Vaesite Mineral Data

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General Vaesite Information

Chemical Formula:

NiS2

Composition:

Molecular Weight = 122.82 gm

Nickel 47.78 % Ni

Sulfur 52.22 % S

______

100.00 %

Empirical Formula:

NiS₂

Environment:

Disseminated through dolomite (Kasompi mine, Zaire); as a secondary alteration product of arsenic-deficient nickel skutterudite (Germany)

IMA Status:

Valid Species (Pre-IMA) 1945

Locality:

Kasompi mine, Katanga (Shaba), Congo (Zaire). Link to MinDat.org Location Data.

Name Origin:

Named for Johannes Vaes, mineralogist for the Union Miniere du Haut Katanga.

Name Pronunciation:

Vaesite

Synonym:

ICSD 79671

PDF Nov-99

Vaesite Image

Images:

Vaesite

Comments: Metallic black vaesite microcrystals.
Location: Ca'de Ladri, Bologna, Emilia-Romagna, Italy. Scale: See Photo.
© Jeff Weissman / Photographic Guide to Mineral Species

Vaesite Crystallography

Cell Dimensions:

a = 5.6793, Z = 4; V = 183.18 Den(Calc)= 4.45

Crystal System:

Isometric - DiploidalH-M Symbol (2/m 3) Space Group: P a3

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

By Intensity(I/I_o): 2.83(1), 1.71(0.8), 1.09(0.6),

Crystal Structure:

Mouse
drag1 - LMB Manipulate Structure
drag2 - RMB Resize/Rotate
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H - Help Screen
I - Data Info
A - Atoms On/Off
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B - Bonds On/Off
Help on Above

Nowack E , Schwarzenbach D , Hahn T , Acta Crystallographica, Section B , 47 (1991) p.650-659, Charge densities in CoS2 and NiS2 (pyrite structure), Note: multipole model, T = 135 K, Locality: synthetic

View Additional jPOWD Structure files for Vaesite
[1] [2]

Physical Properties of Vaesite

Cleavage:

{001} Perfect

Color:

Black, Steel gray, Tin white.

Density:

4.45

Diaphaneity:

Opaque

Habit:

Disseminated - Occurs in small, distinct particles dispersed in matrix.

Habit:

Massive - Uniformly indistinguishable crystals forming large masses.

Hardness:

4.5-5.5 - Near Apatite

Luster:

Metallic

Optical Properties of Vaesite

RL Color:

Gray, pale violet.

RL Pleochroism:

None.

Reflectivity

**Standardized Intensity (100%) Reflection Spectra of Vaesite in Air**
λ	R	∑ R(λ)
400 nm	35.00
420 nm	34.30
440 nm	33.60
460 nm	33.00
480 nm	32.50
500 nm	32.00
520 nm	31.80
540 nm	31.60
560 nm	31.50
580 nm	31.50
600 nm	31.60
620 nm	31.80
640 nm	32.00
660 nm	32.40
680 nm	33.00
700 nm	33.60

**Calculated Relative Intensity Colors of Vaesite in Air**
Relative Intensity	0%	30%	60%	90%	100%	120%	150%	180%	210%	240%	270%	280%
R

Calculated Properties of Vaesite

Electron Density:

Bulk Density (Electron Density)=4.35 gm/cc
note: Specific Gravity of Vaesite =4.45 gm/cc.

Fermion Index:

Fermion Index = 0.0093158148
Boson Index = 0.9906841852

Photoelectric:

PE_Vaesite= 21.79 barns/electron
U=PE_Vaesite x rElectron Density= 94.75 barns/cc.

Radioactivity:

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

Vaesite Classification

Dana Class:

02.12.01.02 (02)Sulfides - Including Selenides and Tellurides

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

(02.12.01)Pyrite Group (Isometric: Pa3)

02.12.01.01 Pyrite FeS2 P a3 2/m 3

02.12.01.02 Vaesite NiS2 P a3 2/m 3

02.12.01.03 Cattierite CoS2 P a3 2/m 3

02.12.01.04 Penroseite (Ni,Co,Cu)Se2 P a3 2/m 3

02.12.01.05 Trogtalite CoSe2 P a3 2/m 3

02.12.01.06 Villamaninite (Cu,Ni,Co,Fe)S2 P a3 2/m 3

02.12.01.07 Fukuchilite Cu3FeS8 P a3 2/m 3

02.12.01.08 Krutaite CuSe2 P a3 2/m 3

02.12.01.09 Hauerite MnS2 P a3 2/m 3

02.12.01.10 Laurite RuS2 P a3 2/m 3

02.12.01.11 Aurostibite AuSb2 P a3 2/m 3

02.12.01.12 Krutovite NiAs2 P a3 2/m 3

02.12.01.13 Sperrylite PtAs2 P a3 2/m 3

02.12.01.14 Geversite Pt(Sb,Bi)2 P a3 2/m 3

02.12.01.15 Insizwaite Pt(Bi,Sb)2 P a3 2/m 3

02.12.01.16 Erlichmanite OsS2 P a3 2/m 3

02.12.01.17 Dzharkenite FeSe2 P a3 2/m 3

02.12.01.18 Gaotaiite Ir3Te8 P a3 2/m 3

02.12.01.19 Mayingite IrBiTe P a3 2/m 3

Strunz Class:

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

02.E - Metal Sulfides, M:S £ 1:2

02.EB -M:S = 1:2, with Fe, Co, Ni, PGE, etc.

02.EB.05a Aurostibite AuSb2 P a3 2/m 3

02.EB.05a Cattierite CoS2 P a3 2/m 3

02.EB.05a Hauerite MnS2 P a3 2/m 3

02.EB.05a Fukuchilite Cu3FeS8 P a3 2/m 3

02.EB.05a Dzharkenite FeSe2 P a3 2/m 3

02.EB.05a Erlichmanite OsS2 P a3 2/m 3

02.EB.05a Geversite Pt(Sb,Bi)2 P a3 2/m 3

02.EB.05a Gaotaiite Ir3Te8 P a3 2/m 3

02.EB.05a Insizwaite Pt(Bi,Sb)2 P a3 2/m 3

02.EB.05a Laurite RuS2 P a3 2/m 3

02.EB.05a Krutaite CuSe2 P a3 2/m 3

02.EB.05a Pyrite FeS2 P a3 2/m 3

02.EB.05a Penroseite (Ni,Co,Cu)Se2 P a3 2/m 3

02.EB.05a Sperrylite PtAs2 P a3 2/m 3

02.EB.05a Vaesite NiS2 P a3 2/m 3

02.EB.05a Villamaninite (Cu,Ni,Co,Fe)S2 P a3 2/m 3

02.EB.05a Trogtalite CoSe2 P a3 2/m 3

Other Vaesite Information

References:

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

See Also:

Links to other databases for Vaesite :
1 - Am. Min. Crystal Structure Database
2 - Athena
3 - EUROmin Project
4 - Ecole des Mines de Paris
5 - GeoScienceWorld
6 - Google Images
7 - Google Scholar
8 - Handbook of Mineralogy (MinSocAm)
9 - Handbook of Mineralogy (UofA)
10 - MinDAT
11 - Mineralienatlas (Deutsch)
12 - Online Mineral Museum
13 - QUT Mineral Atlas
14 - Ruff.Info
15 - WWW-MINCRYST

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Ask about Vaesite here :
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Print or Cut-and-Paste your Vaesite Specimen Label here :

Vaesite

NiS2
Dana No: 02.12.01.02 Strunz No: 02.EB.05a
Locality:

Notes: