Platinum Group Metals

The potential for PGM mineralisation in Northern Ireland has recently been recognised from the occurrence of anomalous elemental concentrations in the Tellus regional geochemistry dataset. These highlighted new target areas in Counties Antrim, Tyrone and Fermanagh in addition to the Slieve Gullion igneous complex close to which significant float mineralisation has been recorded. The application of new models of PGM mineralisation should help to guide exploration strategies in these and additional areas.

Antrim Basalt Plateau

New areas for PGM exploration have been identified using Tellus geochemistry in northwest and east Antrim where extensive anomalies for Pt and Pd occur in both soils and stream sediments. Most of these anomalies are associated with lineaments highlighted by the Tellus geophysical dataset. Many of the PGM anomalies have coincident gold anomalies in soil and stream sediment.

The Platinum Group Metals (PGMs) have been increasingly sought after in recent times as demand from high technology industries has outpaced supply. The result has been a dramatic increase in prices. In addition, new metallogenic models have led to an upsurgence in PGM exploration worldwide and the identification of new sources is now essential.

Sperrin Mountains

Soil and stream sediment anomalies for both Pt and Pd have been identified in the Sperrin Mountains. These anomalies indicate potential prospectivity and a possible stratigraphic correlation to source rocks.

Omagh Thrust Zone

A zone of Pt anomalies to the southwest of the town of Omagh are spatially related to the Omagh Thrust zone. To the southwest of Lower Lough Erne, soil Pd anomalies occur along the strike extension of the Omagh Thrust.

The Tyrone Plutonic Group

The Tyrone Plutonic Group (TPG) represents the remains of an ophiolite obducted on the Laurentian foreland during the Caledonian Orogeny. The Group was not identified as part of an ophiolite sequence until 1985 and since then no serious attempt at PGM exploration has been undertaken. Using analyses from three samples taken from the country rock contact, it was concluded that the original magma was capable of producing economic concentrations of PGMs. In terms of an exploration guideline it suggests targeting the lower ultramafic portions of the Group as well as any areas containing podiform chromite mineralisation. Developments in understanding and technology since 1986 mean that the potential of the TPG deserves to be re-examined.

The Dromore Gravity High

A broad PGM anomaly was identified from streams draining the area of the Dromore gravity high which is located less than 20km from the southwest end of the Tyrone Igneous Complex and lies directly along the regional strike. Further work is necessary to identify the geological feature responsible for the geophysical and geochemical anomalies.

Slieve Gullion

PGM mineralisation in float has been identified in the Republic of Ireland (within the Palaeogene Carlingford Complex). Given the genetic relationship between the Carlingford Complex and the Slieve Gullion complex in Northern Ireland, it is also possible that PGM mineralisation could be present here.