Mindat Logo
Home Page Log In Message Board The Mindat Directory
Register Search Pages Chat Now! (6 online) Mindat Auctions

Pentlandite

Big Photo

Sudbury, Sudbury District (Sudbury Complex; Sudbury nickel irruptive), Ontario, Canada
© Rob Lavinsky

Show Pentlandite Photos (11)
Formula:
(Fe,Ni)
 
9
S
 
8
System:IsometricColour:Bronze or brown
Lustre:MetallicHardness:3½ - 4
Name:After J. B. Pentland, who discovered the mineral at Sudbury, Ontario.


Pentlandite Group. Cobalt-Pentlandite-Pentlandite Series.

Pentlandite is usually found intergrown with Pyrrhotite, from which it can be distinguished by its cubic crystal system and because it is non-magnetic.

Classification of Pentlandite

IMA status:Valid - first described prior to 1959 (pre-IMA) - "Grandfathered"
Strunz 8th edition ID:2/B.16-10
Nickel-Strunz 10th (pending) edition ID:2.BB.15

2 : SULFIDES and SULFOSALTS (sulfides, selenides, tellurides; arsenides, antimonides, bismuthides; sulfarsenites, sulfantimonites, sulfbismuthites, etc.)
B : Metal Sulfides, M: S > 1: 1 (mainly 2: 1)
B : With Ni
Dana 8th edition ID:2.7.1.1

2 : SULFIDES
7 : AmBnXp, with (m+n):p = 9:8
Hey's CIM Ref.:3.11.9

3 : Sulphides, Selenides, Tellurides, Arsenides and Bismuthides (except the arsenides, antimonides and bismuthides of Cu, Ag and Au, which are included in Section 1)
11 : Sulphides etc. of Ni
mindat.org URL:http://www.mindat.org/min-3155.html
Please feel free to link to this page.

Type Occurrence of Pentlandite

Co-type Localities:Espedalen, Sør-Fron, Oppland, Norway
Craignure Mine, Inveraray, Strathclyde (Argyllshire), Scotland, UK
Year of Discovery:1856

Physical Properties of Pentlandite

Lustre:Metallic
Diaphaneity (Transparency):Opaque
Colour:Bronze or brown
Streak:Light bronze-brown
Hardness (Mohs):3½ - 4
Hardness (Vickers):VHN100=268 - 285 kg/mm2
Tenacity:Brittle
Parting:On {111}
Fracture:Conchoidal
Density (measured):4.6 - 5 g/cm3
Density (calculated):4.956 g/cm3

Crystallography of Pentlandite

Crystal System:Isometric
Class (H-M):m3m (4/m 3 2/m) - Hexoctahedral
Space Group:Fm3m (F4/m 3 2/m)
Cell Parameters:a = 9.928(1) Å
Unit Cell Volume:V 978.56 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Z:4
Morphology:Massive

Optical Data of Pentlandite

Type:Isotropic

Chemical Properties of Pentlandite

Formula:
(Fe,Ni)
 
9
S
 
8
Essential elements:Fe, S
All elements listed in formula:Fe, Ni, S
Common Impurities:Co,Ag,Cu

Relationship of Pentlandite to other Species

Series:Forms a series with Cobaltpentlandite (see here)
Related Minerals - Nickel-Strunz Grouping):
2.BB.05Heazlewoodite
Ni
 
3
S
 
2
2.BB.05Oregonite
Ni
 
2
FeAs
 
2
2.BB.05Vozhminite
(Ni,Co)
 
4
(As,Sb)S
 
2
2.BB.10Arsenohauchecornite
Ni
 
9
BiAsS
 
8
2.BB.10Bismutohauchecornite
Ni
 
9
Bi
 
2
S
 
8
2.BB.10Hauchecornite
Ni
 
9
Bi(Sb,Bi)S
 
8
2.BB.10Tellurohauchecornite
Ni
 
9
Bi(Te,Bi)S
 
8
2.BB.10Tučekite
Ni
 
9
Sb
 
2
S
 
8
2.BB.15Argentopentlandite
Ag(Fe,Ni)
 
8
S
 
8
2.BB.15Cobaltpentlandite
(Co,Ni,Fe)
 
9
S
 
8
2.BB.15Geffroyite
(Cu,Fe,Ag)
 
9
(Se,S)
 
8
2.BB.15Godlevskite
(Ni,Fe)
 
9
S
 
8
2.BB.15Kharaelakhite
(Pt,Cu,Pb,Fe,Ni)
 
9
S
 
8
2.BB.15Manganoshadlunite
(Mn,Pb,Cd)(Cu,Fe)
 
8
S
 
8
2.BB.15Shadlunite
(Pb,Cd)(Fe,Cu)
 
8
S
 
8
2.BB.15Sugakiite
Cu(Fe,Ni)
 
8
S
 
8
Related Minerals - Hey's Index Grouping:
3.11.1Heazlewoodite
Ni
 
3
S
 
2
3.11.2Godlevskite
(Ni,Fe)
 
9
S
 
8
3.11.3Millerite
NiS
3.11.4Polydymite
Ni
2+
 
Ni
3+
2
S
 
4
3.11.5Vaesite
NiS
 
2
3.11.6Shandite
Ni
 
3
Pb
 
2
S
 
2
3.11.7Donharrisite
Ni
 
8
Hg
 
3
S
 
9
3.11.8Violarite
Fe
2+
 
Ni
3+
2
S
 
4
3.11.10Bravoite
(Fe,Ni)S
 
2
3.11.11Siegenite
CoNi
 
2
S
 
4
3.11.12Fletcherite
Cu(Ni,Co)
 
