Pyrrhotite (original) (raw)

A valid IMA mineral species - grandfathered

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About PyrrhotiteHide

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Also given as Fe1-x (x = 0 to 0.17). The various polytypes known have slightly different stoichiometries.

Colour:

Bronze brown, bronze red, or dark brown

Specific Gravity:

4.58 - 4.65

Crystal System:

Monoclinic

Name:

Named in 1847 by Ours-Pierre-Armand Petit-Dufrénoy from Greek πνρρός "pyrrhos", flame-colored.

Pyrrhotite is found with pentlandite in basic igneous rocks, veins, and metamorphic rocks. It is also often found with pyrite, marcasite, and magnetite. It has varying magnetic powers, depending on the number of Fe vacancies in the crystal structure. A related species with no vacancies (and therefore non-magnetic), is called troilite and has been found in meteorites and rarely terrestrially.

Several polytypes are known; the most common one is pyrrhotite-4C.

Visually similar to smythite and troilite.

Compare 'UM1989-25-S:FeNi' - a representative of the Fe1-xS-Ni1-xS (Mss) solid solution.

Unique IdentifiersHide

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Long-form identifier:

mindat:1:1:3328:8

2b5c1e78-dfac-47e8-b3f8-ed5489951809

IMA Classification of PyrrhotiteHide

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Approved, 'Grandfathered' (first described prior to 1959)

Classification of PyrrhotiteHide

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2.CC.10

2 : SULFIDES and SULFOSALTS (sulfides, selenides, tellurides; arsenides, antimonides, bismuthides; sulfarsenites, sulfantimonites, sulfbismuthites, etc.)
C : Metal Sulfides, M: S = 1: 1 (and similar)
C : With Ni, Fe, Co, PGE, etc.

2.8.10.1

2 : SULFIDES
8 : AmXp, with m:p = 1:1

3.9.1

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

Mineral SymbolsHide

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As of 2021 there are now IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols (abbreviations) for each mineral species, useful for tables and diagrams.

Please only use the official IMA–CNMNC symbol. Older variants are listed for historical use only.

Symbol Source Reference
Pyh IMA–CNMNC Warr, L.N. (2021). IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols. Mineralogical Magazine, 85(3), 291-320. doi:10.1180/mgm.2021.43
Po Kretz (1983) Kretz, R. (1983) Symbols of rock-forming minerals. American Mineralogist, 68, 277–279.
Po Siivolam & Schmid (2007) Siivolam, J. and Schmid, R. (2007) Recommendations by the IUGS Subcommission on the Systematics of Metamorphic Rocks: List of mineral abbreviations. Web-version 01.02.07. IUGS Commission on the Systematics in Petrology. download
Po Whitney & Evans (2010) Whitney, D.L. and Evans, B.W. (2010) Abbreviations for names of rock-forming minerals. American Mineralogist, 95, 185–187 doi:10.2138/am.2010.3371
Po The Canadian Mineralogist (2019) The Canadian Mineralogist (2019) The Canadian Mineralogist list of symbols for rock- and ore-forming minerals (December 30, 2019). download
Pyh Warr (2020) Warr, L.N. (2020) Recommended abbreviations for the names of clay minerals and associated phases. Clay Minerals, 55, 261–264 doi:10.1180/clm.2020.30

Pronunciation of PyrrhotiteHide

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Pronunciation:

Play Recorded by Country
Sorry, your browser doesn't support HTML5 audio. Jolyon Ralph United Kingdom

Physical Properties of PyrrhotiteHide

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Colour:

Bronze brown, bronze red, or dark brown

Comment:

Tarnishes quickly

Streak:

Dark grayish black

Hardness:

VHN100=373 - 409 kg/mm2 - Vickers

Parting:

Distinct on {0001}

Density:

4.58 - 4.65 g/cm3 (Measured) 4.69 g/cm3 (Calculated)

Optical Data of PyrrhotiteHide

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Reflectivity:

Wavelength R1 R2
400nm 27.9% 31.0%
420nm 28.6% 32.2%
440nm 29.4% 33.6%
460nm 30.3% 34.8%
480nm 31.4% 36.2%
500nm 32.4% 37.6%
520nm 33.4% 38.6%
540nm 34.5% 39.6%
560nm 35.5% 40.4%
580nm 36.5% 41.2%
600nm 37.4% 42.0%
620nm 38.3% 42.6%
640nm 39.1% 43.0%
660nm 39.9% 43.5%
680nm 40.7% 43.9%
700nm 41.4% 44.1%

Reflectance graph
Graph shows reflectance levels at different wavelengths (in nm). Top of box is 100%. Peak reflectance is 44.1%.
R1 shown in black, R2 shown in red

Chemistry of PyrrhotiteHide

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Mindat Formula:

Fe1-xS

Also given as Fe1-x (x = 0 to 0.17). The various polytypes known have slightly different stoichiometries.

