Nickel-containing iron oxides in the Buruktal deposit, South Urals
- 1 — Post-graduate student, Scientific Secretary Saint-Petersburg State Mining Institute (Technical University)
- 2 — Ph.D. Assistant Saint-Petersburg State Mining Institute (Technical University)
- 3 — Ph.D., Dr.Sci. Professor Saint-Petersburg State Mining Institute (Technical University)
- 4 — Ph.D. Assistant Saint-Petersburg State Mining Institute (Technical University)
- 5 — Ph.D. Institute of Silicate Chemistry of RAS
Abstract
In the Buruktal supergene nickel deposit, iron oxides possess vertical mineralogical zoning (bottom-up): magnetite-maghemite-goethite-hematite. The main rock- and ore-forming mineral in the iron-oxide zone of the deposit is magnetite, presented by three generations: primary relic magnetite, surviving from ultramafic rocks; secondary magnetite, forming at serpentinization process and neogenic supergene magnetite. Supergene magnetite, like a goethite, is nickel ore mineral, containing about 1 % NiO. Under the complex thermal analysis data, maghemite-magnetite and goethite have two main diagnostic maximums: exothermal effect of magnetite, caused by magnetite oxidation to maghemite in the interval 317‑340 °С, displays maximum at 327 °С («magnetite» point), and endothermic effect of goethite, connected with loss of constitutional water of the mineral and its transition to hematite in the interval 269‑296 °С, displays maximum at 288 °С («goethite» point).
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