Mineralogy Database

Pentlandite Mineral Data

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General Pentlandite Information

Help on Chemical  Formula: Chemical Formula: (Fe,Ni)9S8
Help on Composition: Composition: Molecular Weight = 771.94 gm
   Iron    32.56 %  Fe
   Nickel  34.21 %  Ni
   Sulfur  33.23 %  S
          ______ 
          100.00 % 
Help on Empirical Formula: Empirical Formula: Fe2+4.5Ni4.5S8
Help on Environment: Environment: Common as the sulfide phase in basic and ultra-basic intrusive igneous rocks.
Help on IMA Status: IMA Status: Valid Species (Pre-IMA) 1856
Help on Locality: Locality: Espedalen, near Lillihammer, Norway. Link to MinDat.org Location Data.
Help on Name Origin: Name Origin: Named after the Irish natural historian, J. B. Pentland (1797-1873).
Help on Name Pronunciation: Name Pronunciation: Pentlandite + Pronunciation Say PENTLANDITE
Help on Synonym: Synonym: Conifeite - cobalt pentlandite
  ICSD 61021
  PDF Aug-90
 

Pentlandite Image

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  Pentlandite

Comments: Ore sample of a mixture of several sulfide minerals: pentlandite, chalcopyrite, and pyrrhotite.
Location: Frood-Stobie Mine, Sudbury District, Ontario, Canada. Scale: 20x15x7 mm.
© John Betts - Fine Minerals

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  Plumbopalladinite   Valleriite   Cubanite   Pentlandite

Comments: Polished Section image (PPL) of plumbopalladinite (Pl) with polarite Po), surrounded by a rim of isoferroplatinum (Iso) with cubanite (Cu), pentlandite (Pe), and valleriite (Va).
Location: Majak Mine, Talnakh, Norilsk, Ural, Russia. Scale: Picture Size 0.7 mm.
© Thomas Witzke

Pentlandite Crystallography

Help on Cell Dimensions: Cell Dimensions: a = 10.04, Z = 4; V = 1,012.05 Den(Calc)= 5.07
Help on Crystal System: Crystal System: Isometric - Hexoctahedral H-M Symbol (4/m 3 2/m) Space Group: F m3m
Help on X Ray Diffraction: X Ray Diffraction: By Intensity(I/Io): 1.775(1), 3.03(0.8), 1.931(0.5),
 

Physical Properties of Pentlandite

Help on Cleavage: Cleavage: None
Help on Color: Color: Bronze, Brown.
Help on Density: Density: 4.6 - 5, Average = 4.8
Help on Diaphaneity: Diaphaneity: Opaque
Help on Fracture: Fracture: Conchoidal - Fractures developed in brittle materials characterized by smoothly curving surfaces, (e.g. quartz).
Help on Habit: Habit: Granular - Generally occurs as anhedral to subhedral crystals in matrix.
Help on Habit: Habit: Granular - Generally occurs as anhedral to subhedral crystals in matrix.
Help on Habit: Habit: Massive - Granular - Common texture observed in granite and other igneous rock.
Help on Hardness: Hardness: 3.5-4 - Copper Penny-Fluorite
Help on Luminescence: Luminescence: Non-fluorescent.
Help on Luster: Luster: Metallic
Help on Magnetism: Magnetism: Nonmagnetic
Help on Streak: Streak: greenish black
 

Optical Properties of Pentlandite

Help on RL Pleochroism: RL Pleochroism: None.
Help on Reflectivity Reflectivity
Standardized Intensity (100%) Reflection Spectra of Pentlandite in Air
λ R  ∑ R(λ) 
 400 nm   30.90   
 420 nm   34.80 
 440 nm   38.70 
 460 nm   41.80 
 480 nm   44.20 
 500 nm   46.30 
 520 nm   47.90 
 540 nm   49.20 
 560 nm   50.40 
 580 nm   51.10 
 600 nm   52.30 
 620 nm   53.10 
 640 nm   53.80 
 660 nm   54.50 
 680 nm   55.00 
 700 nm   55.60 
Calculated Relative Intensity Colors of Pentlandite in Air
Relative
Intensity
   0%   30%   60%   90% 100% 120% 150% 180% 210% 230%
R                    
 

