EXPRESSION OF INTEREST & CALL FOR PAPERS

21st Century Pt-Pd Deposits: Current and Future Potential

A special session on Pt-Pd deposits organised by the British
Geological Survey (BGS), the Institute of Mining & Metallurgy (IMM)
and the Mineral Deposits Studies Group (MDSG) within the MDSG Annual
Meeting.

3-4th January 2002, Southampton Oceanography Centre, University of
Southampton

Theme
Buoyant and sustained commodity prices for platinum and palladium have
made Pt-Pd deposits highly attractive targets for exploration and
investment.  While most exploration remains centred on sulphide and
chromite-bearing zones within mafic-ultramafic complexes, there is an
increasing recognition that significant Pt-Pd resources may be found
in less conventional settings or as valuable by-products with other
metals (e.g. in alkaline rocks, porphyries and in sediment-hosted
deposits).  A prime example of a new but poorly understood Pt-Pd
deposit is the Platreef that will account for an increasing proportion
of South Africa's platinum and palladium production over the next 25
years. The aim of this special session is to bring together
exploration and mining geologists, engineers and mining analysts who
have an interest in platinum and palladium, to review and discuss
existing deposits and the potential for finding and developing new
Pt-Pd resources for the 21st century.

Keynote Speakers
Information will be provided in the second circular.

Submissions
Participants are invited to submit abstracts (maximum of two A4 pages)
for presentation at the meeting.  These may cover: (a) descriptions of
new deposits; (b) new research on the genesis of Pt-Pd mineralisation;
or (c) exploration/mining/finance case histories dealing with Pt-Pd
deposits.  The deadline for receipt of abstracts is the 30th of
September 2001. Authors of accepted abstracts will be invited to
prepare longer research and professional papers for publication in a
thematic issue of the IMM Transactions B (Applied Earth Science) in
early 2002.

Expression of interest
Anyone interested in attending should contact the session convenors to
be placed on the mailing list for the second circular and to receive
further information about the MDSG annual meeting.  Please provide
email and/or fax details if possible. Further details of this session
and the MDSG meeting will also be available on the BGS website
(www.mineralsUK.com) and the MDSG website (www.mdsg.org.uk).

Convenors
Iain McDonald, School of Earth & Environmental Sciences, University of
Greenwich, Chatham Maritime, ME4 4TB ([log in to unmask]). Gus Gunn,
British Geological Survey, Keyworth, NG12 5GG ([log in to unmask]).  Hazel
Prichard, Dept. of Earth Sciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff CF1 3YE
([log in to unmask]).


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Iain McDonald
School of Earth & Environmental Sciences
University of Greenwich
Chatham Maritime
Kent ME4 4TB
U.K.

Tel: +44-(0)208-331-9826
Fax: +44-(0)208-331-9805
Email: [log in to unmask]