Gersdorffite with pentlandite, violarite, pyrrhotite, and pyrite, northwest Nelson, New Zealand

Abstract Gersdorffite (NiAsS), only reported in New Zealand in 1887 from the Richmond Hill area, has been found in two further localities in northwest Nelson. Gersdorffite has been relocated in a quartz‐veined ophicarbonate at Parapara River near Richmond Hill, and has average compositions of (Fe0.21Co0.14Ni0.65)As1.02S0.96 (quartz veins) and (Fe0.19Co0.05Ni0.76)As1.04S0.96 (ophicarbonate host). It is associated with nickeliferous pyrrhotite (1.93–4.54 wt% Ni), pyrite (0.47–3.73 wt% Ni), and violarite. Another ophicarbonate occurrence at Calphurnia Creek contains gersdorffite (Fe0.16Co0.07Ni0.77) (As0.98Bi0.02)S1.00) with up to 2.8 wt% bismuth, associated with cobaltian violarite (2.78–4.83 wt% Co) and unusually nickel‐rich pentlandite (42.99–43.29 wt% Ni) with a Ni:Fe ratio of nearly 2:1. A further occurrence, a fuchsite quartzite at Contact Creek, contains cobalt‐rich gersdorffite (7.68–12.00 wt% Co) with average compositions of (Fe0.16Co0.21Ni0.63)As0.99S0.95 and (Fe0.18Co0.33Ni0.73) As1.01S0.97 togeth...

[1]  G. A. Challis,et al.  Chromian muscovite, uvarovite, and zincian chromite; products of regional metasomatism in Northwest Nelson, New Zealand , 1995 .

[2]  R. Cooper,et al.  The Island Arc Setting of a New Zealand Cambrian Volcano-Sedimentary Sequence: Implications for the Evolution of the SW Pacific Gondwana Fragments , 1995, The Journal of Geology.

[3]  J. Jambor.  Mineralogy of sulfide-rich tailings and their oxidation products , 1994 .

[4]  S. Weaver,et al.  Ion microprobe UPb zircon geochronology of granitic magmatism in the Western Province of the South Island, New Zealand , 1994 .

[5]  R. Cooper,et al.  Early Palaeozoic terranes in New Zealand and their relationship to the Lachlan Fold Belt , 1992 .

[6]  M. Frey,et al.  A new petrogenetic grid for low‐grade metabasites , 1991 .

[7]  R. Cooper.  Early Paleozoic terranes of New Zealand , 1989 .

[8]  A. Tulloch.  Batholiths, plutons, and suites: nomenclature for granitoid rocks of Westland—Nelson, New Zealand , 1988 .

[9]  B. Frost.  On the Stability of Sulfides, Oxides, and Native Metals in Serpentinite , 1985 .

[10]  P. Bayliss.  A further crystal structure refinement of gersdorffite , 1982 .

[11]  A. Hall,et al.  Nickeliferous opaque minerals associated with chromite alteration in the Sakhakot-Qila complex, Pakistan, and their compositional variation , 1982 .

[12]  J. F. Riley.  Ferroan carrollites, cobaltian violarites, and other members of the linnaeite group: (Co,Ni, Fe,Cu)3S4 , 1980, Mineralogical Magazine.

[13]  D. Groves,et al.  Mobilization of ore-forming elements during alteration of dunites, Mt. Keith-Betheno, Western Australia , 1979 .

[14]  F. M. Barrett,et al.  The relative roles of magmatic segregation, volcanic exhalation and regional metamorphism in the generation of volcanic-associated nickel ores of Western Australia , 1979 .

[15]  R. Cooper.  Lower Palaeozoic rocks of New Zealand , 1979 .

[16]  H. W. Hunter.  Geology of the Cobb Intrusives, Takaka Valley, North-West Nelson, New Zealand , 1977 .

[17]  D. Kerrick,et al.  Experimental and thermodynamic study of equilibria in the system CaO-MgO-SiO 2 -H 2 O-CO 2 , 1975 .

[18]  M. Thornber.  Supergene alteration of sulphides, I. A chemical model based on massive nickel sulphide deposits at Kambalda, Western Australia , 1975 .

[19]  O. Eckstrand.  The Dumont serpentinite; a model for control of nickeliferous opaque mineral assemblages by alteration reactions in ultramafic rocks , 1975 .

[20]  P. Ashley.  Opaque mineral assemblage formed during serpentinization in the Coolac ultramafic belt, New South Wales , 1975 .

[21]  D. Groves,et al.  Modification of Iron-Nickel Sulfides During Serpentinization and Talc-Carbonate Alteration at Black Swan, Western Australia , 1974 .

[22]  M. Tontti,et al.  The effect of cobalt on the thermal stability of pentlandite , 1974 .

[23]  M. Fleet,et al.  Chemical Composition and Stability of Violarite , 1974 .

[24]  M. Fleet,et al.  The Chemical Compositions of Synthetic and Natural Pentlandite Assemblages , 1973 .

[25]  E. Nickel,et al.  Pentlandite compositions and associations in some mineral deposits , 1972 .

[26]  A. Wodzicki.  Mineralogy, geochemistry and origin of hydrothermal alteration and sulphide mineralization in the disseminated molybdenite and skarn-type copper sulphide deposit at Copperstain Creek, Takaka, New Zealand , 1972 .

[27]  W. Johannes.  An experimental investigation of the system MgO-SiO 2 -H 2 O-CO 2 , 1969 .

[28]  James B. Thompson,et al.  Analysis of the two-phase region halite-sylvite in the system NaClKCl , 1969 .

[29]  P. Ramdohr.  The ore minerals and their intergrowths , 1969 .

[30]  A. J. Naldrett,et al.  A Study of the Strathcona Mine and Its Bearing on the Origin of the Nickel-Copper Ores of the Sudbury District, Ontario , 1967 .

[31]  A. Whittle.  The Occurrence Of Nickel In New Zealand , 1964 .

[32]  P. Toulmin,et al.  A thermodynamic study of pyrite and pyrrhotite , 1964 .

[33]  G. Kullerud,et al.  The sulfur-rich portion of the Fe-Ni-S system , 1963 .

[34]  R. Yund.  The system Ni-As-S; phase relations and mineralogical significance , 1962 .

[35]  J. E. Hawley,et al.  Pseudo-eutectic intergrowths in arsenical ores from Sudbury , 1961 .

[36]  A. J. White,et al.  Occurence of pentlandite in New Zealand , 1961 .

[37]  A. Wodzicki,et al.  Base metal and gold-silver mineralisation on the South-East side of the Aorere Valley, North-west Nelson , 1960 .

[38]  R. Hewitt.  Experiments bearing on the relation of pyrrhotite to other sulphides , 1938 .