Talnakhite

• IMA 1967-014

Talnakhit is a very rare mineral from the mineral class of sulfides and sulfosalts. It crystallizes in the cubic crystal system with the chemical composition CCu9 (Fe, Ni) 8S16 and forms narrow up to two millimeters long, lath, yellow crystals that have grown normally with other copper-iron sulphides.

Etymology and history

The mineral was first in 1968 by I.A. Bud'ko and E. A. Kulagow in Severniy mine at Talnach found near Norilsk in Russia. They named it after the place where Talnach (English Talnakh ).

Classification

In the classification by Strunz Talnakhit is classified in the sulfides and sulfosalts. It is counted among the sulfides with a ratio of metal to sulfur, selenium or tellurium of 1:1. In the eighth edition, it made with Haycockit, Isocubanit, Mooihoekit, Orickit, Putoranit and Wilhelmramsayit a group. In the ninth edition, the sulfides are further subdivided according to cations, there is Talnakhit mt chalcopyrite, Eskebornit, Haycockit, Laforêtit, Lenait, Mooihoekit, Gallit, Roquesit and Putoranit a subset of metal sulfides with a ratio of metal to sulfur, selenium or tellurium of 1 1 and zinc, iron, copper or silver.

In the classification of minerals according to Dana it forms with Haycockit and Mooihoekit a subset of the sulfides - tellurides and selenides, including - with the composition AmBn Xp, with (m n): p = 1:1.

Education and Locations

Talnakhit forms in high concentrations under hydrothermal conditions. Under water, the mineral also forms in black smokers. It is associated with chalcopyrite, cubanite, Djerfisherit, pentlandite, Valleriit or mackinawite, magnetite, silver-gold and palladium -lead alloys.

There are currently 19 localities of Talnakhits known. In addition to the type locality and other finds in Russia was found Talnakhit including in Suichang in China, Kittila and Sodankylä in Finland, Laurion in Greece, Takahashi, Kaminokuni and Hidaka in Japan, Cradock and Loolekop in South Africa, cármenes in Spain and the U.S. states Minnesota, Montana and Utah.

Crystal structure

Talnakhit crystallizes in the cubic crystal system in the space group I43m with the lattice parameters a = 10.59 Å and two formula units per unit cell.