Novawest & Brightstar (PGE)

[echarters]

The Tulameen was famous for having "white gold", which is platinum in this case. The old time miners used to throw it away, as there was no use or general market for it. In effect they did no know what it was. It is a white heavy mineral, heavier than gold often. Pt occurs in pure form, but more often an alloy of iron, or a compound of arsenic, sulphur, or antimony. The most common platinum minerals are the arsenides (sperrylite) and antimonides. They are all bright silvery white, looking a bit like heavy white pyrrohtite but leading the magnetite in the pan.

In the Tulameen, the platinum comes from gabbros and peridotites that line the river valleys there. They have been tested positive for platinum minerals in the past.

There are other areas of BC and the Yukon that have platinum in placers. Miners would mistake it often for sulphides. It could be sulphide too, but if it is in the eye of the pan, extremely fine, ahead of the magnetite and very sluggish, Pt should be suspected.

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