Mindat Logo
Home Page Log In Message Board The Mindat Directory
Register Search Pages Chat Now! (2 online) Mindat Auctions

Violarite

Big Photo

Kamchatka Oblast', Far-Eastern Region, Russia
© Maurice de Graaf

Show Violarite Photos (3)
Formula:
Fe
2+
 
Ni
3+
2
S
 
4
System:IsometricColour:Violet gray, copper red, ...
Lustre:MetallicHardness:4½ - 5½
Name:From Latin "violaris", of violets, alluding to the color of the mineral, especially if viewed with a reflected-light microscope.


Linnaeite Group and Thiospinel Group

Classification of Violarite

IMA status:Valid - first described prior to 1959 (pre-IMA) - "Grandfathered"
Strunz 8th edition ID:2/D.01-70
Nickel-Strunz 10th (pending) edition ID:2.DA.05

2 : SULFIDES and SULFOSALTS (sulfides, selenides, tellurides; arsenides, antimonides, bismuthides; sulfarsenites, sulfantimonites, sulfbismuthites, etc.)
D : Metal Sulfides, M: S = 3 :4 and 2:3
A : M:S = 3:4
Dana 8th edition ID:2.10.1.8

2 : SULFIDES
10 : AmBnXp, with (m+n):p = 3:4
Hey's CIM Ref.:3.11.8

3 : Sulphides, Selenides, Tellurides, Arsenides and Bismuthides (except the arsenides, antimonides and bismuthides of Cu, Ag and Au, which are included in Section 1)
11 : Sulphides etc. of Ni
mindat.org URL:http://www.mindat.org/min-4187.html
Please feel free to link to this page.

Type Occurrence of Violarite

Type Locality:Vermilion Mine, Denison Township, Sudbury District, Ontario, Canada
Year of Discovery:1924

Physical Properties of Violarite

Lustre:Metallic
Diaphaneity (Transparency):Opaque
Colour:Violet gray, copper red, light gray, or steel gray
Streak:Black
Hardness (Mohs):4½ - 5½
Cleavage:Perfect
Perfect

Crystallography of Violarite

Crystal System:Isometric
Cell Parameters:a = 9.46Å
Unit Cell Volume:V 846.59 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)

Optical Data of Violarite

Type:Isotropic

Chemical Properties of Violarite

Formula:
Fe
2+
 
Ni
3+
2
S
 
4
Essential elements:Fe, Ni, S
All elements listed in formula:Fe, Ni, S
Common Impurities:Co,Cu

Relationship of Violarite to other Species

Series:Forms a series with Polydymite (see here)
Forms a series with Greigite (see here)
Forms a series with Siegenite (see here)
Related to:
  • Thiospinel Group
    • Related Minerals - Nickel-Strunz Grouping):

    - +
    2.DA.05Bornhardtite
    Co
    2+
     
    		Co
    3+
    2
    		Se
     
    4
    2.DA.05Carrollite
    Cu(Co,Ni)
     
    2
    		S
     
    4
    2.DA.05Cuproiridsite
    (Cu,Fe)Ir
     
    2
    		S
     
    4
    2.DA.05Cuprorhodsite
    (Cu,Fe)Rh
     
    2
    		S
     
    4
    2.DA.05Daubréelite
    Fe
    2+
     
    		Cr
    3+
    2
    		S
     
    4
    2.DA.05Fletcherite
    Cu(Ni,Co)
     
    2
    		S
     
    4
    2.DA.05Florensovite
    (Cu,Zn)Cr
     
    1.5
    		Sb
     
    0.5
    		S
     
    4
    2.DA.05Greigite
    Fe
    2+
     
    		Fe
    3+
    2
    		S
     
    4
    2.DA.05Indite
    FeIn
     
    2
    		S
     
    4
    2.DA.05Kalininite
    ZnCr
     
    2
    		S
     
    4
    2.DA.05Linnaeite
    Co
    2+
     
    		Co
    3+
    2
    		S
     
    4
    2.DA.05Malanite
    Cu(Pt
    3+
     
    		,Ir
    3+
     
    		)
     