Common Impurities:

Ni,Co,Cu

Crystallography of PyrrhotiteHide

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Polytype:

Formula:

Crystal System:

Class (H-M)

Space Group:

Space Group Setting:

Cell Parameters:

Ratio:

Unit Cell Volume (calc):

Z:

Pyrrhotite-11C Pyrrhotite-4C Pyrrhotite-5C Pyrrhotite-6C Pyrrhotite-7H
Fe10S11 Fe7S8 Fe9S10 Fe11S12 Fe9S10
Orthorhombic Monoclinic Monoclinic Monoclinic Hexagonal
2/m - Prismatic 2 - Sphenoidal m - Domatic
_B_2/b _P_21 B b
_C_2/c _P_21 C c
a = 3.433(9) Å, b = 5.99(2) Å, c = 5.7432(5) Åβ = 90° a = 11.88 Å, b = 6.87 Å, c = 22.79 Åβ = 90.47° a = 6.8673(4) Å, b = 28.6536(9) Å, c = 6.8592(4) Åβ = 119.975(7)° a = 6.8973(15) Å, b = 11.954(3) Å, c = 17.602(4) Åα = 90°, β = 101.302(4)°, γ = 90°
a:b:c = 0.573 : 1 : 0.959 a:b:c = 1.729 : 1 : 3.317 a:b:c = 0.24 : 1 : 0.239 a:b:c = 0.577 : 1 : 1.472
V 118.10 ų(Calculated from Unit Cell) V 1,859.96 ų(Calculated from Unit Cell) V 1169.18 ų V 1423.1 ų
4 4

Crystallographic forms of PyrrhotiteHide

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Crystal Atlas:

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ID Species Reference Link Year Locality Pressure (GPa) Temp (K)
0000288 Pyrrhotite Tokonami M, Nishiguchi K, Morimoto N (1972) Crystal structure of a monoclinic pyrrhotite (Fe7S8) American Mineralogist 57 1066-1080 1972 0 293
0020728 Pyrrhotite Liles D C, de Villiers J P R (2012) Redetermination of structure of 5C pyrrhotite at low temperature and at room temperature American Mineralogist 97 257-261 2012 Silberberg mine, Bodenmais, Germany 0 120
0020729 Pyrrhotite Liles D C, de Villiers J P R (2012) Redetermination of structure of 5C pyrrhotite at low temperature and at room temperature American Mineralogist 97 257-261 2012 Silberberg mine, Bodenmais, Germany 0 293
0020730 Pyrrhotite Liles D C, de Villiers J P R (2012) Redetermination of structure of 5C pyrrhotite at low temperature and at room temperature American Mineralogist 97 257-261 2012 Copper Cliff mine, Sudbury, Canada 0 293
0004985 Pyrrhotite de Villiers J P R, Liles D C, Becker M (2009) The crystal structure of a naturally occurring 5C pyrrhotite from Sudbury, its chemistry, and vacancy distribution American Mineralogist 94 1405-1410 2009 Copper Cliff North Mine, Sudbury, Canada 0 293
0005000 Pyrrhotite De Villiers J P R, Liles D C (2010) The crystal-structure and vacancy distribution in 6C pyrrhotite American Mineralogist 95 148-152 2010 Mponeng Mine, South Africa 0 293
0005001 Pyrrhotite De Villiers J P R, Liles D C (2010) The crystal-structure and vacancy distribution in 6C pyrrhotite American Mineralogist 95 148-152 2010 Mponeng Mine, South Africa 0 293
0018053 Pyrrhotite Alsen N (1925) Roentgenographische Untersuchungen der Kristallstrukturen von Magnetkies, Breithauptit, Pentlandit, Millerit und verwandten Verbindungen _cod_database_code 1011178 Geologiska Foreningens i Stockholm Forhandlingar 47 19-73 1925 0 293
0018054 Pyrrhotite Alsen N (1925) Roentgenographische Untersuchungen der Kristallstrukturen von Magnetkies, Breithauptit, Pentlandit, Millerit und verwandten Verbindungen _cod_database_code 1011179 Geologiska Foreningens i Stockholm Forhandlingar 47 19-73 1925 0 293
0020604 Pyrrhotite Powell A V, Vaqueiro P, Knight K S, Chapon L C, Sanchez R D (2004) Structure and magnetism in synthetic pyrrhotite Fe7S8: A powder neutron-diffraction study Physical Review B70 014415-12 2004 Synthetic 0 11
0020605 Pyrrhotite Powell A V, Vaqueiro P, Knight K S, Chapon L C, Sanchez R D (2004) Structure and magnetism in synthetic pyrrhotite Fe7S8: A powder neutron-diffraction study Physical Review B70 014415-12 2004 Synthetic 0 298

