Experimental constraints on Platinum-Group Element geochemistry: developing lithogeochemical exploration tools for nickel-sulfides in mafic and ultramafic systems

镍每年为澳大利亚的出口收入贡献约20亿澳元。目前，其中80%来自硫化物矿床，除非有重大的新发现，否则预计将在30年内耗尽。20年来，随着“容易”目标的发现，发现率一直在下降，尽管镍勘探支出广泛增加到目前每年约5 000万美元的水平。迫切需要新的数据集和技术，以使工业界能够根据对潜在主岩的有限钻探取样来确定新的发现。该项目是一个更广泛的计划的一部分，该计划旨在利用铂族元素的火成岩地球化学作为镍勘探的有力开拓者。

Nickel contributes approximately $2 billion per year to Australia's export income. Currently 80% of that is coming from sulfide deposits, which are expected to be exhausted within thirty years barring significant new discoveries. Discovery rates have been declining for two decades, as the 'easy' targets have been found, despite a broad increase in nickel exploration expenditure to current levels of around $50 million per year. There is a pressing need for new data sets and techniques to allow industry to target new discoveries based on limited drill sampling of potential host rocks. This project forms part of a broader program to harness the igneous geochemistry of the platinum group elements as a powerful pathfinder in nickel exploration.