Calculated Properties of Pentlandite

Help on Electron Density: Electron Density: Bulk Density (Electron Density)=4.87 gm/cc
note: Specific Gravity of Pentlandite =5.07 gm/cc.
Help on Fermion Index: Fermion Index: Fermion Index = 0.01
Boson Index = 0.99
Help on Photoelectric: Photoelectric: PEPentlandite = 25.41 barns/electron
U=PEPentlandite x rElectron Density= 123.85 barns/cc.
Help on Radioactivity: Radioactivity: GRapi = 0 (Gamma Ray American Petroleum Institute Units)
Pentlandite is Not Radioactive
 

Pentlandite Classification

Help on  Dana Class: Dana Class: 02.07.01.01 (02)Sulfides - Including Selenides and Tellurides
  (02.07)where Am Bn Xp, with (m+n):p=9:8
  (02.07.01)Pentalndite Group (Isometric: Fm3m)
 
02.07.01.01 Pentlandite (Fe,Ni)9S8 F m3m 4/m 3 2/m
 
02.07.01.02 Argentopentlandite Ag(Fe,Ni)8S8 F m3m 4/m 3 2/m
 
02.07.01.03 Cobaltpentlandite Co9S8 F m3m 4/m 3 2/m
 
02.07.01.04 Shadlunite (Pb,Cd)(Fe,Cu)8S8 F m3m 4/m 3 2/m
 
02.07.01.05 Manganoshadlunite (Mn,Pb)(Cu,Fe)8S8 F m3m 4/m 3 2/m
 
02.07.01.06 Geffroyite (Ag,Cu,Fe)9(Se,S)8 F m3m 4/m 3 2/m
Help on  Strunz Class: Strunz Class: 02.BB.15a 02 - SULFIDES and SULFOSALTS (sulfides, selenides, tellurides; arsenides, antimonides, bismuthides; sulfarsenites, sulf
  02.B - Metal Sulfides, M:S > 1:1 (mainly 2:1)
  02.BB -With Ni, Fe
 
02.BB.15a Argentopentlandite Ag(Fe,Ni)8S8 F m3m 4/m 3 2/m
 
02.BB.15a Cobaltpentlandite Co9S8 F m3m 4/m 3 2/m
 
02.BB.15a Geffroyite (Ag,Cu,Fe)9(Se,S)8 F m3m 4/m 3 2/m
 
02.BB.15a Manganoshadlunite (Mn,Pb)(Cu,Fe)8S8 F m3m 4/m 3 2/m
 
02.BB.15a Pentlandite (Fe,Ni)9S8 F m3m 4/m 3 2/m
 
02.BB.15a Shadlunite (Pb,Cd)(Fe,Cu)8S8 F m3m 4/m 3 2/m
 

Other Pentlandite Information

Help on References: References: NAME( Duda&Rejl90) PHYS. PROP.(Enc. of Minerals,2nd ed.,1990) OPTIC PROP.(AntBidBlaNic1)
Help on See Also: See Also: Links to other databases for Pentlandite :
1 - Am. Min. Crystal Structure Database
2 - Amethyst Galleries' Mineral Gallery
3 - Athena
4 - EUROmin Project
5 - Ecole des Mines de Paris
6 - GeoScienceWorld
7 - Google Images
8 - Google Scholar
9 - Handbook of Mineralogy (MinSocAm)
10 - Handbook of Mineralogy (UofA)
11 - MinDAT
12 - Mineralienatlas (Deutsch)
13 - Online Mineral Museum
14 - QUT Mineral Atlas
15 - Ruff.Info
16 - Scandinavian mineral gallery
17 - WWW-MINCRYST

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Print or Cut-and-Paste your Pentlandite Specimen Label here :

Pentlandite

(Fe,Ni)9S8
Dana No: 02.07.01.01 Strunz No: 02.BB.15a
Locality:

 

Notes:

 

 
   
 


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