2
S
 
4
3.11.13Villamanínite
(Cu,Ni,Co,Fe)S
 
2
3.11.14Mäkinenite
γ-NiSe
3.11.15Sederholmite
NiSe Beta-NiSe
3.11.16Trüstedtite
Ni
 
3
Se
 
4
3.11.17Wilkmanite
Ni
 
3
Se
 
4
3.11.18Kullerudite
NiSe
 
2
3.11.19Penroseite
(Ni,Co,Cu)Se
 
2
3.11.20Tyrrellite
Cu(Co
3+
 
,Ni
3+
 
)
 
2
Se
 
4
3.11.21Imgreite
NiTe (?)
3.11.22Melonite
NiTe
 
2
3.11.23Kitkaite
NiTeSe
3.11.24Dienerite
Ni
 
3
As
3.11.25Orcelite
Ni
 
5-x
As
 
2
3.11.26Maucherite
Ni
 
11
As
 
8
3.11.27Nickeline
NiAs
3.11.28Rammelsbergite
NiAs
 
2
3.11.29Pararammelsbergite
NiAs
 
2
3.11.30Nickelskutterudite
NiAs
 
2-3
3.11.31Oregonite
Ni
 
2
FeAs
 
2
3.11.32Westerveldite
(Fe,Ni,Co)As
3.11.33Langisite
(Co,Ni)As ratio Co:Ni = 5:1
3.11.34Gersdorffite
NiAsS
3.11.35Jolliffeite
NiAsSe
3.11.36Breithauptite
NiSb
3.11.38Ullmannite
NiSbS
3.11.39Willyamite
(Co,Ni)SbS

Other Names for Pentlandite

Synonyms:
FolgeriteLillehammeriteLillhammeriteNicopyrite
German names:
EisennickelkiesFolgeritLillehammeritLillhammeritNicopyrit
Pentlandit
Russian names:
Пентландит
Spanish names:
FolgeritaLillehammeritaLillhammeritaNicopyritaPentlandita
Varieties:
Argentian Pentlandite

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 Pentlandite

Reference List:Palache, Charles, Harry Berman & Clifford Frondel (1944), The System of Mineralogy of James Dwight Dana and Edward Salisbury Dana Yale University 1837-1892, Volume I: Elements, Sulfides, Sulfosalts, Oxides. John Wiley and Sons, Inc., New York. 7th edition, revised and enlarged, 834pp.: 242-243.

Misra, K.C. and Fleet, M.E. (1973) The chemical compositions of synthetic and natural pentlandite assemblages. Economic Ggeology: 8: 518-539.

Rajamani, V. and C.T. Prewitt (1973), Crystal chemistryof natural pentlandites. Canadian Mineralogist: 12: 178-187.

Francis, C.A., Fleet, M.E., Misra, K.C., and Craig, J.R. (1976) Orientation of exsolved pentlandite in natural and synthetic nickeliferous pyrrhotite. American Mineralogist: 61: 913-920.

Knop, O., Huang, C.-H., Reid, K.I.G., and CArlow, J.S. (1976) Chalcogenides of the transition elements. X. X-ray neutron, Mössbauer and magnetic studies of pentlandite and the π phases, π(Fe,Co,Ni,S), Co8MS8 and Fe4Ni4MS8 (M=Ru,Rh,Pd). Journal of Solid State Chemistry: 16: 97-116.

Mineralogical Magazine (1977): 41: 345.

Evans, H.T. & J.R. Clark (1981), The crystal structure of bartonite, a potassium iron sulfide and its relationship to pentlandite and djerfisherite: American Mineralogist: 66: 376-384.

Grguric, B.A. (2002), Hypogene violarite of exsolution origin from Mount Keith, Western Australia: field evidence for a stable pentlandite-violarite tie line: Mineralogical Magazine: 66: 313-326.

Tenailleau, Christophe, Allan Pring, Barbara tschmann, Joël Brugger, Ben Grguric, and Andrew Putnis (2006), Transformation of pentlandite to violarite under mild hydrothermal conditions: American Mineralogist: 91: 706-709.

Internet Links for Pentlandite

Search Engines:
  • Look for Pentlandite on Google
  • Look for Pentlandite images on Google
    • External Links:
  • Look for Pentlandite on Webmineral
  • Look for Pentlandite on Athena Mineralogy
  • Look for Pentlandite on Wikipedia
  • Look for Pentlandite on Mineralien Atlas
  • Raman and XRD data at RRUFF project
  • American Mineralogist Crystal Structure Database
  • Search for Pentlandite in the Natural History Museum (London) online catalogue
  • Pentlandite details from Handbook of Mineralogy (PDF)
    • Mineral Dealers:
  • Fine Minerals from Dan Weinrich Minerals
  • e-Rocks - Mineral Auctions and Sales
  • Find Pentlandite on www.crystalclassics.co.uk
  • Wright's Rock Shop - excellent mineral specimens since 1970
  • Search for Pentlandite at Thames Valley Minerals
  • Buy fine minerals and gemstones from Pala International
  • Wendel Minerals - Auktion & Shop
  • Fabre Minerals - search for Pentlandite specimens
  • Lapis Mineral Magazin
  • Top quality minerals from Kristalle of California
  • Wilensky Fine Minerals
  • Buy Fine Minerals from mineralsweb.com
    • 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 Pentlandite

    Show Locality List (570 Items)
    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!
    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.