Sperrylite

sperrylite

violarite

kotulskite

niggliite

Images

Formula: PtAs2
Arsenide, pyrite group, platinum-bearing mineral
Platarsite is a sulphur-enriched variety of sperrylite.
Crystal System: Isometric
Specific gravity: 10.58 measured, 10.78 calculated
Hardness: 6 to 7
Streak: Dark grey to black
Colour: Tin-white
Luminescence: Not fluorescent under UV
Magnetism: Not magnetic
Common impurities: Ir,Rh,Fe,Cu,Sb
Environments

Pegmatites
Metamorphic environments
Sedimentary environments
Hydrothermal environments

Sperrylite is the most widespread platinum mineral, occurring in every type of deposit (HOM).

Localities

The type locality is the Vermilion mine, Denison Township, Greater Sudbury, Ontario, Canada.

At the Mesamax Northwest deposit, Ungava Peninsula, Nunavik, Nord-du-Québec, Quebec, Canada, sperrylite is one of the associated of naldrettite (the Mesamax deposit is the type locality of naldrettite) (CM 59.6.1801-1820).

At the Xiaonanshan Cu-Ni-(Pt-Pd) deposit, Wuchuan County, Hohhot City, Inner Mongolia, China, sperrylite is associated with leadamalgam, chromite, ilmenite, magnetite, gersdorffite, pyrite, chalcopyrite, violarite, millerite, stibnite, electrum, niggliite, iridosmine, platinum, merenskyite and kotulskite (HOM).

At the Danba pegmatite field, Danba county, Garzê Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan, China, sperrylite is associated with pyrrhotite, pentlandite, chalcopyrite, violarite, cubanite, bornite, sphalerite, galena, linnaeite, magnetite, testibiopalladite, sudburyite, omeiite, gold and electrum (HOM).

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