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Potarite

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Formula:
PdHg
System:TetragonalColour:Silver-white
Hardness:
Name:For the type locality, the Potaro River, Guyana
This page provides mineralogical data about Potarite.

Classification of Potarite

IMA status:Valid - first described prior to 1959 (pre-IMA) - "Grandfathered"
Strunz 8th edition ID:1/A.02-90
Nickel-Strunz 10th (pending) edition ID:1.AD.25

1 : ELEMENTS (Metals and intermetallic alloys; metalloids and nonmetals; carbides, silicides, nitrides, phosphides)
A : Metals and Intermetallic Alloys
D : Mercury-amalgam family
Dana 7th edition ID:1.2.5.1
Dana 8th edition ID:1.2.4.4

1 : NATIVE ELEMENTS AND ALLOYS
2 : Platinum Group Metals and Alloys
Hey's CIM Ref.:1.67

1 : Elements and Alloys (including the arsenides, antimonides and bismuthides of Cu, Ag and Au)
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Type Occurrence of Potarite

Type Locality:Kaietur Falls, Potaro River, Kangaruma District, Potaro-Siparuni Region, Guyana
Place of Conservation of Type Material:Smithsonian 95350
Year of Discovery:1925

Occurrences of Potarite

Geological Setting:Associated with platinum minerals in placers.

Physical Properties of Potarite

Lustre:Metallic
Diaphaneity (Transparency):Opaque
Colour:Silver-white
Streak:Silver white
Hardness (Mohs):
Tenacity:Brittle
Density (measured):14.88 g/cm3
Density (calculated):15.09 g/cm3

Crystallography of Potarite

Crystal System:Tetragonal
Class (H-M):4/mmm (4/m 2/m 2/m) - Ditetragonal Dipyramidal
Space Group:P4/mmm {P4/m 2/m 2/m}
Cell Parameters:a = 3.026Å, c = 3.702Å
Ratio:a:c = 1 : 1.223
Unit Cell Volume:V 33.90 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Z:1
Morphology:Small grains or nuggets, octahedral points, columnar, fibrous.

Optical Data of Potarite

Type:Anisotropic
Anisotropism:brown with an orange tint
Colour in reflected light:Cream to creamy white

Chemical Properties of Potarite

Formula:
PdHg
Essential elements:Hg, Pd
All elements listed in formula:Hg, Pd
Common Impurities:Cu

Relationship of Potarite to other Species

Related Minerals - Nickel-Strunz Grouping):

- +
1.AD.05Mercury
Hg
1.AD.10Belendorffite
Cu
 
7
Hg
 
6
1.AD.10Kolymite
Cu
 
7
Hg
 
6
1.AD.15cEugenite
Ag
 
11
Hg
 
2
1.AD.15bLuanheite
Ag
 
3
Hg
1.AD.15dMoschellandsbergite
Ag
 
2
Hg
 
3
1.AD.15aParaschachnerite
Ag
 
3
Hg
 
2
1.AD.15aSchachnerite
Ag
 
1.1
Hg
 
0.9
1.AD.20aWeishanite
(Au,Ag)
 
3
Hg
 
2
1.AD.20bGoldamalgam (of Chen et al.)
(Au,Ag)Hg
1.AD.30Leadamalgam
Pb
 
0.7
Hg
 
0.3
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
Pb
 
0.7
Hg
 
0.3
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
Cu, Sb
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)
1.68Paolovite
Pd
 
2
Sn
1.69Stannopalladinite
(Pd,Cu)
 
3
Sn
 
2
1.70Cabriite
Pd
 
2
CuSn
1.71Taimyrite-I
(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
Pd
 
3
Pb
 
2
1.76Osmium
(Os,Ir,Ru)
1.77Iridium
(Ir,Os,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)

Other Names for Potarite

Other Languages:
German:Potarit
Japanese:ポタロ鉱
Russian:Потарит
Simplified Chinese:汞钯矿
Spanish:Potarita

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 Potarite

Reference List:

- +
L. J. Spencer (1928): Potarite, a New Mineral Discovered by the Late Sir John Harrison in British Guiana. Mineralogical Magazine 21, 397-406.

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.: 105.

American Mineralogist (1960): 45: 1093-1097.