CIF Raw Data - click here to close

Epitaxial Relationships of PyrrhotiteHide

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Epitaxy Comments:

Usually, the pyrrhotite is on the galena, but codepositing intergrowths are known. The "six-fold" axis of pyrrhotite is parallel to the three-fold axis (octahedral axis) in galena.

X-Ray Powder DiffractionHide

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Powder Diffraction Data:

d-spacing Intensity
5.94 Å (10)
5.72 Å (20)
5.27 Å (7)
3.44 Å (7)
2.98 Å (40)
2.87 Å (10)
2.64 Å (50)
2.255 Å (10)
2.207 Å (7)
2.064 Å (100)
1.987 Å (7)
1.909 Å (7)
1.769 Å (7)
1.720 Å (40)
1.636 Å (10)
1.606 Å (7)
1.490 Å (10)
1.476 Å (7)
1.442 Å (10)
1.433 Å (20)
1.321 Å (20)
1.291 Å (10)
1.174 Å (10)
1.167 Å (7)
1.125 Å (7)
1.105 Å (15)
1.101 Å (10)
1.065 Å (7)
1.048 Å (10)
0.993 Å (7)
0.979 Å (7)

Comments:

ICDD 22-1120 (4C polytype). See also ICDD 29-723 (4C polytype), and 24-79/24-79a (4C polytype). Data for other polytypes include: ICDD 25-411 (1C polytype); ICDD 24-220 (3C polytype); ICDD 29-724 (5C polytype); ICDD 29-725 (6C polytype); ICDD 20-534 (7C polytype); and ICDD 29-726 (11C polytype).

Geological EnvironmentHide

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Synonyms of PyrrhotiteHide

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Other Language Names for PyrrhotiteHide

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Simplified Chinese:磁黄铁矿

Traditional Chinese:磁黃鐵礦

Varieties of PyrrhotiteHide

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Relationship of Pyrrhotite to other SpeciesHide

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Other Members of this group:

Smythite (Fe,Ni)3+xS4 (x=0-0.3) Trig. 3_m_ _(_32/m ) : R_3_m
Troilite FeS Hex. 6/m m m _(_6/_m_2/_m_2/m ) : _P_63/m m c

Common AssociatesHide

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Associated Minerals Based on Photo Data:

