Mindat Logo
Home Page Log In Message Board The Mindat Directory
Register Search Pages Chat Now! (2 online) Mindat Auctions

Iridium

Big Photo

Junction City, Trinity Co., California, USA
© 2007 Peter Cristofono

Show Iridium Photos (5)
Formula:
(Ir,Os,Ru)
System:IsometricHardness:6 - 7


Natural iridium often contains distinct amounts of Os, Ru or Pt.
The definition of iridium now incorporates old "osmiridium" and "ruthenosmiridium" mineral species (all have Ir as the dominant element).

Classification of Iridium

IMA status:Approved
Strunz 8th edition ID:1/A.14-30
Nickel-Strunz 10th (pending) edition ID:1.AF.10

1 : ELEMENTS (Metals and intermetallic alloys; metalloids and nonmetals; carbides, silicides, nitrides, phosphides)
A : Metals and Intermetallic Alloys
F : Platinum group elements
Dana 7th edition ID:1.2.1.2
Dana 8th edition ID:1.2.1.2

1 : NATIVE ELEMENTS AND ALLOYS
2 : Platinum Group Metals and Alloys
Hey's CIM Ref.:1.77

1 : Elements and Alloys (including the arsenides, antimonides and bismuthides of Cu, Ag and Au)
mindat.org URL:http://www.mindat.org/min-2045.html
Please feel free to link to this page.

Physical Properties of Iridium

Hardness (Mohs):6 - 7

Crystallography of Iridium

Crystal System:Isometric
Cell Parameters:a = 3.83Å
Unit Cell Volume:V 56.18 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)

Optical Data of Iridium

Type:Isotropic

Chemical Properties of Iridium

Formula:
(Ir,Os,Ru)
Essential elements:Ir
All elements listed in formula:Ir, Os, Ru
Common Impurities:Pt,Au,Pd,Cu,Fe

Relationship of Iridium to other Species

Related Minerals - Nickel-Strunz Grouping):
1.AF.05Osmium
(Os,Ir,Ru)
1.AF.05Rutheniridosmine
(Ir,Os,Ru)
1.AF.05Ruthenium
(Ru,Ir)
1.AF.10Palladium
(Pd,Pt)
1.AF.10Platinum
Pt
1.AF.10Rhodium
(Rh,Pt)
Related Minerals - Hey's Index Grouping:
1.1Copper
Cu
1.2Silver
Ag
1.5Gold
Au
1.6Auricupride
Cu
 
3
Au
1.7Tetra-auricupride
AuCu
1.8Zinc
Zn
1.9Cadmium
Cd
1.10Danbaite
CuZn
 
2
1.11Zhanghengite
CuZn
1.12Mercury
Hg
1.13Kolymite
Cu
 
7
Hg
 
6
1.14Moschellandsbergite
Ag
 
2
Hg
 
3
1.15Eugenite
Ag
 
11
Hg
 
2
1.16Schachnerite
Ag
 
1.1
Hg
 
0.9
1.17Paraschachnerite
Ag
 
3
Hg
 
2
1.18Luanheite
Ag
 
3
Hg
1.19Weishanite
(Au,Ag)
 
3
Hg
 
2
1.20Indium
In
1.21Aluminium
Al
1.22Khatyrkite
(Cu,Zn)Al
 
2
1.23Cupalite
(Cu,Zn)Al
1.24Diamond
C
1.25Graphite
C
1.26Chaoite
C
1.27Lonsdaleite
C
1.28Silicon
Si
1.29Tin
Sn
1.30Lead
Pb
1.31Anyuiite
Au(Pb,Sb)
 
