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Sperrylite

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Talnakh Cu-Ni Deposit, Noril'sk, Putoran Plateau, Taimyr Peninsula, Taymyrskiy Autonomous Okrug, Eastern-Siberian Region, Russia
© Michael C. Roarke

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Formula:
PtAs
 
2
System:IsometricColour:Tin-white
Hardness:6 - 7
Member of:Pyrite Group
Name:Named after Francis Louis Sperry (1861-1906), Chemist at Sudbury, Ontario, who discovered the mineral.


Pyrite Group

Classification of Sperrylite

IMA status:Valid - first described prior to 1959 (pre-IMA) - "Grandfathered"
Strunz 8th edition ID:2/D.17-120
Nickel-Strunz 10th (pending) edition ID:2.EB.05a

2 : SULFIDES and SULFOSALTS (sulfides, selenides, tellurides; arsenides, antimonides, bismuthides; sulfarsenites, sulfantimonites, sulfbismuthites, etc.)
E : Metal Sulfides, M: S <= 1:2
B : M:S = 1:2, with Fe, Co, Ni, PGE, etc.
Dana 8th edition ID:2.12.1.13

2 : SULFIDES
12 : AmBnXp, with (m+n):p = 1:2
Hey's CIM Ref.:3.12.50

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

Type Locality:Vermilion Mine, Denison Township, Sudbury District, Ontario, Canada
Year of Discovery:1889

Occurrences of Sperrylite

Geological Setting:Platinum deposits.

Physical Properties of Sperrylite

Lustre:Metallic
Diaphaneity (Transparency):Opaque
Colour:Tin-white
Streak:Dark grey to black
Hardness (Mohs):6 - 7
Hardness (Vickers):VHN100=960 - 1277 kg/mm2
Tenacity:Brittle
Cleavage:Poor/Indistinct
Indistinct on {001}
Fracture:Conchoidal
Density (measured):10.58 g/cm3
Density (calculated):10.78 g/cm3

Crystallography of Sperrylite

Crystal System:Isometric
Class (H-M):m3 (2/m 3) - Diploidal
Space Group:Pa3 {P21/a 3}
Cell Parameters:a = 5.967Å
Unit Cell Volume:V 212.46 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Z:4
Morphology:Cubes and cubo-octahedrons
Crystal Atlas:
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Sperrylite no.4 - Goldschmidt (1913-1926)
Sperrylite - {100}, {111}, {210}

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Optical Data of Sperrylite

Type:Isotropic

Chemical Properties of Sperrylite

Formula:
PtAs
 
2
Essential elements:As, Pt
All elements listed in formula:As, Pt
Common Impurities:Ir,Rh,Fe,Cu,Sb

Relationship of Sperrylite to other Species

Member of:Pyrite Group
Other Members of Group:

- +
Aurostibite
AuSb
 
2
Cattierite
CoS
 
2
Dzharkenite
FeSe
 
2
Erlichmanite
OsS
 
2
Fukuchilite
Cu
 
3
FeS
 
8
Gaotaiite
Ir
 
3
Te
 
8
Geversite
PtSb
 
2
Hauerite
MnS
 
2
Insizwaite
Pt(Bi,Sb)
 
2
Krut'aite
CuSe
 
2
Krutovite
NiAs
 
2
Laurite
RuS
 
2
Mayingite
IrBiTe
Penroseite
(Ni,Co,Cu)Se
 
2
Pyrite
FeS
 
2
Trogtalite
CoSe
 
2
Vaesite
NiS
 
2
Villamaninite
(Cu,Ni,Co,Fe)S
 
2
Related Minerals - Nickel-Strunz Grouping):

- +
2.EB.05aAurostibite
AuSb
 
2
2.EB.05bBambollaite
Cu(Se,Te)
 
2
2.EB.05aCattierite
CoS
 
2
2.EB.05aErlichmanite
OsS
 
2
2.EB.05aFukuchilite
Cu
 
3
FeS
 
8
2.EB.05aGeversite
PtSb
 
2
2.EB.05aHauerite
MnS
 
2
2.EB.05aInsizwaite
Pt(Bi,Sb)
 