    2
    		S
     
    4
    2.DA.05Polydymite
    Ni
    2+
     
    		Ni
    3+
    2
    		S
     
    4
    2.DA.05Siegenite
    from CoNi
     
    2
    		S
     
    4
    		 to NiCo
     
    2
    		S
     
    4
    2.DA.05Trüstedtite
    Ni
     
    3
    		Se
     
    4
    2.DA.05Tyrrellite
    Cu(Co
    3+
     
    		,Ni
    3+
     
    		)
     
    2
    		Se
     
    4
    2.DA.05Xingzhongite
    (Pb,Cu,Fe)(Ir,Pt,Rh)
     
    2
    		S
     
    4
    2.DA.05Ferrorhodsite
    (Fe,Cu)(Rh,Ir,Pt)
     
    2
    		S
     
    4
    2.DA.05Cadmoindite
    CdIn
     
    2
    		S
     
    4
    2.DA.10Rhodostannite
    Cu
     
    2
    		FeSn
     
    3
    		S
     
    8
    2.DA.10Toyohaite
    Ag
     
    2
    		FeSn
     
    3
    		S
     
    8
    2.DA.15Brezinaite
    Cr
     
    3
    		S
     
    4
    2.DA.15Heideite
    (Fe,Cr)
     
    1.15
    		(Ti,Fe)
     
    2
    		S
     
    4
    2.Da.15Wilkmanite
    Ni
     
    3
    		Se
     
    4
    2.DA.20Inaglyite
    Cu
     
    3
    		Pb(Ir,Pt)
     
    8
    		S
     
    16
    2.DA.20Konderite
    Cu
     
    3
    		Pb(Rh,Pt,Ir)
     
    8
    		S
     
    16
    2.DA.25Kingstonite
    (Rh,Ir,Pt)
     
    3
    		S
     
    4
    Related Minerals - Hey's Index Grouping:

    - +
    3.11.1Heazlewoodite
    Ni
     
    3
    		S
     
    2
    3.11.2Godlevskite
    (Ni,Fe)
     
    9
    		S
     
    8
    3.11.3Millerite
    NiS
    3.11.4Polydymite
    Ni
    2+
     
    		Ni
    3+
    2
    		S
     
    4
    3.11.5Vaesite
    NiS
     
    2
    3.11.6Shandite
    Ni
     
    3
    		Pb
     
    2
    		S
     
    2
    3.11.7Donharrisite
    Ni
     
    8
    		Hg
     
    3
    		S
     
    9
    3.11.9Pentlandite
    (Fe,Ni)
     
    9
    		S
     
    8
    3.11.10Bravoite
    (Fe,Ni)S
     
    2
    3.11.11Siegenite
    from CoNi
     
    2
    		S
     
    4
    		 to NiCo
     
    2
    		S
     
    4
    3.11.12Fletcherite
    Cu(Ni,Co)
     
    2
    		S
     
    4
    3.11.13Villamanínite
    (Cu,Ni,Co,Fe)S
     
    2
    3.11.14Mäkinenite
    γ-NiSe
    3.11.15Sederholmite
    NiSe beta-NiSe
    3.11.16Trüstedtite
    Ni
     
    3
    		Se
     
    4
    3.11.17Wilkmanite
    Ni
     
    3
    		Se
     
    4
    3.11.18Kullerudite
    NiSe
     
    2
    3.11.19Penroseite
    (Ni,Co,Cu)Se
     
    2
    3.11.20Tyrrellite
    Cu(Co
    3+
     
    		,Ni
    3+
     
    		)
     
