Coupled XFM and µ-XRD to resolve indium partitioning in chalcopyrite: Enabling alternative indium resources (2026)
Abstract
Recent research has increasingly considered chalcopyrite as an alternative indium resource to sphalerite, but its hosting mechanisms remain poorly understood. At the Baal Gammon copper-tin mine (Queensland), chalcopyrite contains high indium concentrations, reaching 2,714 ppm. A distinct and widely distributed indium-rich phase containing >10% In occurs along exsolution lamellae <2 µm, beyond the resolution of conventional microanalytical methods. We propose synchrotron XFM and micro-XRD at the indium Kedge to characterise this unidentified phase or assess whether it reflects a mode of trace metal segregation in chalcopyrite. Resolving indium partitioning in chalcopyrite can improve deportment assessment and support alternative indium resources.
