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Potarite

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Potaro River, Kangaruma District, Guyana
© 2007 Peter Cristofono

Formula:
PdHg
System:TetragonalColour:Silver-white
Hardness:3½
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, Guyana
Year of Discovery:1925

Physical Properties of Potarite

Lustre:Metallic
Diaphaneity (Transparency):Opaque
Colour:Silver-white
Hardness (Mohs):3½

Crystallography of Potarite

Crystal System:Tetragonal
Cell Parameters:a = 3.03Å, c = 3.69Å
Ratio:a:c = 1 : 1.218
Unit Cell Volume:V 33.88 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)

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.15Eugenite
Ag
 
11
Hg
 
2
1.AD.15Luanheite
Ag
 
3
Hg
1.AD.15Moschellandsbergite
Ag
 
2
Hg
 
3
1.AD.15Paraschachnerite
Ag
 
3
Hg
 
2
1.AD.15Schachnerite
Ag
 
1.1
Hg
 
0.9
1.AD.20Weishanite
(Au,Ag)
 
3
Hg
 
2
1.AD.20Goldamalgam
(Au,Ag)Hg
1.AD.30Leadamalgam
HgPb
 
2
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)
1.68Paolovite
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)
1.77Iridium
(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

German names:
Potarit
Japanese names:
ポタロ鉱
Russian names:
Потарит
Spanish names:
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: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.

Mineralogical Magazine and Journal of the Mineralogical Society: 21: 397-406.

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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  • Raman and XRD data at RRUFF project
  • American Mineralogist Crystal Structure Database
  • Search for Potarite in the Natural History Museum (London) online catalogue
  • Potarite details from Handbook of Mineralogy (PDF)
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    Localities for Potarite

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    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.
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    (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
      • Pilbara Region
    		CanMin 40:419-433.(2002)
    Austria
     
    • Styria
      • Leoben
    		Min.& Pet. 73:247-277
    Brazil
     
    • Southeast Region
      • Minas Gerais
        • Serro (old Serro Frio or Cerrado Frio)
    		Canadian Mineralogist: 40: 341-355.
    Canada
     
    • Québec
      • Mégantic Co.
    		http://gsa.confex.com/gsa/2001NE/finalprogram/abstract_2302.htm.
    Guyana
     
    • Kangaruma District
      • Potaro River
    		Bull.Soc.fr.Min.(1926) 49, 5
    Russia
     
    • Urals Region
      • Central Urals
      • Southern Urals
        • Bashkiria republic
    		F. Zaccarini et al. , The Canadian Mineralogist, Vol. 42, pp. 545-562 (2004).
    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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