Fe-Ni-Cu Sulfide Mineral Images and Geochemical Data from the Kohistan Arc

Data acquired during 2017 and 2018 includes reflected light microscopy images, backscattered electron images, and laser ablation ICP-MS metadata for Fe-Ni-Cu sulfide minerals. Samples are dunites, harzburgites, and pyroxenites from the upper mantle and lower crust of the Kohistan arc system in northern Pakistan. The data were gathered under the From Arc Magma to Ore System (FAMOS) Project to understand trace element concentrations in sulfide minerals.

Use Cases

• Classifying sulfide mineral textures and associations based on reflected light and backscattered electron images.
• Analyzing concentrations of precious and semi-metal trace elements in Fe-Ni-Cu sulfides using laser ablation ICP-MS spectral data.
• Investigating the relationship between rock type (dunite, harzburgite, pyroxenite) and sulfide mineral chemistry.
• Modeling ore-forming processes in arc systems based on mineralogical and geochemical data from the Kohistan collection.

Strengths

• Includes multiple data types: microscopy images, electron images, and time-resolved spectral analysis data.
• Samples are from a specific, well-defined geological context: the Kohistan arc upper mantle and lower crust.
• Data collection methodology is specified: using an ESI UP213 laser system coupled to a Thermo iCAPRQ ICP-MS at Cardiff University.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count and overall dataset scale are unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• Description metadata is limited; actual data quality and file formats require manual inspection after download.

Provenance

Source

British Geological Survey (BGS). Samples from the Kohistan collection of Prof Brian Windley held at Leicester University.

Collection Method

Data acquired via reflected light microscopy, electron imaging, and laser ablation ICP-MS analysis.

Time Range

2017-2018

Freshness

Last updated 2026-05-28 14:05:44.226218; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Kohistan Arc, northern Pakistan