In which minerals does platinum occur with arsenic or sulfur?

Platinum occurs in nature combined with arsenic or sulfur in several specific minerals. These minerals are typically found disseminated within sulfide ores, such as the nickel-bearing mineral pentlandite.1

Key minerals containing platinum combined with these elements include:

• Sperrylite (PtAs₂): A mineral consisting of platinum arsenide, notably found in the copper-nickel mining district near Sudbury, Ontario.23
• Cooperite (PtS): A platinum sulfide mineral, which is a common source of the metal, particularly in the Transvaal region of South Africa.12
• Braggite ((Pt,Pd)S): Another common platinum-group mineral composed of platinum and palladium sulfides.1
• Irarsite ((Ir,Ru,Rh,Pt)AsS): A sulfarsenide mineral that incorporates platinum along with other platinum-group metals.1

While platinum is often associated with these compounds, it is important to note that virtually no ores exist where a platinum-group metal is the primary constituent, with the exception of small alluvial deposits.1