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Potarite

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Potaro River, Kangaruma District, Potaro-Siparuni Region, Guyana
© 2007 Peter Cristofono

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Formula:
PdHg
System:TetragonalColour:Silver-white
Hardness:3½
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):3½
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

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    • External Links:
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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.
    Hide Locality List
    (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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