Skutterudite Mineral Data (original) (raw)

General Skutterudite Information

Chemical Formula:

(Co,Ni)As3-x

Composition:

Molecular Weight = 246.18 gm

Cobalt 17.95 % Co

Nickel 5.96 % Ni

Arsenic 76.09 % As

______

100.00 %

Empirical Formula:

Co0.75Ni0.25As2.5

Environment:

Hydrothermal ore mineral found in high temperature veins with other Ni-Co minerals.

IMA Status:

Valid Species (Pre-IMA) 1845

Locality:

Skutterud, Norway. Link to MinDat.org Location Data.

Name Origin:

Named after its locality. Smaltite In reference to smalt, a deep blue glaze in which this mineral was used to furnish the necessary cobalt.

Name Pronunciation:

Skutterudite + Pronunciation

Synonym:

ICSD 9188

PDF 10-328

Smaltite

Skutterudite Image

Images:

Skutterudite Crystallography

Cell Dimensions:

a = 8.19, Z = 8; V = 549.35 Den(Calc)= 5.95

Crystal System:

Isometric - DiploidalH-M Symbol (2/m 3) Space Group: I m3

$Help on X Ray Diffraction:$ X Ray Diffraction:

By Intensity(I/Io): 2.592(1), 1.835(0.35), 2.193(0.35),

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| | Forms:( 1 1 1) ( 1 0 0) Warning: this large pop-up is very compute intensive and may not work well with some computers. | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |

Crystal Structure:

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| | Mandel N , Donohue J , Acta Crystallographica, Section B , 27 (1971) p.2288-2289, The refinement of the crystal structure of skutterudite, CoAs3, Locality: Bou-Azzer, Morocco | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |

Physical Properties of Skutterudite

Cleavage:

{100} Distinct, {111} Distinct

Color:

White, Light steel gray.

Density:

6.1 - 6.9, Average = 6.5

Diaphaneity:

Opaque

Fracture:

Brittle - Generally displayed by glasses and most non-metallic minerals.

Habit:

Colloform - Forming from a gel or colloidal mass.

Habit:

Granular - Generally occurs as anhedral to subhedral crystals in matrix.

Habit:

Massive - Uniformly indistinguishable crystals forming large masses.

Hardness:

5.5-6 - Knife Blade-Orthoclase

Luminescence:

Non-fluorescent.

Luster:

Metallic

Magnetism:

Nonmagnetic

Streak:

black

Optical Properties of Skutterudite

RL Color:

Gray, creamy or golden white.

RL Pleochroism:

None.

Reflectivity

Standardized Intensity (100%) Reflection Spectra of Skutterudite in Air

λ	R		∑ R(λ)
400 nm	59.10
420 nm	57.80
440 nm	56.50
460 nm	55.60
480 nm	55.00
500 nm	54.50
520 nm	54.20
540 nm	54.00
560 nm	53.80
580 nm	53.60
600 nm	53.50
620 nm	53.20
640 nm	53.00
660 nm	52.90
680 nm	52.80
700 nm	52.70

Calculated Relative Intensity Colors of Skutterudite in Air

RelativeIntensity	0%	20%	40%	60%	80%	100%	120%	140%	160%	170%
R

Calculated Properties of Skutterudite

Electron Density:

Bulk Density (Electron Density)=5.31 gm/cc
note: Specific Gravity of Skutterudite =5.95 gm/cc.

Fermion Index:

Fermion Index = 0.0006734977
Boson Index = 0.9993265023

Photoelectric:

PESkutterudite = 64.18 barns/electron
U=PESkutterudite x rElectron Density= 340.49 barns/cc.

Radioactivity:

GRapi = 0 (Gamma Ray American Petroleum Institute Units)
Skutterudite is Not Radioactive

Skutterudite Classification

Dana Class:

02.12.17.01 (02)Sulfides - Including Selenides and Tellurides

(02.12)where Am Bn Xp, with (m+n):p=1:2

(02.12.17)Skutterudite Series

02.12.17.01 Skutterudite (Co,Ni)As3-x I m3 2/m 3

02.12.17.02 Nickelskutterudite (Ni,Co)As3-x I m3 2/m 3

02.12.17.03 Kieftite CoSb3 I m3 2/m 3

02.12.17.04 Ferroskutterudite! (Fe,Co)As3 Im3 2/m 3

Strunz Class:

02.EC.05 02 - SULFIDES and SULFOSALTS (sulfides, selenides, tellurides; arsenides, antimonides, bismuthides; sulfarsenites, sulf

02.E - Metal Sulfides, M:S � 1:2

02.EC -M:S = 1:>2

02.EC.05 Dienerite? Ni3As I 43d 4 3m

02.EC.05 Kieftite CoSb3 I m3 2/m 3

02.EC.05 Nickelskutterudite (Ni,Co)As3-x I m3 2/m 3

02.EC.05 Skutterudite (Co,Ni)As3-x I m3 2/m 3

02.EC.05 Ferroskutterudite! (Fe,Co)As3 Im3 2/m 3

Other Skutterudite Information

References:

NAME( Sinkankas66) PHYS. PROP.(Enc. of Minerals,2nd ed.,1990) OPTIC PROP.(AntBidBlaNic1)

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Print or Cut-and-Paste your Skutterudite Specimen Label here :

Skutterudite

(Co,Ni)As3-x
Dana No: 02.12.17.01 Strunz No: 02.EC.05
Locality:

Notes: