Ullmannite

Ullmannite, outdated also known as Nick Elan Timo gravel, Nick Elan Timo gloss, antimony, nickel or gloss Nickelspießglaserz, is a rarely occurring mineral from the mineral class Sulfuride. It crystallizes in the cubic crystal system with the chemical composition NiSbS and usually develops combinations of cubic crystals and penetration twins, but also massive mineral aggregates of silver-white or lead- gray to steel-gray color, black or colorful start after some time in the air.

Ullmannite forms a solid solution series with Willyamit containing cobalt.

Special Features

Before blowtorch Ullmannite shows response of antimony, a bluish- white flame. King water turns green by the dissolution of the mineral.

Etymology and history

Was first found in 1843 Ullmannite named in the pit Stork & Schöneberg in Gosenbach the winning country and described by Julius Froebel, of the minerals by Johann Christoph Ullmann ( 1771-1821 ).

Classification

In the old classification of minerals according to Strunz ( 8th edition ) of the Ullmannite was still inaccurately classified in the department " sulfides with the molar ratio of metal: sulfur, selenium, tellurium <1: 1" sorted, where he along with cobaltite, Gersdorffite, Hollingworthit, Irarsit, Jolliffeit, Kalungait, Milotait, Platarsit, Tolovkit and Willyamit formed the Cobaltitgruppe.

Since the 9th edition of the Strunz'schen Mineral classification the mineral belongs to the department of " metal sulfides with M: S ≤ 1:2 " and then to the subdivision with the exact amount of substance ratio " metal: sulfur = 1: 2, with Fe, Co, Ni, PGE, etc. ".

The classification of minerals according to Dana assigns the Ullmannite also in the class of sulfides and there in the " Cobaltitgruppe ( Cubic or pseudocubic crystals) " within the Department of " sulfides - tellurides and selenides, including - with the composition AmBn Xp, with (m n): p = 1:2 ".

Modifications and varieties

The Ullmannite the imputed variety Kallilith is actually a mixture of bismuthinite, Hauchecornit, millerite and Ullmannite, which was first found in the pit Friedrich.

As Korynit an iron-and arsenic-containing variety of Ullmannite, but also an antimony or arsenic Verietät of Gersdorffite is called.

Education and Locations

Ullmannite formed by hydrothermal processes in nickel-rich ore passes. Accompanying minerals include chalcopyrite, Dyscrasite, Gersdorffite, galena, Nickeline, pentlandite, pyrrhotite and tetrahedrite.

So far, the mineral was detected at 209 localities (as of 2009), so among other things, Tasmania and at Broken Hill in Australia; Cochabamba in Bolivia; Westerwald in Harzgerode and Bad Lobenstein in Germany; in several regions of France; England and Wales in the United Kingdom; Monta Narba in Sardinia (Italy ) with crystal finds of up to 2 cm in size; Ontario and Quebec in Canada; Lolling in Austria; at Kšice in the Czech Republic.

Crystal structure

Ullmannite crystallizes in the cubic crystal system in the space group P 213 with the lattice parameters a = 5.886 Å and four formula units per unit cell.