Indium Mineralization in the Volcanic Dome-Hosted Ánimas–Chocaya–Siete Suyos Polymetallic Deposit, Potosí, Bolivia

Researchers have identified the primary stage of indium mineralization in the Ánimas–Chocaya–Siete Suyos polymetallic deposit, located within the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Potosí, Bolivia. The study reveals that indium enrichment is predominantly associated with the intermediate-sulfidation stage, particularly in sphalerite and stannite minerals, where concentrations can reach up to 9.66 wt.% In and 4.11 wt.% In, respectively. This finding challenges previous assumptions about the distribution of indium in such deposits. The study employed a combination of petrographic analysis and in situ mineral geochemistry, examining multiple veins across three mines. A notable discovery was the positive correlation between atomic concentrations of indium and copper in sphalerite, suggesting that copper availability in mineralizing fluids is crucial for indium incorporation. This insight provides new avenues for understanding and potentially exploiting indium-rich deposits globally.

Torró, L., Cazorla, M., Melgarejo, J., Camprubí, A., Tarrés, M., Gemmrich, L., Campeny, M., Artiaga, D., Torres, B., Martínez, Á., Mollinedo, D., Alfonso, P., & Arce-Burgoa, O. (2019). Indium Mineralization in the Volcanic Dome-Hosted Ánimas–Chocaya–Siete Suyos Polymetallic Deposit, Potosí, Bolivia. Minerals, 9(10), 604. https://doi.org/10.3390/min9100604