Analysis of Ruthenium and Osmium Abundances in Sulfide Minerals from the Sudbury Ores, Ontario

Abstract

<p> This work was undertaken to evaluate neutron activation analysis as a technique for simultaneous determination of Ru and Os in sulfide minerals by counting the γ radiation of 97Ru and 103Ru, and the β^-radiation of 191Os and 193Os. The samples studied were collected from the Strathcona and Frood-Stobie Cu-Ni sulfide deposits of Sudbury. Sulfide minerals, including pyrrhotite, chalcopyrite, pentlandite and cubanite were separated from samples including representatives of both ore grade and non-commercial material. The minerals were analysed for Ru and Os to determine their concentration ranges in these sulfides, the degree of geochemical coherence of the metals in sulfides from both high grade ore zones and weakly mineralized rocks and their distribution between coexisting sulfides.</p>