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Formula: Cd
Native element
Specific gravity: 8.65
Hardness: 1 to 2
Colour: Tin-white with bluish tint
Melting point: 321.1oC
Boiling point: 765oC
Abundance in the Earth’s crust: 150 parts per billion by mass, 30 parts per billion by moles (ChC)
Abundance in the Solar System: 6 parts per billion by mass, 70 parts per trillion by moles (ChC)
Environments
Plutonic igneous environments
Sedimentary environments
Cadmium ocurs rarely in the native state, most often in small quantities associated with
zinc ores, such as sphalerite.
Greenockite is the only cadmium mineral of any consequence. Almost all
cadmium is obtained as a by-product of zinc,
copper and lead ore refining operations
(ChC).
Localities
At the type locality, the Ust'-Khann'ya Intrusion, Lower Khann'ya River, Vilyui River Basin, Mirninsky District, Sakha
Republic, Russia, Native cadmium was reported as microscopic grains in the heavy, non-magnetic fraction of a
concentrate from gabbro-dolerite.
Associated minerals reportedly include moissanite,
iron, copper,
lead, tin,
zinc,
copper–zinc alloy,
tin–antimony alloy, sulphides,
garnet, spinel,
kyanite, corundum and
rutile (the assemblage seems highly improbable)
(AM 65.1065, HOM).
At the Yana River Basin, Verkhoyansk District, Sakha Republic, Russia, cadmium is a product of post-magmatic activity
in mineralised siltstone,
sandstone, dolostone and
mudstone. Associated minerals include
monteponite, otavite,
titanite, ilmenite,
chalcopyrite, bornite,
chalcocite, pyrite and
galena
(HOM).
Cadmium-bearing minerals include:
Sulphides - the sulphide anion is S2-
cadmoindite
greenockite
hawleyite
Selenides - the selenide anion is Se2-
cadmoselite
Sulphosalts - sulphide minerals with the general formula AmBnXp, where A represents a metal , B usually represents
a semi-metal and X is sulphur or rarely selenium and/or tellurium
quadratite
ramdohrite
tennantite-(Cd)
Oxides - the oxide anion is O2-
monteponite
Carbonates - the carbonate anion is (CO3)2-
otavite
Sulphates - the sulphate anion is (SO4)2-
aldridgeite
lauraniite
lazaridisite
niedermayrite
voudourisite
Selenites - the selenite anion is (SeO3)2-
burnsite
Arsenates - the arsenate anion is (As5+O4)3-
keyite
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