Fleet, M.E., De Almeida, C.M., and Angeli, N. (2002) Botryoidal platinum, palladium and potarite from the Bom Sucesso stream, Minas Gerais, Brazil: compositional zoning and origin. Canadian Mineralogist: 40: 341-355.

Internet Links for Potarite

Search Engines:
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  • Raman and XRD data at RRUFF project
  • American Mineralogist Crystal Structure Database
  • Potarite details from Handbook of Mineralogy (PDF)
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  • Localities for Potarite

    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.
    (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
     
    • Western Australia
      • East Pilbara Shire
        • Rudall River District
    CanMin 40:419-433.(2002)
    Austria
     
    • Styria
      • Leoben
    Min.& Pet. 73:247-277
    Brazil
     
    • Minas Gerais
      • Serro (Serro Frio; Cerrado Frio)
    Canadian Mineralogist: 40: 341-355.
    • Pará
      • Carajás mineral province
        • Curionópolis
    Villas, R.N., and Dias Santos, M. (2001): Mineralium Deposita 36, 300-331
    Canada
     
    • Québec
      • Chaudière-Appalaches
        • Les Appalaches RCM
    http://gsa.confex.com/gsa/2001NE/finalprogram/abstract_2302.htm.
    Guyana
     
    • Potaro-Siparuni Region
      • Kangaruma District
        • Potaro River
    Bull.Soc.fr.Min.(1926) 49, 5
    India
     
    • Orissa
    CanMin 40:277-309
    Japan
     
    • Honshu Island
      • Chugoku Region
        • Tottori Prefecture
    Arai et al (1999) Mineralogical Magazine, 63, 369-377.
    Morocco
     
    • Souss-Massa-Draâ Region
      • Ouarzazate Province
        • Tazenakht
          • Bou Azer District (Bou Azzer District)
            • Bleida
    El Ghorfi, M., Oberthür, T., Melcher, F., Lüders, V., El Boukhari, A., Maacha, L., Ziadi, R., and Baoutoul, H. (2006): Mineralium Deposita 41, 549-564.
    New Caledonia
     
    • Southern Province
      • Ouen Island
    33rd International Geological Congress (2008) session MPM-04 Platinum-group mineralogy: Platinum-group minerals in chromitite schlieren from the ouen island, new caledonia ophiolite
    Russia
     
    • Eastern-Siberian Region
      • Transbaikalia (Zabaykalye)
        • Buriatia (Buryatia) Republic
          • Dovyren Highlands
    Rudashevskiy N.S., Krecer D.A., Orsoev D.A., Kislov E.V. (2003) Palladium-platinum mineralization in vein Cu-Ni-ores of Yoko-Dovyrenskiy laiered massif, - DAN, 391(4), p. 519-522 (in Rus.)
    • Urals Region
      • Middle Urals
    9th International platinum symposium Chromite-PGE mineralization in the Uktus Alaskan-Type Complex (Central Urals,)
      • Southern Urals
        • Bashkortostan (Bashkiria) Republic
    F. Zaccarini et al. , The Canadian Mineralogist, Vol. 42, pp. 545-562 (2004).
    South Africa
     
    • Limpopo Province
      • Bushveld Complex
    The Canadian Mineralogist Vol. 43, pp. 1711-1734 (2005)
    UK
     
    • Scotland
      • North West Highlands (Inverness-shire)
        • Isle of Rum
    Power, M.R., Pirrie, D., Andersen, J.C.O., and Butcher, A.R. (2000): Mineralium Deposita 35, 762-775.
    USA
     
    • Alaska
      • Bethel Borough
        • Goodnews Bay
          • Salmon River - Red Mountain District
    Anthony, Bideaux, Bladh, Nichols: "Handbook of Mineralogy", Vol. 1, 1990
    • Montana
      • Stillwater Co.
        • Stillwater Complex
          • J-M Reef (Howland Reef)
    www.cannonmicroprobe.com/Mineral_Specimens.htm
    • Nevada
      • Clark Co.
        • Goodsprings District
    NBMG Spec. Pub. 31 Minerals of Nevada
    Mineral and/or Locality
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    Copyright © Jolyon Ralph and Ida Chau 1993-2013. 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. Mindat does not offer minerals for sale. If you would like to add information to improve the quality of our database, then click here to register.
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