Characterization of low grade PGE ores of Boula-Nuasahi Area, Odisha, India and implication on beneficiation

•PGE mineralization is confined to a narrow breccia zone in the Boula-Nuasahi area.•PGE minerals are reported from three matrices such as chromite, sulfide and silicate.•The average size of the PGE minerals is around 20 μ.•PGE minerals show various textural dispositions viz. inclusions/exsolutions.•The grade of mineralization requires pre-concentration/beneficiation.

The Boula area contains important PGE mineralization in India, confined to a narrow breccia zone. Ferrochromite and Base Metal Sulfides (BMS) are two important hosts for this mineralization. PGE minerals are very small in size and occur as inclusions/exsolutions in chromite and silicates and/or at the contact of chromite and silicates, as well as in BMS. The size of PGE minerals varies from < 1 μ to 50 μ and the grade of mineralization is around 1.877 ppm. Due to very low grade and diverse mineral associations coupled with very fine size, pre-concentration of PGE minerals is a very difficult and challenging task.