STRUCTURAL FEATURES AND NMR195PT SPECTROSCOPY OF COOPERITE MONOCRYSTALS (NATURAL PTS)

Abstract

Cooperite (natural PtS)—a platinum group mineral—is a main platinum source in Cu–Ni sulfide ores. Cooperite commonly crystallizes in two morphological modifications: (i) irregular grains; (ii) less frequent micrometric and submicrometric prismatic crystals associated with Fe-platinum and Os–Ir minerals, which could be formed at high temperatures and, consequently, high chemical activity of sulfur. In this work, cooperite monocrystals (natural PtS) are characterized in detail with X-ray diffraction, microprobe, and high-resolution scanning electron microscopy. For the first time, we demonstrate the possibility of the application of static and MAS 195Pt spectroscopy for the study of natural platinum minerals.