2
1.31Novodneprite
AuPb
 
3
1.32Leadamalgam
HgPb
 
2
1.33Arsenic
As
1.34Arsenolamprite
As
1.35Paxite
CuAs
 
2
1.36Koutekite
Cu
 
5
As
 
2
1.37Domeykite
Cu
 
3
As
1.38Algodonite
(Cu
 
1-x
As
 
x
)
1.39Novakite
Cu
 
20
AgAs
 
10
1.40Kutinaite
Cu
 
2
AgAs
1.41Antimony
Sb
1.42Stibarsen
AsSb
1.43Paradocrasite
Sb
 
3
As
1.44Horsfordite
1.45Cuprostibite
Cu
 
2
(Sb,Tl)
1.46Allargentum
(Ag
 
1-x
Sb
 
x
)
1.47Aurostibite
AuSb
 
2
1.48Dyscrasite
Ag
 
3
Sb
1.49Bismuth
Bi
1.50Maldonite
Au
 
2
Bi
1.51Sulphur
S
 
8
1.52Rosickýite
S
1.53Selenium
Se
1.54Tellurium
Te
1.55Chromium
Cr
1.56Rhenium
Re
1.57Iron
Fe
1.58Chromferide
Fe
 
3
Cr
 
1-x
 (x=0.6)
1.59Ferchromide
Cr
 
1.5
Fe
 
0.5-x
1.60Wairauite
CoFe
1.61Nickel
Ni
1.62Kamacite
(Fe,Ni)
1.63Taenite
(Fe,Ni)
1.64Tetrataenite
FeNi
1.65Awaruite
Ni
 
3
Fe
1.66Palladium
(Pd,Pt)
1.67Potarite
PdHg
1.68Paolovite
Pd
 
2
Sn
1.69Stannopalladinite
(Pd,Cu)
 
3
Sn
 
2
1.70Cabriite
Pd
 
2
SnCu
1.71Taimyrite
(Pd,Cu,Pt)
 
3
Sn
1.72Atokite
(Pd,Pt)
 
3
Sn
1.73Rustenburgite
(Pt,Pd)
 
3
Sn
1.74Zvyagintsevite
(Pd,Pt,Au)
 
3
(Pb,Sn)
1.75Plumbopalladinite
Pb
 
2
Pd
 
3
1.76Osmium
(Os,Ir,Ru)
1.82Platinum
Pt
1.83Hongshiite
PtCu
1.84Niggliite
PtSn
1.85Isoferroplatinum
Pt
 
3
Fe
1.86Tetraferroplatinum
PtFe
1.87Tulameenite
Pt
 
2
CuFe
1.88Ferronickelplatinum
Pt
 
2
FeNi
1.89Rhodium
(Rh,Pt)
Related Minerals - Dana Grouping):
1.2.1.1Platinum
Pt
1.2.1.3Rhodium
(Rh,Pt)
1.2.1.4Palladium
(Pd,Pt)
1.2.1.5Rutheniridosmine
(Ir,Os,Ru)

Other Names for Iridium

Synonyms:
Osmiridium (of Zvyagintsev)
Japanese names:
自然イリジウム
Russian names:
Иридий
Varieties:
AurosmiridiumOsmiridiumPlatiniridiumRutheniridiumRuthenosmiridium

Other Information

Health Warning:No information on health risks for this material has been entered into the database. You should always treat mineral specimens with care.

References for Iridium

Reference List:Canadian Mineralogist: 12: 104-112.

Canadian Mineralogist (1991): 29: 231-237.

Internet Links for Iridium

Search Engines:
  • Look for Iridium on Google
  • Look for Iridium images on Google
    • External Links:
  • Look for Iridium on Webmineral
  • Look for Iridium on Athena Mineralogy
  • Look for Iridium on Wikipedia
  • Look for Iridium on Mineralien Atlas
  • Raman and XRD data at RRUFF project
  • American Mineralogist Crystal Structure Database
  • Search for Iridium in the Natural History Museum (London) online catalogue
  • Iridium details from Handbook of Mineralogy (PDF)
    • Mineral Dealers:
  • rare and unusual minerals mainly crystallized
  • Buy fine minerals and gemstones from Pala International
  • Buy from David K Joyce minerals
  • e-Rocks - Mineral Auctions and Sales
  • Fine Minerals from Dan Weinrich Minerals
  • Wright's Rock Shop - excellent mineral specimens since 1970
  • Buy Minerals and Crystals from Crystalarium.com
  • Search for Iridium on minvision.com
  • Rare and Unusual minerals at Mineralogical Research Company
  • Wendel Minerals - Auktion & Shop
  • Mineral Classics - Worldwide Collector Quality Minerals and Gems
  • Lapis Mineral Magazin
    • Jobs:
  • Mining & Geology Jobs

