Pentlandite Mineral Data

Pentlandite Mineral Data +

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General Pentlandite Information

Chemical Formula:

(Fe,Ni)9S8

Composition:

Molecular Weight = 771.94 gm

Iron 32.56 % Fe

Nickel 34.21 % Ni

Sulfur 33.23 % S

______

100.00 %

Empirical Formula:

Fe²⁺_4.5Ni_4.5S₈

Environment:

Common as the sulfide phase in basic and ultra-basic intrusive igneous rocks.

IMA Status:

Valid Species (Pre-IMA) 1856

Locality:

Espedalen, near Lillihammer, Norway. Link to MinDat.org Location Data.

Name Origin:

Named after the Irish natural historian, J. B. Pentland (1797-1873).

Synonym:

ICSD 61021

PDF Aug-90

Pentlandite Image

Images:

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

Pentlandite Crystallography

Cell Dimensions:

a = 10.04, Z = 4; V = 1,012.05 Den(Calc)= 5.07

Crystal System:

Isometric - HexoctahedralH-M Symbol (4/m 3 2/m) Space Group: F m3m

$Help on X Ray Diffraction:$ X Ray Diffraction:

By Intensity(I/I_o): 1.775(1), 3.03(0.8), 1.931(0.5),

Crystal Structure:

Mouse
drag1 - LMB Manipulate Structure
drag2 - RMB Resize/Rotate
Keyboard
S - Stereo Pair on/off
H - Help Screen
I - Data Info
A - Atoms On/Off
P - Polyhedra On/Off
B - Bonds On/Off
Help on Above

Pearson A D , Buerger M J , American Mineralogist , 41 (1956) p.804-805, Confirmation of the crystal structure of pentlandite.

View Additional jPOWD Structure files for Pentlandite
[1] [10] [11] [12] [13] [14] [15] [16] [17] [18] [19] [2] [20] [21] [22] [23] [24] [25] [26] [27] [28] [29] [3] [30] [31] [32] [33] [34] [35] [36] [37] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9]

Physical Properties of Pentlandite

Cleavage:

None

Color:

Bronze, Brown.

Density:

4.6 - 5, Average = 4.8

Diaphaniety:

Opaque

Fracture:

Conchoidal - Fractures developed in brittle materials characterized by smoothly curving surfaces, (e.g. quartz).

Habit:

Granular - Generally occurs as anhedral to subhedral crystals in matrix.

Habit:

Granular - Generally occurs as anhedral to subhedral crystals in matrix.

Habit:

Massive - Granular - Common texture observed in granite and other igneous rock.

Hardness:

3.5-4 - Copper Penny-Fluorite

Luminescence:

None.

Luster:

Metallic

Magnetism:

Nonmagnetic

Streak:

greenish black

Optical Properties of Pentlandite

RL Pleochroism:

None.

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

Electron Density:

r_electron=4.87 gm/cc
note: r_Pentlandite=5.07 gm/cc.

Fermion Index

Fermion Index = 0.01326
Boson Index = 0.98674

Photoelectric:

PE_Pentlandite= 25.41 barns/electron
U=PE_Pentlandite x r_electron= 123.85 barns/cc.

Radioactivity:

GRapi = 0 (Gamma Ray American Petroleum Institute Units)

Pentlandite is Not Radioactive

Pentlandite Classification

Dana Class:

2.7.1.1 (2)Sulfides - Including Selenides and Tellurides

(2.7)where Am Bn Xp, with (m+n):p=9:8

(2.7.1)Pentalndite Group (Isometric: Fm3m)

2.7.1.1 Pentlandite (Fe,Ni)9S8 F m3m 4/m 3 2/m

2.7.1.2 Argentopentlandite Ag(Fe,Ni)8S8 F m3m 4/m 3 2/m

2.7.1.3 Cobaltpentlandite Co9S8 F m3m 4/m 3 2/m

2.7.1.4 Shadlunite (Pb,Cd)(Fe,Cu)8S8 F m3m 4/m 3 2/m

2.7.1.5 Manganese-shadlunite (Mn,Pb)(Cu,Fe)8S8 F m3m 4/m 3 2/m

2.7.1.6 Geffroyite (Ag,Cu,Fe)9(Se,S)8 F m3m 4/m 3 2/m

Strunz Class:

II/B.16-10 II - Sulfides and sulphosalts

II/B - Sulfides with metal: sulfur, selenium and tellurium > 1:1, Sulfides with predominant Nickel, Cobalt, Rhodium and Palladium

II/B.16 - Pentlandite group

II/B.16-10 Pentlandite (Fe,Ni)9S8 F m3m 4/m 3 2/m

II/B.16-20 Cobaltpentlandite Co9S8 F m3m 4/m 3 2/m

II/B.16-30 Argentopentlandite Ag(Fe,Ni)8S8 F m3m 4/m 3 2/m

II/B.16-40 Geffroyite (Ag,Cu,Fe)9(Se,S)8 F m3m 4/m 3 2/m

II/B.16-50 Manganese-shadlunite (Mn,Pb)(Cu,Fe)8S8 F m3m 4/m 3 2/m

II/B.16-60 Shadlunite (Pb,Cd)(Fe,Cu)8S8 F m3m 4/m 3 2/m

II/B.16-70 Palladseite Pd17Se15 P m3m 4/m 3 2/m

II/B.16-80 Miassite! Rh17S15 P m3m 4/m 3 2/m

II/B.16-80* Prassoite! Rh17S15(?) P m3m 4/m 3 2/m

Other Pentlandite Information

References:

NAME( Duda&Rejl90) PHYS. PROP.(Enc. of Minerals,2nd ed.,1990) OPTIC PROP.(AntBidBlaNic1)

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Pentlandite

(Fe,Ni)9S8
Dana No: 2.7.1.1 Strunz No: II/B.16-10
Locality:

Notes: