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Skutterudite

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Bou Azzer District, Tazenakht, Ouarzazate Province, Souss-Massa-Draâ Region, Morocco
© Rob Lavinsky

Show Skutterudite Photos (67)
Formula:
(Co,Fe,Ni)As
 
2-3
System:IsometricColour:Tin-white to ...
Hardness:5½ - 6
Name:Named after its discovery locality.


Skutterudite Group. Nickel-Skutterudite-Skutterudite Series. The cobalt analogue of Ferroskutterudite and Nickel-Skutterudite.

Classification of Skutterudite

IMA status:Valid - first described prior to 1959 (pre-IMA) - "Grandfathered"
Strunz 8th edition ID:2/D.29-10
Nickel-Strunz 10th (pending) edition ID:2.EC.05

2 : SULFIDES and SULFOSALTS (sulfides, selenides, tellurides; arsenides, antimonides, bismuthides; sulfarsenites, sulfantimonites, sulfbismuthites, etc.)
E : Metal Sulfides, M: S <= 1:2
C : M:S = 1:>2
Dana 8th edition ID:2.12.17.1

2 : SULFIDES
12 : AmBnXp, with (m+n):p = 1:2
Hey's CIM Ref.:3.10.12

3 : Sulphides, Selenides, Tellurides, Arsenides and Bismuthides (except the arsenides, antimonides and bismuthides of Cu, Ag and Au, which are included in Section 1)
10 : Sulphides etc. of Co
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Type Occurrence of Skutterudite

Type Locality:Skuterud (Skutterud) Mines (Modum Cobalt Mines),Snarum, Modum, Buskerud, Norway
Year of Discovery:1845

Occurrences of Skutterudite

Geological Setting:Moderate to high temperature hydrothermal veins

Physical Properties of Skutterudite

Lustre:Metallic
Diaphaneity (Transparency):Opaque
Colour:Tin-white to silver-gray, gray (tarnished)
Streak:Black
Hardness (Mohs):5½ - 6
Hardness (Vickers):VHN100=810 - 915 kg/mm2
Cleavage:Distinct/Good
Distinct on {001}{111} in traces on {011}
Fracture:Irregular/Uneven, Conchoidal
Density (measured):6.5 g/cm3
Density (calculated):6.821 g/cm3

Crystallography of Skutterudite

Crystal System:Isometric
Class (H-M):m3 (2/m 3) - Diploidal
Space Group:Im3 (I2/m 3)
Cell Parameters:a = 8.204Å
Unit Cell Volume:V 552.18 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Z:8
Morphology:Cubic crystals
Twinning:On {112} as sixlings, reported on {011}
Crystal Atlas:
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Skutterudite no.1 - Goldschmidt (1913-1926)

About Crystal Atlas

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The mindat.org Crystal Atlas allows you to view a selection of crystal drawings of real and idealised crystal forms for this mineral and, in certain cases, 3d rotating crystal objects. You need Java to see these. You can download Java for free - click here to download Java

The 3d models and java code are kindly provided by www.smorf.nl. You can control the movement of the models by holding down the left mouse-button over the 3d model and moving your mouse. Keyboard controls are:

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X-Ray Powder Diffraction:
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Radiation - Copper Kα
Data Set:
Horizontal Axis: ° to ° Vertical Axis: % Source Data: Filtered Data: Peaks:
Data courtesy of RRUFF project at University of Arizona, used with permission.

Chemical Properties of Skutterudite

Formula:
(Co,Fe,Ni)As
 
2-3
Essential elements:As, Co
All elements listed in formula:As, Co, Fe, Ni
Analyical Data:Fe,Ni,S
Common Impurities:S,Bi,Cu,Pb,Zn,Ag,Fe,Ni
Relationship of Skutterudite to other Species
Series:Forms a series with Nickelskutterudite (see here)
Related Minerals - Nickel-Strunz Grouping):
2.EC.05Kieftite
CoSb
 
3
2.EC.05Nickelskutterudite
NiAs
 
2-3
2.EC.05Ferroskutterudite
(Fe,Co)As
 
3
2.EC.10Patrónite
VS
 
4
Related Minerals - Hey's Index Grouping:
3.10.1Cobaltpentlandite
(Co,Ni,Fe)
 
9
S
 
8
3.10.2Linnaeite
Co
2+
 
Co
3+
2
S
 
4
3.10.3Cattierite
CoS
 
2
3.10.4Freboldite
CoSe
3.10.5Bornhardtite
Co
2+
 
Co
3+
2
Se
 
4
3.10.6Trogtalite
CoSe
 
2
3.10.7Hastite
CoSe
 
2
3.10.8Mattagamite
CoTe
 
2
3.10.9Modderite
(Co,Fe)As
3.10.10Safflorite
(Co,Fe)As
 
2
3.10.11Clinosafflorite
(Co,Fe,Ni)As
 
2
3.10.13Cobaltite
CoAsS
3.10.14Paracostibite
CoSbS
3.10.15Costibite
CoSbS
3.10.16Alloclasite
(Co
 
0.65
Fe
 
0.35
)AsS - CoAsS
3.10.17Glaucodot
(Fe
 
0.65
Co
 
0.35
)AsS - (Co
 
0.65
Fe
 
0.35
)AsS
3.10.18Carrollite
Cu(Co,Ni)
 
2
S
 
4
Other Names for Skutterudite
Synonyms:
ModumiteTesseral-Kies
German names:
ArsenikkobaltkiesFabrikenkoboldHartkobalterzHartkobaltkiesSkutterudit
Tesseralkies
Russian names:
Скуттерудит
Spanish names:
Skutterudita
Varieties:
BismutosmaltinSmaltite
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 Skutterudite
Reference List:Breithaupt (1827) Ann. Phys.: 9: 115.



Scheerer (1837), Ann. Phys.: 42: 553.



Hausmann (1847): 69.



Haidinger (1845): 560.



Modumite (1849): 457.



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: 342-347.



Canadian Mineralogist (1971): 9: 559.



Acta Crystallographica: B27: 2288-2289.


Internet Links for Skutterudite
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    Localities for Skutterudite
    
	






    


    

    
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