(, 1993). The rhodium contents rangefrom <1 to 6 ppb in dunites (avg2.3 ppb)andarenearor belowdetection limit (1 ppb)in all otherrocktypes.Rh behaves like Ir (Fig. 3). Platinumhasthe greatest variance all of the PGE (Table2), with contents 2 to 117 ppb in of dunitc,3 to 120 ppbin clinopyroxenites types (rock 3-7), 11 to 28 ppbin hornblendites, 3 to 35 ppb and in hornblende-plagioclase pegmatites. Dunites are clearlyenrichedin Pt; the Pt concentration seems to

FIG. 4. Pd vs. Ir diagramof differentlithologicunitsof the zonedultramafic Condoto Complex.

fractional crystallization trendof the magma (Figs.3 and4). The lowestPd values observed dunites, are in <1 to 5 ppb,increasing 7 ppbin wehrlite,4 to 54 to ppb in olivineclinopyroxenite, 57 to 84 ppb in and hornblende clinopyroxenite. hornblendites In and hornblende-plagioclase pegmatites, however, dePd creases values 11 to 28 and3 to 35 ppb, respecto of tively.The goldcontents all rocktypesarenearor of belowthe detection limit (1 ppb) withoutanyrecogdistribution pattern. reflect the occurrence independent of PtFe alloy nizablesystematic It is widely accepted that Os, Ir, andRu are congrains. From wehrlitesto hornblendites average Pt correlates positively with average (Fig. 3). Palla- centratedin chromititeof ophiolites(Crocket and Pd andWolf, 1978; Oshinand diumshows clearly a increasing trendparalleling the Chyi, 1972; Angioritis
Crocket, 1982; Bacutaet al., 1990), and that chromite-rich rocksof zoned ultramaficcomplexes conlOO

ppb
10

tain the highest PGE contents (Crocket, 1981; St.Louiset al., 1986). In the Condoto Complex, chromite is an accessory (normalcotectic)phasein duPt Pc RL

nitc, but smaller chromitite accumulationsoccur in the form of schlieren. Similar to the behavior of Pt,

Rh

the greatestvariationsin Cr203 contentsoccur in dunitc (0.19-2.36 wt %), with 1.64 wt percent in wehrliteand0.09 to 0.35 wt percentin olivineclinopyroxenite(avg0.17). Rocktypes5 to 9 havecontentsof <0.08 wt percent.The whole-rock analyses,
as well as the Pt contents of chromite schlieren from

the central dunitc, show no correlation between Pt

0.1
i i i i i

and Cr203 (Fig. 5). Detailed microscopic investigationshaveidentifiedonly extremelyrare and small
of PGM in chromite.

DUNITE

WEHRLITE

OLIVINE

CLINOPYROXENITE CLINOPYROXENITE

HORNBLEND

HORNBLENDITEinclusions

The heavymineralconcentrates fromthe rocksamFIC. 3. Average contents platinum-group of elements differin plesshow enrichment PGEby a factorof about an in ent lithologicunits of the zonedultramafic CondotoComplex. are be Contents ppb, all Os valuesare belowthe limit of detection(3 20, but the PGE contents not ashighascould in ppb). expected from the mechanical concentration factor

164

$TL

The Pd/Ir ratiosincrease from 0.7 in dunites, 2.1 to in wehrlites,to >126 in olivineclinopyroxenites, to lOO valuesgreaterthan 300 in hornblende clinopyroxenites(Table2, Fig. 6). Thistrendreflects strong the depletionof Ir in the magma whichis incorporated Pt into early crystallizing mineralphases (IrOs alloys). ppb In contrast, doesnot partitioninto early mineral Pd phases amounts and increase duringfractional crys50 tallization(Keays,1982). This Pd increase evident is aswell from the Pt/(Pt + Pd) ratioswhichvary from 0.9 in dunites 0.5 in the hornblende-bearing to rocks. Due to the strongvariationof Pt contents dunites in andto the low values Ir in clinopyroxene hornof and blende-dominated rocks, Pt/Ir ratiosareless the consistent, but like the Pd/Ir ratios,they describe the 0 , e, , , I ' ' ' ' I t o 2 generaltrend of PGE evolutionduring fractional Cr203 wt. . crystallization (Fig. 6). Normalized chondrites, lithologic to all unitsshow FIG. 5. CrOa vs.Pt in dunitesof the zonedultramarie Condoto low Os andIr values (Fig. 7). Dunitesare characterComplex. ized by high Pt and low Pd values.However, the highest values combination Pt in with highPd values A behavior is whichis about50. Sincesome portionof the PGM occur in hornblendites. comparable seenin differentlithologic unitsfrom the Tulameen mayoccurasinclusions or attached the lighter in to mineral fraction, concentrates notthought the are to Complex(Fig. 8; Nixonet al., 1990).

