First occurrence of kitagohaite, Pt7Cu. from the Quadrilátero Ferrífero, Brazil

Abstract

Abstract A kitagohaite grain, measuring approximately 1.0 mm, was retrieved from an alluvial gold gravity concentrate from the southeastern Quadrilátero Ferrífero (QFe), Mariana, Brazil. The grain exhibits a cubic structure, whitish-steel-gray, and has a metallic luster. It is composed of Wt. 94.42% Pt and 5.56% Cu (n=9), yielding the empirical formula Pt6.78Cu1.22. This groundbreaking discovery marks the first documented occurrence of kitagohaite in South America. This hydrothermal deposition of kitagohaite indicates that its mineralization is constrained to temperatures <500º C, as inferred by the stability of synthetic Pt7Cu.

Keywords

• kitagohaite
• Pt Cu
• platinum grain
• jacutinga
• Quadrilátero Ferrífero