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Formula: (Fe,Ni)3P
Phosphide, nickel-bearing mineral
Crystal System: Tetragonal
Specific gravity: 7.0 to 7.3 measured, 7.28 calculated
Hardness: 6½ to 7
Streak: Dark grey
Colour: Silver-white to tin-white, tarnishes to brass yellow or brown
Common impurities: Cr
Environments
Volcanic igneous environments
Hydrothermal environments
Meteorites
Schreibersite occurs in nearly all iron meteorites, but
is lacking in those that are nickel deficient; it is rare in stony
meteorites. Associated minerals include
iron variety kamacite, tetrataenite
and troilite (HOM, Mindat). Schreibersite has been observed in
lunar samples, possibly of meteoric origin
(Dana).
Localities
At Kitdlît, Qeqertarsuaq Island, Qaasuitsup, Greenland, Denmark, schreibersite occurs in lenses in
basalt, associated with iron,
cohenite, troilite and
wüstite
(HOM ).
At an unspecified location in the Red sea, schreibersite has been found as a hydrothermal metasomatic replacement
of mineralised wood at a depth of 1400 m
(HOM, Mindat ).
The type locality is the Magura meteorite, Slanica, Námestovo, Námestovo District, Žilina Region, Slovakia.
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