Related Minerals - Strunz-mindat GroupingHide

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2.CC. Tilkerodeite Pd2HgSe3 Trig. 3_m_ _(_32/m ) : _P_3_m_1
2.CC. UM2007-26-S:CuFeIrNiPtRh (Ir,Cu,Ni,Pt,Rh,Fe)9S11
2.CC. Crowningshieldite (Ni0.9Fe0.1)S Hex. 6/m m m _(_6/_m_2/_m_2/m ) : _P_63/m m c
2.CC. Eliopoulosite V7S8 Trig. 32 : _P_3221
2.CC. Kuvaevite Ir5Ni10S16 Trig. 3_m_ _(_32/m ) : R_3_m
2.CC. Torryweiserite Rh5Ni10S16 Trig. 3_m_ _(_32/m ) : R_3_m
2.CC. Tamuraite Ir5Fe10S16 Trig. 3_m_ _(_32/m ) : R_3_m
2.CC. Ferrotorryweiserite Rh5Fe10S16 Trig. 3_m_ _(_32/m ) : R_3_m
2.CC. Proxitwelvefoldite Pd3Ni4Te8 Tet. 4/m m m _(_4/_m_2/_m_2/m ) : _P_42/m n m
2.CC.05 Achávalite FeSe Hex. 6/m m m _(_6/_m_2/_m_2/m ) : _P_63/m m c
2.CC.05 Breithauptite NiSb Hex. 6/m m m _(_6/_m_2/_m_2/m ) : _P_63/m m c
2.CC.05 Freboldite CoSe Hex. 6/m m m _(_6/_m_2/_m_2/m ) : _P_63/m m c
2.CC.05 Kotulskite Pd(Te,Bi)2-x (x ≈ 0.4) Hex.
2.CC.05 Langisite CoAs Hex. 6 : _P_63
2.CC.05 Nickeline NiAs Hex. 6/m m m _(_6/_m_2/_m_2/m ) : _P_63/m c m
2.CC.05 Sederholmite beta-NiSe Hex. 6/m m m _(_6/_m_2/_m_2/m ) : _P_63/m m c
2.CC.05 Sobolevskite PdBi Hex.
2.CC.05 Stumpflite PtSb Hex. 6/m m m _(_6/_m_2/_m_2/m ) : _P_63/m m c
2.CC.05 Sudburyite PdSb Hex. 6/m m m _(_6/_m_2/_m_2/m ) : _P_63/m m c
2.CC.05 Jaipurite CoS Hex.
2.CC.05 Zlatogorite NiCuSb2 Trig. 3_m_ _(_32/m ) : P_31_m
2.CC.10 Smythite (Fe,Ni)3+xS4 (x=0-0.3) Trig. 3_m_ _(_32/m ) : R_3_m
2.CC.10 Troilite FeS Hex. 6/m m m _(_6/_m_2/_m_2/m ) : _P_63/m m c
2.CC.15 Cherepanovite RhAs Orth. m m m _(_2/_m_2/_m_2/m ) : P n m a
2.CC.15 Modderite (Co,Fe)As Orth. m m m _(_2/_m_2/_m_2/m )
2.CC.15 Ruthenarsenite (Ru,Ni)As Orth. m m m _(_2/_m_2/_m_2/m ) : P n m a
2.CC.15 Westerveldite (Fe,Ni,Co)As Orth. m m m _(_2/_m_2/_m_2/m )
2.CC.15 Minakawaite RhSb Orth. m m m _(_2/_m_2/_m_2/m ) : P n m a
2.CC.20 Millerite NiS Trig. 3_m_ : R_3_m
2.CC.20 Mäkinenite γ-NiSe Trig. 3_m_
2.CC.20 UM1990-38-S:CuFeIrNiPtRh (Ni,Fe,Rh,Cu,Ir,Pt)S
2.CC.25 Mackinawite FeS Tet. 4/m m m _(_4/_m_2/_m_2/m ) : _P_4/n m m
2.CC.30 Hexatestibiopanickelite (Pd,Ni)(Sb,Te) ? Hex.
2.CC.30 Vavřínite Ni2SbTe2 Hex. 6/m m m _(_6/_m_2/_m_2/m ) : _P_63/m m c
2.CC.35a Braggite PdPt3S4 Tet. 4/m : _P_42/m
2.CC.35b Cooperite PtS Tet. 4/m m m _(_4/_m_2/_m_2/m ) : _P_42/m m c
2.CC.35a Vysotskite PdS Tet. 4/m : _P_42/m
2.CC.45 Jacutingaite Pt2HgSe3 Trig. 3_m_ _(_32/m ) : _P_3_m_1
2.CC.50 Imgreite NiTe (?) Hex.

Fluorescence of PyrrhotiteHide

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Other InformationHide

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Health Risks:

No information on health risks for this material has been entered into the database. You should always treat mineral specimens with care.

Pyrrhotite in petrologyHide

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An essential component of rock names highlighted in red, an accessory component in rock names highlighted in green.

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References for PyrrhotiteHide

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Reference List:

Pasquariello, D.M., Kershaw, R., Passaretti, J.D., Dwight, K., Wold, A. (1984) Low-temperature synthesis and properties of Co9S8, Ni3S2, and Fe7S8. Inorganic Chemistry: 23: 872-874.