2
2.EB.05aKrut'aite
CuSe
 
2
2.EB.05aLaurite
RuS
 
2
2.EB.05aPenroseite
(Ni,Co,Cu)Se
 
2
2.EB.05aPyrite
FeS
 
2
2.EB.05aTrogtalite
CoSe
 
2
2.EB.05aVaesite
NiS
 
2
2.EB.05aVillamaninite
(Cu,Ni,Co,Fe)S
 
2
2.EB.05aDzharkenite
FeSe
 
2
2.EB.05aGaotaiite
Ir
 
3
Te
 
8
2.EB.10bAlloclasite
Co
 
1-x
Fe
 
x
AsS
2.EB.10dCostibite
CoSbS
2.EB.10aFerroselite
FeSe
 
2
2.EB.10aFrohbergite
FeTe
 
2
2.EB.10cGlaucodot
(Co
 
0.50
Fe
 
0.50
)AsS
2.EB.10aKullerudite
NiSe
 
2
2.EB.10aMarcasite
FeS
 
2
2.EB.10aMattagamite
CoTe
 
2
2.EB.10eParacostibite
CoSbS
2.EB.10ePararammelsbergite
NiAs
 
2
2.EB.10fOenite
CoSbAs
2.EB.15aAnduoite
(Ru,Os)As
 
2
2.EB.15aClinosafflorite
(Co,Fe,Ni)As
 
2
2.EB.15aLöllingite
FeAs
 
2
2.EB.15aNisbite
NiSb
 
2
2.EB.15aOmeiite
(Os,Ru)As
 
2
2.EB.15cPaxite
CuAs
 
2
2.EB.15aRammelsbergite
NiAs
 
2
2.EB.15aSafflorite
(Co,Fe,Ni)As
 
2
2.EB.15bSeinäjokite
(Fe,Ni)(Sb,As)
 
2
2.EB.20Arsenopyrite
FeAsS
2.EB.20Gudmundite
FeSbS
2.EB.20Osarsite
(Os,Ru)AsS
2.EB.20Ruarsite
(Ru,Os)AsS
2.EB.25Cobaltite
CoAsS
2.EB.25Gersdorffite
NiAsS
2.EB.25Hollingworthite
(Rh,Pt,Pd)AsS
2.EB.25Irarsite
(Ir,Ru,Rh,Pt)AsS
2.EB.25Jolliffeite
NiAsSe
2.EB.25Krutovite
NiAs
 
2
2.EB.25Maslovite
PtBiTe
2.EB.25Michenerite
PdBiTe
2.EB.25Padmaite
PdBiSe
2.EB.25Platarsite
(Pt,Rh,Ru)AsS
2.EB.25Testibiopalladite
PdTe(Sb,Te)
2.EB.25Tolovkite
IrSbS
2.EB.25Ullmannite
NiSbS
2.EB.25Willyamite
(Co,Ni)SbS
2.EB.25Changchengite
IrBiS
2.EB.25Mayingite
IrBiTe
2.EB.25Hollingsworthite
2.EB.25Kalungaite
PdAsSe
2.EB.25Milotaite
PdSbSe
2.EB.30Urvantsevite
Pd(Bi,Pb)
 
2
2.EB.35Rheniite
ReS
 
2
Related Minerals - Hey's Index Grouping:

- +
3.12.1Seinäjokite
(Fe,Ni)(Sb,As)
 
2
3.12.2Laurite
RuS
 
2
3.12.3Ruthenarsenite
(Ru,Ni)As
3.12.4Anduoite
(Ru,Os)As
 
2
3.12.5Ruarsite
(Ru,Os)AsS
3.12.6Xingzhongite
(Pb,Cu,Fe)(Ir,Pt,Rh)
 
2
S
 
4
3.12.7Rhodplumsite
Rh
 
3
Pb
 
2
S
 
2
3.12.8Cuprorhodsite
(Cu,Fe)Rh
 
2
S
 
4
3.12.9Konderite
Cu
 
3
Pb(Rh,Pt,Ir)
 
8
S
 
16
3.12.10Bowieite
(Rh,Ir,Pt)
 
2
S
 
3
3.12.11Cherepanovite
RhAs
3.12.12Hollingworthite
(Rh,Pt,Pd)AsS
3.12.13Vysotskite
(Pd,Ni)S
3.12.14Vasilite
(Pd,Cu)
 
16
(S,Te)
 
7
3.12.15Palladseite
Pd
 
17
Se
 
15
3.12.16Oosterboschite
(Pd,Cu)
 
