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Formula: Ni12P5
Phosphide of nickel
Crystal System: Tetragonal
Environments
Metamorphic environments
Meteorites
Nazarovite can be both of terrestrial and of meteoritic origin. It is a new mineral, approved in 2019 and to
date (October 2022) reported only from the type localities.
Localities
There are two co-type localities, the Halamish wadi, Hatrurim Basin, Tamar Regional Council, Southern District, Israel,
and the Marjalahti meteorite, Viipuri, Ladoga Region, Republic of Karelia, Russia.
At the Halamish wadi, Hatrurim Basin, Tamar Regional Council, Southern District, Israel, nazarovite originates
from phosphide assemblages in diopside-rich
microbreccia of pyrometamorphic origin. It occurs as micrometer-sized
lamella intergrown with transjordanite and associated with
thaumasite, nickelphosphide,
magnetite, hematite,
ettringite and diopside
(AM 107.1946–1951, Mindat).
At the the Marjalahti meteorite, Viipuri, Ladoga Region, Republic of Karelia, Russia, meteoritic nazarovite was
identified among nickel-rich phosphide precipitates extracted from the
pallasite meteorite. Meteoritic nazarovite forms
chisel-like crystals
up to 8 μm long
(AM 107.1946–1951).
Nazarovite formation in nature, both on Earth and in meteorites, is related to the processes of Fe/Ni
fractionation in solid state, at temperatures below 1100°C
(AM 107.1946–1951).
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