<p>The rock you have is most likely not platinum ore.  It appears to be sulfide ore most likely composed of galena, pyrite, and maybe copper sulfides such as bornite.</p>

<p>It is more likely that your specimen is silver ore rather than platinum ore.
Mexico has a long history of silver mining.  </p>

<p>There is a platinum deposit in southern mexico and it appears to similar to the Bushveld igneous complex deposit.  Ref: <a href="https://www.mindat.org/loc-132658.html" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Mindat</a>.</p>

<p>Layered chromtite ore looks significantly different.  <a href="https://www.geologyforinvestors.com/layered-mafic-intrusions-largest-source-platinum-palladium/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Reference</a>.
<a href="https://i.sstatic.net/bZXna.jpg" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/bZXna.jpg" alt="enter image description here"></a></p>

<p><a href="https://minerals.usgs.gov/minerals/pubs/commodity/platinum/myb1-2012-plati.pdf" rel="nofollow noreferrer">USGS report on Platiunum</a>
<a href="https://www.mining-technology.com/features/feature-the-10-biggest-silver-mines-in-the-world/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Article on current silver mining in Mexico.</a></p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-03-19T13:55:57.857Z
2018-03-22T12:01:52.240Z
2018-03-22T12:01:52.240Z
Earth Science Expatriate
<p>Was found in central Mexico. It's very metallic, shiny, showing some streaks of gold and quartz.</p>

<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/xbFIw.jpg" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/xbFIw.jpg" alt="enter image description here"></a></p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-03-15T08:55:59.443Z
No, this is not platinum ore.
Gimelist
CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-03-15T09:43:46.200Z
How dense is it? My first guess ore part is galena (lead sulphide). The golden looking mineral is either pyrite (fool's gold) or chalcopyrite. Quartz-looking mineral can also be calcite, you can check it with acid.
Gabija
CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-03-15T16:11:54.700Z
Good question. It looks a little bit like silver to me.
Eevee
CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-03-15T20:50:32.860Z
Please read this https://earthscience.meta.stackexchange.com/questions/124/a-guide-for-asking-identify-this-rock-questions
John
CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-03-17T14:34:05.220Z
Probably not. Pt is known to occur in alluvial deposits, Nickel deposits or rather even, Chromitites like at the Bushveld Igneous complex. It can occur with gold. That's not visible gold.
Joe DF
<rocks><ore>
Is this platinum ore?
hondo3265
# Is this platinum ore?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2018-03-15)

Was found in central Mexico. It's very metallic, shiny, showing some streaks of gold and quartz.

[![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/xbFIw.jpg)](https://i.sstatic.net/xbFIw.jpg)

**Tags:** rocks, ore

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: No, this is not platinum ore.  
> **username_2**: How dense is it? My first guess ore part is galena (lead sulphide). The golden looking mineral is either pyrite (fool's gold) or chalcopyrite. Quartz-looking mineral can also be calcite, you can check it with acid.  
> **username_3**: Good question. It looks a little bit like silver to me.  
> **username_4**: Please read this https://earthscience.meta.stackexchange.com/questions/124/a-guide-for-asking-identify-this-rock-questions  
> **username_5**: Probably not. Pt is known to occur in alluvial deposits, Nickel deposits or rather even, Chromitites like at the Bushveld Igneous complex. It can occur with gold. That's not visible gold.  

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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_6 on 2018-03-19. Score: 3

The rock you have is most likely not platinum ore. It appears to be sulfide ore most likely composed of galena, pyrite, and maybe copper sulfides such as bornite.

It is more likely that your specimen is silver ore rather than platinum ore.
Mexico has a long history of silver mining.

There is a platinum deposit in southern mexico and it appears to similar to the Bushveld igneous complex deposit. Ref: [Mindat](https://www.mindat.org/loc-132658.html).

Layered chromtite ore looks significantly different. [Reference](https://www.geologyforinvestors.com/layered-mafic-intrusions-largest-source-platinum-palladium/).
[![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/bZXna.jpg)](https://i.sstatic.net/bZXna.jpg)

[USGS report on Platiunum](https://minerals.usgs.gov/minerals/pubs/commodity/platinum/myb1-2012-plati.pdf)
[Article on current silver mining in Mexico.](https://www.mining-technology.com/features/feature-the-10-biggest-silver-mines-in-the-world/)


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