include all PGM. Concentrates from lateritic soil PGEin orthopyroxene-bearing peridotites takenin 39 pitsoverthe centralmineralized dunitc The PGEcontents eightrocksamples serpenof of zone were analyzedfor Pt and Pd (Salinas al., et tinizedperidotitcandoneheavymineralconcentrate 1992). Depending the degreeof concentration on (K.P. Burgath and on the primaryPGE contents, several samples from the Viravira-typemineralization andM. Tistl, in prep.) are comparable thoseof the to havePt >10 ppm;their Pt/Pd ratiosare relatively zoned CondotoComplex (total PGE of about 30 constant at about 90. ppb), but the contents showdifferent distribution patterns(Table 3). Ir contents lower than in the are zonedcomplex, with an averageof 0.5 ppb. However,the amount Os (wheredetectable) threeto of is
1 ooo

Pd/Ir

lOO

0.1

[] WEHRLITE OI-CLINOPYROXENITE

DUNITE

0,01

//I
BARREN DUNITE MINERALIZED DUNITE

0.001

Os

Ir

Ru

Rh

Pt

Pd

Au

FIG. 7. Chondrite-normalized patternsof differentlithologic FIe. 6. Pd/Ir vs.Pt/Ir diagram different of lithologic unitsof units the zoned of ultramarie Condoto Complex. Normalized chonthe zonedultramarie Condoto Complex the Viraviraserpen- dritevalues and afterBarnes al. (1985). The normalized values et Os of tinites(symbols in Fig. 4). as dunites expected be on the order of 0.0006. are to

10

1 O0 Pt/I r

1 ooo

PGE,ALTO CONDOTOCOMPLEX,NORTHWEST COLOMBIA

Discussion

165

o. 1

DUNITE
-

OI-CLINOPYROXENITE/

/,

&

The investigated samples havelow totalPGE contents,generally than100 ppb.Such less contents are in the same orderof magnitude thosefor comparaas ble rocks from other zoned ultramaficcomplexes (Fominykhand Kvostova,1970; St. Louis et al.,
1986).

Ir, the most compatible PGE(Harneyet al., 1990), and Pd, the mostincompatible PGE, describe best the generaltrendsof differentiation, with strongly increasing Pd/Ir ratios from dunite to hornblendemagnetite clinopyroxenites (Fig. 6). The amountof Pt, generally regarded havea behaviorsimilarto to Pd, or andevenmoreincompatible (Harneyet one al., 1990), clearly increases dunites,but follows in Os Ir Ru Rh Pt d Au the normal trendparallelwith that of Pd in all other rocktypes.Thisgeneral trendof increasing Pd/Ir raFIc. 8. Chondrite-normalized patterns some of lithologic units to fractional crystalfrom zoned the ultramafic Tulameen Complex from (data Nixon et tiosis considered reflectnormal lization of an Mg-rich basalticmagma.Although al., 1990). hornblendites havethe highest totalPGEcontents, it isratherunlikelythat theybear economic concentraten timeshigherthanthat of Ir. The Ru, Pt, andPd tions PGM.Asproposed Barnes of by (1990),it seems contents have the same order of variance as in dunlikely that the PGE contents hornblendites in occur itesandwehrlites the zonedcomplex. of mostly accessory in sulfide minerals. The precipitationof PGM in the zoned Condoto If Pd/Ir ratios accepted describing deare as the gree of fractionation a rock,then the Viravira sam- Complex of occurred the same at time as,but indepenples(withratios ranging between and5) should 1 be dentof, the cystallization chromite of (K.P.Burgath interpreted partsof the parentalmagma the andM. Tistl, in prep.).However,thereis no positive as of zonedCondoto Complex the time betweenwehr- correlation between PGE and Cr in the PGE-mineralat lite and olivine clinopyroxenite crystallization. ized dunites(Fig. 5). Relations between chromite

0.01

0.001 ]

