Hapkeite

• IMA 2003-014

Hapkeit is a very rarely occurring mineral from the mineral class of " elements ". It crystallizes in the cubic crystal system with the composition Fe2Si, is so chemically seen an iron silicide.

Hapkeit has so far been found only in the form of microcrystalline, massive aggregates of silvery white to yellow in color.

Etymology and history

It is named after the Hapkeit Professor Bruce Hapke, who has made 1973 a prediction about the mineral.

Was discovered Hapkeit in April 2004 in a lunar meteorite from the Dhofar region of Oman. In the same year it was recognized by the IMA as a mineral.

Classification

Since Hapkeit was discovered only in 2004, it is not listed in the outdated since 2001 classification of minerals according to Strunz ( 8th edition ). Only the 2008 released " lapis minerals directory", which is aimed in deference to private collectors and institutional collections yet according to the classical scheme of Karl Hugo Strunz, the mineral leads under the system no. I/A.12-35 on.

The 9th edition used since 2001 and valid by the International Mineralogical Association (IMA ) of the Strunz'schen Mineral classification assigns the Hapkeit in the class of " elements " and there in the department of " Metallic carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus compounds " one. This division, however, is further subdivided according to the exact nature of the connection, so that the mineral is found according to its composition in the subdivision of " suicides ", where it forms the unnamed group 1.BB.05 together with gupeiite, Suessit and xifengite.

The mainly common in English-speaking classification of minerals according to Dana assigns the Hapkeit into the class of " elements " and there in the same department. Here he is with Suessit, gupeiite, xifengite, Luobusait, Mavlyanovit and Brownleeit in the " Suessitgruppe, silicides " with the system no. 01:01:23 within the sub-division of " elements: metallic elements other than the platinum group " to find.

Education and Locations

Hapkeit formed of iron -containing gases, which deposited in a vacuum after the impact of a meteorite on the lunar surface.

Apart from its type locality, the found in the Omani Dhofar lunar meteorites Dho 280, Hapkeit could still be detected in the lunar rocks from Mare Crisium, which brought the probe Luna 24 during their mission.

Crystal structure

Hapkeit crystallizes in the space group Pm3m cubic ( Raumgruppen-Nr. 221 ) with the lattice parameters a = 2.831 Å and one formula unit per unit cell.