The geology, geochemistry, mineralogy and mineral beneficiation of platinum-group elements / Геология, геохимия, минералогия и обогащение полезных ископаемых элементов платиновой группы

The need for a new book on the platinum-group elements (PGE) became apparent about four years ago at the 8th International Platinum Symposium in Rustenburg, Republic of South Africa. The abstract volume for this meeting contained one hundred and thirty-three technical papers covering a broad range of subjects from exploration to the marketing of platinum-group elements. However, it was not just the number of papers and subjects covered that suggested an abundance of new data on the PGE, but the fact that this was the first international conference on the subject characterized by an important feature: a truly international collection of authors from both western and eastern affiliations. At about this time the price of Pt and Pd began rising, leading to a climb of the Pd price to US$800 in February 2000, a retreat to $600 and finally a breach of $1,000 in January 2001 (Cowley and Steel, 2001). This unexpected and dramatic price rise led to a frenzy of exploration for PGE deposits all over the world, especially for Pd-rich mineralization, in countries like the Republic of South Africa, Canada, and Finland. <...>