    • Page Sponsor

    Sponsorship:This page is currently not sponsored. Click here to find out how you can sponsor this page.

    Localities for Iridium

    Hide Locality List
    The map shows a selection of localities that have latitude and longitude coordinates recorded. Click on the symbol to view information about a locality. The symbol next to localities in the list can be used to jump to that position on the map.
    These maps work faster with Firefox!
    (TL) indicates type locality. ? indicates mineral may be doubtful at this locality. All other localities listed without reference should be considered as uncertain and unproven until references can be found.
    Australia
     
    • New South Wales
      • Clarke Co.
    		Carlo Tortorella
      • Cunningham Co.
        • Fifield
          • Woodburn
    		Pavel M. Kartashov analytical data
      • Kennedy Co.
        • Condobolin
          • Fifield
    		[var: Osmiridium] Carlo Tortorella
      • Rous Co.
    		[var: Osmiridium] G. A. Albertson Data
    Carlo Tortorella
    Carlo Tortorella
        • Evans Head
    		G. A. Albertson Data
    • Tasmania
    		[var: Osmiridium]
      • Beaconsfield district
    		[var: Osmiridium] Bottrill & Baker (in prep) Catalogue of minerals of Tasmania
      • Corinna-Savage River district
    		[var: Osmiridium] Bottrill & Baker (in prep) Catalogue of minerals of Tasmania
      • Heazlewood district
    		Bottrill & Baker (in prep) Catalogue of minerals of Tasmania
      • Huon district
        • Weld river
    		Bottrill & Baker (in prep) Catalogue of minerals of Tasmania
      • Rosebery district
    		Bottrill & Baker (in prep) Catalogue of minerals of Tasmania
    Bulgaria
     
    • Blagoevgrad Oblast
    Burma (Myanmar)
     
    • Mandalay Division
      • Innwa (Ava; Ratanapura)
        • Chindwin river
    		[var: Platiniridium] Anthony, Bideaux, Bladh, Nichols: "Handbook of Mineralogy", Vol. 1, 1990
    Canada
     
    • British Columbia
      • Atlin Mining Division
    		Canadian Mineralogist (2005): 43: 1705.
    [var: Osmiridium] Anthony, Bideaux, Bladh, Nichols: "Handbook of Mineralogy", Vol. 1, 1990
      • Cariboo Mining Division
        • Quesnel River area
    		[var: Osmiridium] No reference listed
    Canadian Mineralogist (2005): 43: 1705.
      • Similkameen Mining Division
        • Princeton
    		Alfredo Petrov collection
    Alfredo Petrov specimen, obtained from Lismarck Minerals, analysis #19 14/04/06.
    Alfredo Petrov collection
      • Tulameen
    		Canadian Mineralogist (2005): 43: 1705.
    • Québec
      • Mégantic Co.
        • Thetford Mines
    		Can. Min. 28, 579.
    • Yukon Territory
      • Whitehorse Mining District
        • Kluane District
    		No reference listed
    China
     