    2
    		Se
     
    4
    3.11.21Imgreite
    NiTe (?)
    3.11.22Melonite
    NiTe
     
    2
    3.11.23Kitkaite
    NiTeSe
    3.11.24Dienerite
    3.11.25Orcelite
    Ni
     
    5-x
    		As
     
    2
    3.11.26Maucherite
    Ni
     
    11
    		As
     
    8
    3.11.27Nickeline
    NiAs
    3.11.28Rammelsbergite
    NiAs
     
    2
    3.11.29Pararammelsbergite
    NiAs
     
    2
    3.11.30Nickelskutterudite
    NiAs
     
    2-3
    3.11.31Oregonite
    Ni
     
    2
    		FeAs
     
    2
    3.11.32Westerveldite
    (Fe,Ni,Co)As
    3.11.33Langisite
    (Co,Ni)As ratio Co:Ni = 5:1
    3.11.34Gersdorffite
    NiAsS
    3.11.35Jolliffeite
    NiAsSe
    3.11.36Breithauptite
    NiSb
    3.11.38Ullmannite
    NiSbS
    3.11.39Willyamite
    (Co,Ni)SbS

    Other Names for Violarite

    Other Languages:
    German:Violarit
    Russian:Виоларит
    Spanish:Violarita

    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 Violarite

    Reference List:Clarke and Catlett (1889), American Journal of Science: 37: 372.

    Lindgren and Davy (1924), Economic Geology: 19: 309.

    Short, Maxwell Naylor & E.V. Shannon (1930), Violarite and other rare nickel sulfides: American Mineralogist: 15: 1-22.

    Palache, Charles, Harry Berman & Clifford Frondel (1944), The System of Mineralogy of James Dwight Dana and Edward Salisbury Dana Yale University 1837-1892, Seventh edition, Volume I: 262-265.

    Berry, L.G. and R.M. Thompson (1962) X-ray powder data for the ore minerals. Geological Society of America Mem. 85: 77-78.

    Canadian Mineralogist (1969): 6: 629-643.

    Misra, K.C. and M.E. Fleet (1974), Chemical composition and stability of violarite: Economic Geology: 69: 391-403.

    Dunn, J.G., & V.L. Howes (1996): The oxidation of violarite: Thermochimica Acta: 282/283: 305-316.

    Grguric, B.A. (2002), Hypogene violarite of exsolution origin from Mount Keith, Western Australia: field evidence for a stable pentlandite-violarite tie line: Mineralogical Magazine: 66: 313-326.

    Tenailleau, Christophe, Allan Pring, Barbara Tschmann, Joël Brugger, Ben Grguric, and Andrew Putnis (2006), Transformation of pentlandite to violarite under mild hydrothermal conditions: American Mineralogist: 91: 706-709.

    Internet Links for Violarite

    Search Engines:
  • Look for Violarite on Google
  • Look for Violarite images on Google
    • External Links:
  • Look for Violarite on Webmineral
  • Look for Violarite on Athena Mineralogy
  • Look for Violarite on Wikipedia
  • Look for Violarite on Mineralien Atlas
  • Raman and XRD data at RRUFF project
  • American Mineralogist Crystal Structure Database
  • Search for Violarite in the Natural History Museum (London) online catalogue
  • Violarite details from Handbook of Mineralogy (PDF)
    • Mineral Dealers:
  • Rare and Unusual minerals at Mineralogical Research Company
  • Wright's Rock Shop - excellent mineral specimens since 1970
  • Search for Violarite at Thames Valley Minerals
  • Fabre Minerals - search for Violarite specimens
  • Search for Violarite on minvision.com
  • Fine Minerals from Dan Weinrich Minerals
  • Buy fine minerals and gemstones from Pala International
  • Top quality minerals from Kristalle of California
  • Buy Fine Minerals from mineralsweb.com
  • The Arkenstone - Fine Minerals
  • Search for - Violarite - on e-Rocks Mineral Sales & Auctions
  • Wendel Minerals - Auktion & Shop
    • Jobs:
  • Mining & Geology Jobs

    • Page Sponsor

    Sponsorship:This page is currently not sponsored. Click here to sponsor this page.

    Localities for Violarite

    Show Locality List (201 Items)
    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.
    These maps work faster with Firefox!
    Mineral and/or Locality
    Google
     
    www.mindat.org Web
    Copyright © Jolyon Ralph and Ida Chau 1993-2009. 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. If you would like to add information to improve the quality of our database, then click here to register.