7
Se
 
5
3.12.17Telluropalladinite
Pd
 
9
Te
 
4
3.12.18Temagamite
Pd
 
3
HgTe
 
3
3.12.19Sopcheite
Ag
 
4
Pd
 
3
Te
 
4
3.12.20Michenerite
PdBiTe
3.12.21Kotulskite
Pd(Te,Bi)
 
1-2
3.12.22Telargpalite
(Pd,Ag)
 
3
(Te,Bi)
3.12.23Merenskyite
(Pd,Pt)(Te,Bi)
 
2
3.12.24Palladoarsenide
Pd
 
2
As
3.12.25Stillwaterite
Pd
 
8
As
 
3
3.12.26Atheneite
Pd
 
2
As
 
0.75
Hg
 
0.25
3.12.27Majakite
PdNiAs
3.12.28Palarstanide
Pd
 
8
(As,Sn)
 
3
3.12.29Arsenopalladinite
Pd
 
8
(As,Sb)
 
3
3.12.30Vincentite
Pd
 
3
As
3.12.31Palladobismutharsenide
Pd
 
2
(As,Bi)
3.12.32Stibiopalladinite
Pd
 
5
Sb
 
2
3.12.33Hexatestibiopanickelite
Ni(Te,Sb)
3.12.34Sudburyite
(Pd,Ni)Sb
3.12.35Testibiopalladite
PdTe(Sb,Te)
3.12.36Borovskite
Pd
 
3
SbTe
 
4
3.12.37Isomertieite
Pd
 
11
Sb
 
2
As
 
2
3.12.38Mertieite-I
Pd
 
11
(Sb,As)
 
4
3.12.39Mertieite-II
Pd
 
8
(Sb,As)
 
3
3.12.40Sobolevskite
PdBi
3.12.41Froodite
α-PdBi
 
2
3.12.42Polarite
Pd(Bi,Pb)
3.12.43Urvantsevite
Pd(Bi,Pb)
 
2
3.12.44Cooperite
PtS
3.12.45Braggite
(Pt,Pd,Ni)S
3.12.46Kharaelakhite
(Pt,Cu,Pb,Fe,Ni)
 
9
S
 
8
3.12.47Malanite
Cu(Pt
3+
 
,Ir
3+
 
)
 
2
S
 
4
3.12.48Moncheite
(Pt,Pd)(Te,Bi)
 
2
3.12.49Maslovite
PtBiTe
3.12.51Platarsite
(Pt,Rh,Ru)AsS
3.12.52Geversite
PtSb
 
2
3.12.53Daomanite
CuPtAsS
 
2
3.12.54Genkinite
(Pt,Pd,Rh)
 
4
Sb
 
3
3.12.55Stumpflite
Pt(Sb,Bi)
3.12.56Insizwaite
Pt(Bi,Sb)
 
2
3.12.57Erlichmanite
OsS
 
2
3.12.58Omeiite
(Os,Ru)As
 
2
3.12.59Osarsite
(Os,Ru)AsS
3.12.60Kashinite
(Ir,Rh)
 
2
S
 
3
3.12.61Inaglyite
Cu
 
3
Pb(Ir,Pt)
 
8
S
 
16
3.12.62Cuproiridsite
(Cu,Fe)Ir
 
2
S
 
4
3.12.63Iridarsenite
(Ir,Ru)As
 
2
3.12.64Irarsite
(Ir,Ru,Rh,Pt)AsS
3.12.65Tolovkite
IrSbS

Other Names for Sperrylite

Other Languages:
German:Sperrylith
Russian:Сперрилит
Simplified Chinese:砷铂矿
Spanish:Sperrylita

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.
Industrial Uses:Ore of platinum

References for Sperrylite

Reference List:

- +
Wells H.L. (1889), American Journal of Science: 37: 67-70.

Penfield (1889) American Journal of Science: 37: 71.

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: 292-293.

Economic Geology (1976): 71: 1299.

Szymański, J.T. (1979) The crystal structure of platarsite, Pt(As,S)2, and a comparison with sperrylite, PtAs2. Canadian Mineralogist: 17: 117-123.

Canadian Mineralogist (1980): 18: 563.

Izokh, A.E. and Mayorova, O.N. (1990) A rhodium-bearing sperrylite from the Nomgon complex (Mongolia). Doklady Akademii Nauk SSSR: 313: 1212-1215 (in Russian).

Internet Links for Sperrylite

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