Barkov, A. Y., Laajoki, K. V. O., Men'shikov, Y. P., Alapieti, T. T., Sivonen, S. J. (1997) First terrestrial occurrence of titanium-rich pyrrhotite, marcasite and pyrite in a fenitized xenolith from the Khibina alkaline complex, Russia. The Canadian Mineralogist, 35 (4) 875-885

Powell, A.V., Vaqueiro, P., Knight, K.S., Chapon, L.C., Sanchez, R.D. (2004) Structure and magnetism in synthetic pyrrhotite Fe7S8: a powder neutron-diffraction study. Phys. Rev., Serie 3.B - Condensed Matter: 70: 014415-1 - 014415-12.

Tan, Zheng, Su, Xuping, Li, Zhi, Liu, Ya, Wang, Jianhua (2007) Phase equilibria in the Zn–Fe–S system at 450°C. International Journal of Materials Research, 98 (1) 16-20 doi:10.3139/146.101435

Haines, C. R., Howard, C. J., Harrison, R. J., & Carpenter, M. A. (2019). Group-theoretical analysis of structural instability, vacancy ordering and magnetic transitions in the system troilite (FeS)–pyrrhotite (Fe1− xS). Acta Crystallographica Section B: Structural Science, Crystal Engineering and Materials, 75(6), 1208-1224.

Lei Jin, Dimitrios Koulialias, Michael Schnedler, Andreas U. Gehring, Mihály Pósfai, Philipp Ebert, Michalis Charilaou, Robin E. Schäublin, Chun-Lin Jia, Jörg F. Löffler, and Rafal. E. Dunin-Borkowski (2021): Atomic-scale characterization of commensurate and incommensurate vacancy superstructures in natural pyrrhotites. American Mineralogist 106, 82-96.

Significant localities for PyrrhotiteHide

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Showing 13 significant localities out of 11,215 recorded on mindat.org.

This 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.

Locality ListHide

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- This locality has map coordinates listed. - This locality has estimated coordinates. ⓘ - Click for references and further information on this occurrence. ? - Indicates mineral may be doubtful at this locality. - Good crystals or important locality for species. - World class for species or very significant. (TL) - Type Locality for a valid mineral species. (FRL) - First Recorded Locality for everything else (eg varieties). Struck out - Mineral was erroneously reported from this locality. Faded * - Never found at this locality but inferred to have existed at some point in the past (e.g. from pseudomorphs).

All localities listed without proper references should be considered as questionable.

Australia
Tasmania West Coast municipality Zeehan mining district North Dundas ⓘ Renison Bell Mine Renison Bell et al. (7) +4 other references
Brazil
Minas Gerais Nova Lima ⓘ Morro Velho mine Rocks & Min.: 63:43 +2 other references
Canada
British Columbia Slocan Mining Division Riondel ⓘ Bluebell Mine Grice et al. (1977) +1 other reference
Québec Nord-du-Québec Jamésie ⓘ Henderson No. 2 mine (Copper Rand mine) Tavchandjian (1992)
Italy
Tuscany Lucca Province Stazzema ⓘ Bottino Mine Benvenuti et al. (2000)
Kosovo
Mitrovica District Mitrovica Trepča complex ⓘ Trepča Stari Trg Mine Joana Koà Odziejczyk et al. ( 2012) +4 other references
Norway
Buskerud ⓘ Kongsberg silver mining district Neumann (1944)
Nordland Grane Svenningdalen ⓘ Svenningdalen Mines Vogt (1900) +1 other reference
Peru
Ancash Bolognesi Province Huallanca District Huanzala ⓘ Huanzala Mine Imai et al. (1985) +1 other reference
Romania
Maramureș County Baia Mare ⓘ Herja Mine Palache et al. (1944) +4 other references
Russia
Primorsky Krai Dalnegorsk Urban District Dalnegorsk ⓘ Nikolaevskiy Mine Dobovol'skaya et al. (1990) +3 other references
Switzerland
Valais Westlich Raron ⓘ Lötschberg Base Tunnel (south section) Ansermet (2004) +3 other references
USA
Connecticut Tolland County Willington ⓘ Becker Quarry (Becker's Quarry) Ague (1995)