LowerIr andhigher contents theViravira Os of type and PGM have been described in several PGM-bearthat the principal compared the Alto Condoto-type to mineralization ing ultramaficunits, and it seems are documented well by the greater as abundance factors of controlling precipitation bothchromite the of Os lamellaein PtFe grainsfrom Viravira samples and arethefo. Pt andfs. conditions within magma the (Weiser al., in prep.),andby the Os/It ratiosin (Von Gruenewaldtet al., 1989). Therefore,the coet PtFe alloys(0.7 in Viravira, 0.29 in Alto Condoto; genetic assemblage chromite and PGM should of Table4); in cogenetic alloys ratiovaries Os this from havemechanical causes the'occasional like trapping 11.5 in Viravirato 8.2 in Alto Condoto (Table4). of PGM crystals contemporaneous by crystallizing
TABLE Platinum-Group 3. Elements, andCr.O3 Au, Contents Pd/Ir, Pt/It, andPt/(Pt+ Pd)Ratios Serpentinized and of Peridotites of the ViraviraComplex (contents ppb,Cr.O3 wt %) in in

Rock type
l0 10 10 10 10a 10a 10a

Sample no.
RS-3505' RS-3051' RS-3041' RS-3460 RM-7463 RM-6633 RM-7331

Os
<3 <3 <3 <3 <3 13 <3

Ir
<0.2 0.6 0.5 <0.2 0.7 1.0 0.2

Ru
1.0 1.1 0.8 7 7 7 6

Rh
0.2 3.0 0.3 1 1 1 1

Pt
6.8 5.7 21 6 52 29 2

Pd
l0 1.9 1.8 14 2 1 I

Au
2.9 3.7 1.1 2 16 2 2

Cr.O3
n.d. n.d. n.d. 0.34 0.29 0.44 0.78

Pd/Ir
>50.0 3.2 3.6 >70 2.9 1.0 5.0

Pt/Pt + Pd
0.4 0.8 0.9 0.3 1.0 1.0 0.7

Pt/Ir
>34 10 42 >30 75 29 10

Sum PGE
18 12 24 28 63 52 10

10a MJ-0708 10a MTo1623 Avg serpentinites

10 174 <5.1

0.7 64 0.5

5 43 3.5

1 34 0.9

20 470 , 14.4

1 14 1.1

2 980 3.7

0.53 n.d. 0.3

1.4 0.2 17.1

1.0 1.0 0.7

29 7 28

37 772 30

and Rock type:l0 -- serpentinized peridotite Viravira, = serpentinized from 10a peridotite Aguacate Guinea from

Detectionlimits (in ppb): Os = 3, Ir = 0.2, Ru -- 1, Rh = 1, Pt = 3, Pd = 1, Au = 1

Heavy mineral concentrate achieved about kgofrock from 25

166

T15TL

TABU Average 4. Composition wt %) of PtFeandOsAlloys (in fromthe Zoned Ultramafic Condoto Complex Viravira and
(in wt %)

Os
PtFe alloys
Viravira

Ir

Ru

Rh

Pt

Pd

Fe

Cu

Os/Ir

23

(n = 103)
Alto Condoto

0.7 0.4 88.8 84.9

1.0 1.4 7.7 10.3

0.1 0.06 0.9 1.7

0.5 1.3 0.3 1.0

88.5 85.7 1.7 1.0

0.4 0.8 0.07 0.03

8.7 9.5 0.06 0.1

0.7 0.5 Trace Trace

0.7 0.29 11.5 8.2

100.6 99.7 99.5 99.0

(n = 11)
Osmium Viravira

(n = 63)
Alto Condoto

(n = 5)