    • Hebei Province
      • Chengde Prefecture
        • Luan River (Luan He) valley
    		Yu Zuxiang (1995): Acta Mineralogica Sinica 15(1), 1-4.
    [var: Osmiridium] Yu Zuxiang (1997): Acta Geologica Sinica 71(4), 486-490.
        • Xinglong Co.
    		[var: Osmiridium] Yu Zuxiang (1981): Geological Review 27, 55-71.
    • Sichuan Province
      • Panzhihua Prefecture
        • Panzhihua City
    		[var: Osmiridium]
    • Tibet Autonomous Region
      • Nagchu (Naqu) Prefecture
        • Amdo (Anduo) Co.
    		[var: Ruthenosmiridium] Anthony, Bideaux, Bladh, Nichols: "Handbook of Mineralogy", Vol. 1, 1990
      • Shannan Prefecture
        • Qusum (Qusong) Co.
    		[var: Osmiridium] Wenji Bai, Robinson, P.T., Qingsong Fang, Jingsui Yang, Binggang Yan, Zhongming Zhang, Xufeng Hu, Meifu Zhou, and Malpas, J. (2000): Canadian Mineralogist 38(3), 585-598.
    Colombia
     
    • Chocó Department
    		[var: Ruthenosmiridium]
    Czech Republic
     
    • Bohemia (Böhmen; Boehmen)
      • Hradec Králové Region
        • Nová Paka (Neupaka)
    		[var: Osmiridium] Moravec, B.: Zajímavé nerosty z granátových náplavů v Podkrkonoší. Minerál, 2002, roč. 10 č. 4, s. 262-268.
    Ethiopia
     
    • Wallaga (Welega; Wollega; Ouallega) Province
      • Assosa region
    		P.M. Kartashov data
    France
     
    • Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur
      • Bouches-du-Rhône
        • Aix-en-Provence
          • Peyrolles-en-Provence
    		Y. Moëlo : "Compte-rendu de la réunion "Systématique des Minéraux" du 23 novembre 1989", Bull. Soc. Franç. Minéral.
    Greece
     
    • Macedonia Department
      • Kozáni Prefecture
        • Kozáni and Grevena prefectures border area
          • Vourinos Mt ophiolite complex
    		[var: Osmiridium] Anthony, Bideaux, Bladh, Nichols: "Handbook of Mineralogy", Vol. 1, 1990
    Japan
     
    • Hokkaido Island
    		Urashima et al (1972) Reports of the Faculty of Science, Kagoshima University, 21, 119-135.
    Malaysia
     
    • Pahang
    		[var: Osmiridium] Geological Society of Malaysia Bulletin 15 (1982)
    Morocco
     
    • Souss-Massa-Draâ Region
      • Ouarzazate Province
        • Tazenakht
    		S. Weiß: Lapis 31(7/8), 72-73 (2006)
    New Caledonia
     
    • Northern Province
      • Koumac Commune
    		[var: Ruthenosmiridium] Anthony, Bideaux, Bladh, Nichols: "Handbook of Mineralogy", Vol. 1, 1990
    New Zealand
     
    • South Island
      • Parapara
    		[var: Osmiridium] www.med.govt.nz/crown_minerals/minerals/docs/comreports/report05_pgm.pdf.
      • Southland
        • Southland District
    		[var: Osmiridium] http://www.med.govt.nz/crown_minerals/minerals/docs/comreports/report05_pgm.pdf
    Oman
     
    • Northern Oman Ophiolite
    		[var: Platiniridium]
    Russia
     
    • Eastern-Siberian Region
    		www.cosis.net/abstracts/EAE03/14099/EAE03-A-14099.pdf.
    • Far-Eastern Region
      • Chukot Peninsula
        • Chukotka (Tchukotka) Okrug
          • Pekul'nei Range
            • Northern Pekul'nei River
    		[var: Osmiridium]
      • Kamchatka Oblast'
        • Koryak Mts
    		[var: Osmiridium]
    [CanMin 38 p1251-1264 "The association of platinum-group minerals in placers of the Pustaya River, Kamchatka, Russia"]
      • Khabarovskiy Kray
        • Ayan-Maya district
          • Aldan shield
    		[var: Osmiridium] Cabri, L.J., Laflamme, H.H. Giles, (1997), Platinum Group Minerals from the Konder Massif, Russian Far East, Min Rec. 28, 97-106
      • Primorskiy Kray
        • Khanka lake
    		Shcheka G.G., Vrzhosek A.A., Lehmann B., Tolstykh N.D. (2004) Associations of platinum-group minerals from the Zolotaya gold placiers, Primorye, Russian Far East, - Can. Miner., v.42, pp. 583-599.
    [var: Aurosmiridium] No reference listed
      • Central Urals
      • Middle Urals
        • Ekaterinburgskaya (Sverdlovskaya) Oblast'
          • Nizhnii Tagil
    		[var: Platiniridium]
            • Solov'eva Mtn
    		[var: Platiniridium]
          • Sysert' district
    		[var: Osmiridium] Pavel M. Kartashov analytical data
    South Africa
     
