Scientists of the Berezniki branch of Perm Polytechnic University (BS PNRPU) have patented a new method for searching for precious metals in sedimentary sand rocks. The development makes it possible to instantly determine the presence of platinum and palladium without sending samples to a laboratory, and also opens up access to new, more accessible deposits.
Platinoids (platinum, palladium, rhodium, iridium, ruthenium) are strategic raw materials. Due to their high corrosion resistance, refractoriness, and catalytic properties, they are indispensable in the automotive industry, microelectronics, medicine, and petrochemicals.
The main problem facing the industry is the depletion of traditional (primary) deposits in igneous rocks. Accessing the remaining reserves in the Arctic and Siberia is becoming increasingly difficult and expensive.
How the new approach works
Researchers have focused on hydrogenic deposits — sedimentary sandy rocks formed by groundwater. Previously, it was difficult to consider them a source of platinum due to the complexity of the search: the metal occurs in the form of microscopic particles “hidden” in bitumen layers and is not visible to the naked eye.
Scientists have found a solution:
1. Geological exploration: based on the structure of the rocks, areas with bitumen layers are identified, where an oxygen‑rich environment gives way to an oxygen‑free one (it is precisely there that metals are deposited).
2. Rapid analysis: profiles of wells are drilled across the direction of groundwater movement, and samples are taken. A special indicator reagent (a mixture of potassium iodide, hydrochloric acid, and nitric acid) is immediately applied to the rock.
3. Result: If platinum group elements are present, the sample instantly turns orange.
Test results
Laboratory testing confirmed the accuracy of the indicator: the palladium content in the tested samples reached 88 g/t, and the platinum content reached 1.14 g/t (rhodium, ruthenium, and iridium were also detected). This is comparable to the indicators of rich primary deposits.
“If earlier samples had to be sent to a laboratory and the results had to be waited for several days, now the accumulation of platinum can be determined right on site.” Due to its chemical composition, the indicator helps to see even grains of platinoids almost instantly,” explained the author of the development, Doctor of Geological and Mineralogical Sciences, Associate professor of the BS PNRPU Vladimir Belkin.
The new technology not only reduces the cost of exploration, but also allows you to search for valuable metals in developed and geographically accessible regions, minimizing logistics costs.