andsettling chromite of grains ratherthangeochemi- info and/or (Amoss(al., 1987).A combination fs et cal ones. of the lattertwo factors seems explain to bestthe forThe intergrowth ebromite of with PtFe alloys in mation of PGE alloy mineralizationin zoned ultrazonedultramarie intrusions suggests the PGM maficintrusions. that Rapid pressure drop displaces the are principallyhigh-temperature segregations that meltsolidus towardlowertemperatures concomwith haveformedin an early phaseof crystallization di- itant overheating the melt followed rapidcrysof by rectlyfroma silicate melt.Theywerenotgenerated tallizationof IrOs andPtFe alloys, chromite, olivand by exsolution from ebromiteor magmatie sulfides ine. The crystallization olivineleadsto anincrease of (Nixonet al., 1990).Neitherissolid solution oflr and infoofthemeltwhich lowers solubility Pt and the of associated Os and Ru in olivine and ebromite the Ir (Amoss( al., 1987). The light PGE (Ru,Rh, Pd) et mechanism fraetionating for PGE. The majorfactor cannot form stable minerals at these PT conditions. in PGEfraetionation the difference solubility is in of This possibly very shortepisode effectivePtFe alof thePGEin a silicate magma (Barnes al., 1985),i.e., loy, chromite,and olivinecrystallization et essentially in anearlystage fractional of crystallization andOs determines mineralization Ir the potentialof zonedulform alloys whereas crystallizes sulfides Ru as (laur- tramafic complexes. Differencesin Pt mineralizaite). However,the distribution patternsof Ru with tions betweenindividual zonedultramafic complexes nearlyconstant contents all rocktypes,aswell as from Alaska in andthe Ural Mountains (Fominykh and the rare occurrence laurite,suggest the Con- Khvostova, of that 1970) maythusbe explained theirindiby
effectivelaurite crystallization. Suchlack of Ru sulfideisknown fromotherzoned ultramarie complexes like Nizhnii Tagil (Razin,1976) andTulameen(St. Louiset al., 1986). In thisrespect magma the evolution of zoned ultramarie intrusions clearly differs from that in ophiolites layeredmarieintrusions or wherelauriteformsin an early stageof crystallization, eommonly togetherwith ebromite. Although degreeof partialmeltingmayinfluthe encethe totalavailability PGE,with increasing of Ir, Os, andRu contents highermeltingrates,the forat
mation of PtFe mineralization in zoned ultramarie

doto magma never reached suffleiently fsfor a high

vidual tectonic or thermal evolution.

After the du-

nitic event, the history of zoned ultramaficcomplexesfollowsnormalfractionation trendswhich are

principally controlled fs andthe precipitation by of

PGE as sulfides,with the main PGE increase occur-

ring hornblende-dominated rocks. If dunitesand clinopyroxenites representcumulatesformedfrom an Mg-rich parentalliquid (with PGE + Au contents about40 ppb;DaviesandTreof doux,1985), their increase total PGE is very low, in and therefore, disregarding possible"nugget effect"-infiuenced samples, geochemical prospecting usingtotal whole-rock PGE contents not adequate is
to localize a mineralization in zoned ultramafic com-

complexes requires enriched parentalsource. no Pt The most important faetoriseffeetive PtFepreeipitation duringolivinecrystallization. This canbe initiated by changes the physicalconditions the in of magma. The crystal formsof PtFe alloys the zoned in ultramariecomplexwith commongrowth defects pointto a rapidgrowthof the PGM, whichcouldhave been initiatedby volatiles percolating throughthe magma (eausing decrease the crystallization a in temperature;KinloebandPeyerl, 1990), or by changes

plexes. Chromitemaybe usedasa pathfinder mineral

to delineate chromite-rich zones, but the link of
chromite with PGM has to be demonstrated in each
ease.

Acknowledgments The primary PGM deposits the Condotoarea of havebeen a mainscientific focusof a technicalcooperationprojectbetweenthe Governments Colomof

PGE, ALTOCONDOTO COMPLEX, NORTHWEST COLOMBIA

167

formation the Main Magnetite of layer:ECONOMIC GEOLOGY, v. bia (Ingeominas) and Germany (Bundesanstalt fiir Geowissenschaften Rohstoffe). und Field work, sam- 85, p. 1777-1789. Harris,D.C., andCabri,L.J., 1973,The nomenclature thenatuof pling,andpartsof the petrologic investigation were ral alloys osmium, of iridium,andruthenium based newcomon donein cooperation with my collegues Rosalba Sapositional of alloys data fromworld-wide occurrences: Canadian Mineralogist, 12, p. 104-112. v. linasandRaulMufioz(Ingeomias Medellin),andK.P. and and Burgath(BGRHannover).The analytical assistanceKeays,R.R., 1982, Palladium iridiumin komatiites associatedrocks: Application petrogenetic to problems, Arndt, in of U. Sicwets(XRF) andT. Weiser (elecontron miN.T., andNisbet,E.G., eds.,Komatiites: London,Allen andUncroprobe)is appreciated. The paper has benefited win, p. 435-457. from constructivesuggestions B. Lehmann Kinloch,E.D., andPeyerl,W., 1990, Platinum-group of minerals in various rocktypesof the Merensky reef:Geneticimplications: (Clausthal-Zellerfeld) and EconomicGeologyreviewers.
ECONOMIC GEOLOGY, 85, p. 537-555. v.

November 10, 1992; March 22, 1993

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