    • Free State Province
    		Minerals of South Africa
    • Mpumalanga Province
      • Eastern Bushveld Complex
        • Lydenburg District
    		[var: Osmiridium] Minerals of South Africa
      • Witwatersrand field
        • West Rand
    		[var: Osmiridium]
    Sweden
     
    • Småland
      • Vetlanda
        • Alseda
    		H.-J.Wilke: Die Mineralien und Fundstellen von Schweden.1997
    USA
     
    • Alaska
      • Bethel Borough
        • Goodnews Bay
          • Salmon River - Red Mountain District
    		[var: Osmiridium] USGS Open-File Report 01-269
    USGS Open-File Report 01-269
    [var: Osmiridium] USGS Open-File Report 01-269
    [var: Osmiridium] Anthony, Bideaux, Bladh, Nichols: "Handbook of Mineralogy", Vol. 1, 1990
    [var: Osmiridium] USGS Open-File Report 01-269
      • Lake And Peninsula Borough
    		[var: Osmiridium]
    • California
      • Trinity Co.
    		Harvard University spec. 100263
    [var: Osmiridium]
    • Colorado
      • Clear Creek Co.
        • Georgetown District
    		Minerals of Colorado (1997) Eckels, E. B.
      • Summit Co.
        • Breckenridge District
    		Minerals of Colorado (1997) Eckels, E. B.
    Minerals of Colorado (1997) Eckels, E. B.
    • Nevada
      • Clark Co.
        • Goodsprings District
    		NBMG Spec. Pub. 31 Minerals of Nevada
    • New Mexico
      • Sierra Co.
    		[var: Platiniridium] Minerals of New Mexico 3rd ed.
    • Oregon
      • Coos Co.
        • Beach Area
    		U.S. Geological Survey, 2005, Mineral Resources Data System: U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, Virginia.
    [var: Osmiridium]
      • Josephine Co.
        • Illinois River District
    		Oregon Metal Mines Handbook, 1952, Oregon Department of Geology and Mineral Industries: Bulletin No. 14-C, Vol. 2, Section 1 - Josephine Co., 2nd Edition, page 122.
        • Josephine Creek District
    		Oregon Metal Mines Handbook, 1952, Oregon Department of Geology and Mineral Industries: Bulletin No. 14-C, Vol. 2, Section 1 - Josephine Co., 2nd Edition, page 134.
    [var: Osmiridium] www.geo.cornell.edu/geology/faculty/Bird.html.
    Oregon Metal Mines Handbook, 1952, Oregon Department of Geology and Mineral Industries: Bulletin No. 14-C, Vol. 2, Section 1 - Josephine Co., 2nd Edition, page 123.
    Mineral and/or Locality
    Google
     
    www.mindat.org Web
    Copyright © Jolyon & Ida Ralph 1993-2008. Site Map. Locality, mineral & photograph data are the copyright of the individuals who submitted them.Further information contact the Site hosted & developed by Jolyon Ralph. Mindat.org is an online information resource dedicated to providing free mineralogical information to all. Mindat relies on the contributions of hundreds of members and supporters. If you would like to add information to improve the quality of our database, then click here to register.