Geochemical characteristics and metallogenic potential of nickel in Papua New Guinea

doi:10.13745/j.esf.sf.2024.10.30

Abstract

Abstract:

Located at the convergent boundary of the Pacific and Indo-Australian Plates, Papua New Guinea (PNG) consists of three tectonic units and features two nickel mineralization types. National-scale geochemical mapping was conducted in PNG between 2015-2018, where 1399 samples of stream sediments were collected from the Highlands Region, Papua Peninsula, and New Guinea Islands. This paper reports preliminary study of the geochemical background, spatial distribution characteristics, and metallogenic potential of nickle in PNG. The nickle concentration ranged between 2.7-2430.0 μg/g, with a median value of 42.0 μg/g, close to the Ni abundance in the Earth’s upper crust and higher than the geochemical baselines of nickle in Europe, Australia, North America, and China. With widely developed mafic-ultramafic magmatic rocks, the Central Arc Land Collision Zone-consisting the Papuan Fold Belt, New Guinea Thrust Belt, Finisterre Terrane, Aure Fold Belt, Eastern Fold Belt, and Eastern Papuan Composite Terrane—had higher nickle baseline level than the Melanesian Arc. The ophiolitic complexes, such as the April ophiolite, Marum ophiolite, and Papua ultramafic belt, showed good correlation with Ni-enrichment areas. Seven nickle geochemical provinces and eight nickel anomaly areas with laterite mineralization potential were delineated.

Key words: national-scale geochemical mapping, nickel, anomaly, laterite mineralization, Papua New Guinea

CLC Number:

P595

ZHAO Yuhao, YANG Zhiming, ZHU Yiping, Kumul CONRAD, DU Denghu, Mosusu NATHAN, WANG Tiangang, JIANG Hantao, YAO Zhongyou. Geochemical characteristics and metallogenic potential of nickel in Papua New Guinea[J]. Earth Science Frontiers, 2025, 32(1): 183-193.

Figures/Tables 11

References 48

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名称	矿床/矿化点	经度	纬度	矿化类型
Mambare	矿床	147.75°E	8.78°S	红土型
Ramu	矿床	145.20°E	5.57°S	红土型
Sewa Bay	矿床	151.01°E	10.03°S	红土型
Wowo Gap	矿床	148.92°E	9.55°S	红土型
Koreppa	矿床	147.22°E	7.96°S	红土型
Bovio Hill	矿床	147.03°E	7.75°S	红土型
Frieda River	矿床	141.93°E	4.67°S	红土型
Lake Trist	矿床	146.95°E	7.50°S	红土型
MtBwbweso	矿化点	151.00°E	10.03°S	红土型
Kumusi River	矿化点	148.02°E	8.97°S	红土型
Paiawa Drainage	矿化点	147.21°E	7.61°S	与层状基性-超基性侵入岩有关
Menyama	矿化点	146.01°E	7.15°S	红土型
Fu River	矿化点	141.86°E	4.98°S	与层状基性-超基性侵入岩有关
Hak River	矿化点	141.67°E	4.92°S	与层状基性-超基性侵入岩有关
Korosameri River	矿化点	142.95°E	4.86°S	红土型
Sitipa River Headwaters	矿化点	142.72°E	4.74°S	红土型
Cloud Mountain	矿化点	143.04°E	4.43°S	红土型
Oenake Mountain	矿化点	141.04°E	2.68°S	红土型
Adau River	矿化点	148.75°E	9.85°S	与层状基性-超基性侵入岩有关

名称	矿床/矿化点	经度	纬度	矿化类型
Mambare	矿床	147.75°E	8.78°S	红土型
Ramu	矿床	145.20°E	5.57°S	红土型
Sewa Bay	矿床	151.01°E	10.03°S	红土型
Wowo Gap	矿床	148.92°E	9.55°S	红土型
Koreppa	矿床	147.22°E	7.96°S	红土型
Bovio Hill	矿床	147.03°E	7.75°S	红土型
Frieda River	矿床	141.93°E	4.67°S	红土型
Lake Trist	矿床	146.95°E	7.50°S	红土型
MtBwbweso	矿化点	151.00°E	10.03°S	红土型
Kumusi River	矿化点	148.02°E	8.97°S	红土型
Paiawa Drainage	矿化点	147.21°E	7.61°S	与层状基性-超基性侵入岩有关
Menyama	矿化点	146.01°E	7.15°S	红土型
Fu River	矿化点	141.86°E	4.98°S	与层状基性-超基性侵入岩有关
Hak River	矿化点	141.67°E	4.92°S	与层状基性-超基性侵入岩有关
Korosameri River	矿化点	142.95°E	4.86°S	红土型
Sitipa River Headwaters	矿化点	142.72°E	4.74°S	红土型
Cloud Mountain	矿化点	143.04°E	4.43°S	红土型
Oenake Mountain	矿化点	141.04°E	2.68°S	红土型
Adau River	矿化点	148.75°E	9.85°S	与层状基性-超基性侵入岩有关

大陆/国家	分析方法	样品类型	镍元素基准值/(μg·g^-1)
欧洲^[32]	ICP-AES	底部土壤	18.0
		顶部土壤	14.0
		水系沉积物	16.0
澳大利亚^[33]	ICP-MS	顶部沉积物	9.8
澳大利亚^[33]	ICP-MS	底部沉积物	11.6
美国和加拿大^[34]	ICP-MS	A层土	13.8
美国和加拿大^[34]	ICP-MS	C层土	18.2

大陆/国家	分析方法	样品类型	镍元素基准值/(μg·g^-1)
欧洲^[32]	ICP-AES	底部土壤	18.0
		顶部土壤	14.0
		水系沉积物	16.0
澳大利亚^[33]	ICP-MS	顶部沉积物	9.8
澳大利亚^[33]	ICP-MS	底部沉积物	11.6
美国和加拿大^[34]	ICP-MS	A层土	13.8
美国和加拿大^[34]	ICP-MS	C层土	18.2

构造单元	样品数	镍含量/(μg·g^-1)
构造单元	样品数	最小值	25%	50%	75%	最大值	平均值	几何平均值
巴新	1 399	2.7	26.6	42.0	68.8	2 430.0	70.4	42.9
中央弧陆碰撞带	1 049	5.6	33.4	50.6	78.5	2 430.0	84.6	54.3
美拉尼西亚岩浆弧	350	2.7	12.4	22.1	36.3	263.0	28.1	21.3
巴布亚褶皱带	142	7.5	30.4	45.5	75.8	1 234.0	85.9	52.7
新几内亚逆冲带	633	6.3	31.6	46.5	76.4	2 430.0	90.3	53.0
奥罗褶皱带	12	34.6	50.6	64.0	83.6	137.0	68.2	63.0
东部褶皱带	239	5.6	40.8	60.3	81.2	406.0	70.8	58.7
东巴布亚复合地体	7	23.0	35.2	46.3	70.0	390.0	95.7	57.8
菲尼斯特雷地体	16	16.3	35.5	54.7	88.5	117.0	58.7	50.1