Platinum Ore - Bushveld Complex Merensky Reef South Africa

This platinum ore is from the Merensky Reef, Bushveld, Complex, South Africa. It is raw, natural platinum ore with base, white, gold and copper colors. 

Learn more about platinum ore here:

Platinum ore extracted from the Merensky Reef in South Africa is a remarkable geological resource. Let’s delve into its composition, significance, and the platinum group elements (PGEs) it contains:

1. Merensky Reef Composition:

   • The Merensky Reef is a layer of igneous rock within the Bushveld Igneous Complex (BIC).
   • Located in the provinces of North West, Limpopo, Gauteng, and Mpumalanga, it hosts significant platinum group metals (PGMs) reserves.
   • Along with the underlying Upper Group 2 Reef (UG2), the Merensky Reef contains most of the world’s known reserves of PGEs, including platinum, palladium, rhodium, ruthenium, iridium, and osmium.

2. Layers of the Merensky Reef:

   • The Merensky Reef consists of five distinct layers:
     • Mottled Anorthosite: Dark-colored bands with pyroxene oikocrysts.
     • Merensky Chromitites: Irregular grains of basal chromitite.
     • Compact Chromitites: Smaller, more regular basal chromitite grains.
     • Merensky Pegmatite: Coarse-grained silicate layer with sparse chromite and sulfides.
     • Merensky Melanorite: Fine-grained matrix rich in chalcopyrite, quartz, and feldspar.

3. Whole-Rock Chemistry:

   • The Merensky Reef’s chromitites exhibit varying levels of iridium, ruthenium, rhodium, and platinum.
   • Trace elements like arsenic, cadmium, tin, and tellurium also enrich the ore.

4. Geological Significance:

   • The Merensky Reef is a time capsule from Earth’s early history, formed over 3.6 billion years ago!
   • Its platinum-bearing ores provide insights into the deep processes that shaped our planet.
   • Mining operations in this region have yielded substantial platinum production.

Size of Specimen: 27mm X 20mm X 9mm, Weight: 4.4 grams. Ships with Certificate of Authenticity. Sizing cube not included. The macro shot is 3X, and of this exact specimen.

In summary, platinum ore from the Merensky Reef represents a unique geological treasure, holding clues to our planet’s ancient past and the valuable PGEs that fuel modern technology and industry.

 

This scientific material is Guaranteed Authentic. It was professionally and legally collected and arrives with a Certificate of Authenticity.