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S

Discovered in 1889; IMA status: Valid (pre-IMA; Grandfathered) (IMA Approved 19)

Chemistry

Chemical Formula:

PtAs₂ • 2(H₂O)

Platinum Arsenide

Emperical Chemical Formula:

Na_0.97)_∑=8.98V

Molecular Weight:

344.92 gm

Composition:

Beryllium

4.84 %

Be

13.43 %

BeO

Iron

39.98 %

Fe

51.43 %

FeO

Silicon

15.08 %

Si

32.26 %

SiO₂

Sulfur

5.74 %

S

5.74 %

S^2-

—

 —  %

S

-O=S

Oxygen

34.36 %

O

100.00 %

100.00 %

= TOTAL OXIDE

Composition:

Arsenic

43.44 %

As

Platinum

56.56 %

Pt

100.00 %

Classification

Mineral Classification:

Sulfides and Sulfosalts

Strunz 8th Ed. ID:

2/D.17-120

Nickel-Strunz 10th Ed. ID:

2.EB.05a

2 : SULFIDES and SULFOSALTS (sulfides, selenides, tellurides; arsenides, antimonides, bismuthides; sulfarsenites, sulfantimonites, sulfbismuthites, etc.)
E : Metal Sulfides, M: S <= 1:2
B : M:S = 1:2, with Fe, Co, Ni, PGE, etc.

Related to:

P

Members of Group:

P

Varieties:

None

Synonyms:

None

Crystal Data

Crystallography:

Isometric - Diploidal

Crystal Habit:

C 

Twinning:

None

Physical Properties

Cleavage:

Indistinct on {001} 

Fracture:

Conchoidal

Tenacity:

Brittle

Moh's Hardness:

6.0 - 7.0; Vickers: VHN₁₀₀=960 - 1277 kg/mm²

Density:

10.58 (g/cm³)

Luminescence:

None

Radioactivity:

Not Radioactive

Barely Detectable; GRapi = 200.97 (Gamma Ray American Petroleum Institute Units)
Mild; GRapi = 4,081.56 (Gamma Ray American Petroleum Institute Units)
Weak; GRapi = 27,438.55 (Gamma Ray American Petroleum Institute Units)
Strong; GRapi = 542,060.77 (Gamma Ray American Petroleum Institute Units)
Very Strong; GRapi = 1,281,657.29 (Gamma Ray American Petroleum Institute Units)

Health Warning:

Contains thorium and uranium - always wash hands after handling. Avoid inhaling dust when handling or breaking. Never lick or ingest. Avoid prolonged exposure in proximity of the body. Store away from inhabited areas.

Optical Properties

Color:

Tin-white

Transparency:

Opaque

Luster:

Metallic

Refractive Index:

1.708 - 1.773  Biaxial ( +/- )

Birefringence:

0.000 (Isotropic)

Dispersion:

n/a

Pleochroism:

n/a

Anisotropism:

R

Occurances

Geological Setting:

P

Common Associations:

P

Common Impurities:

I

Type Locality:

V

Year Discovered:

1

View mineral photos:

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S

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