New analytical techniques, developed to analyse the platinum group elements (PGEs) at the ultra low levels in which they are found in granitic rocks, allow us to make the first reliable analyses of the PGEs in these rocks. The aim of this fundamental research is to identify the timing of, and understand the causes of, sulfide saturation in fractionated granitic suites to test the hypothesis that sulfide saturation controls the geochemistry of the chalcophile (sulphur loving) elements in evolving granitic magmas. Because the chalcophile elements include the ore elements copper and gold the results have important implications for exploration.