Determination of the three-dimensional distributions of precious metals in sulphide minerals by laser ablation microprobe-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (LAMP-ICP-MS )

Precious metals are o f great financial importance and the form of their occurrence will dictate the economics of their recovery from ore. It has been postulated that “invisible” gold in sulphides occurs in solid solution, as particulates, or associated with micro-inclusions of other minerals in the host. This study applied the high spatial resolution (< 20 μm) and high sensitivity (sub-μg g−1 detection limits) of the laser ablation microprobe-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometer to identify both the form and concentration of gold in sulphides. Data are presented demonstrating the three-dimensional distribution of gold in minerals from Hemlo, Ontario, Canada, and Penjom Prospect, Kuala Lipis, Malaysia. Gold at μg g−1 ` levels was determined and, through its correlation with other trace elements, identified as either particulates or associated with micro-inclusions.