Mineral phase
IMA name
Pentlandite
Type
Class
non-silicate mineral
Compound type
sulfide
Chemical composition
Formula
$(Fe,Ni)_9S_8$
Chemical formula
(Fe,Ni)9S8
Elemental formula
(Fe)3.5-6 (Ni)2-5 S8
Isotope mixture type
terrestrial abundance
  Formula Name Family Number min-max Isotope mole fraction State Relevance
$Fe$ Iron element 3.5 - 6 constituent element main
$Ni$ Nickel element 2 - 5 constituent element main
$S$ Sulfur element 8 constituent element main
Composition comments
Common impurities: Co (series with Cobaltpentlandite), Ag, Cu

Strunz

Class
sulfides - sufosalts (02)
Division
metal sulfides, M:S sup 1:1 (mainly 2:1) (02.B)
Family
with Ni, Fe (02.BB)
Code
02.BB.15a

Dana

Major class
sulfides (II)
Class
sulfides - including selenides and tellurides (02)
Type
where Am Bn Xp, with (m+n):p=9:8 (02.07)
Group
Pentlandite group (Isometric: Fm3m) (02.07.01)
Code
02.07.01.01
Phase type
crystalline
Crystal system
isometric (cubic)
Crystal class
hexoctahedral
Crystal class symbol
m-3m (Oh)
Crystal spacegroup
Fm-3m
Molar mass
771.94 $g/mol$
Density
4.6-5 $g/cm^3$
State NTP
solid
Refringence type
unknown
Refringence sign
unknown
Pure color
brown
Color
bronze, brown
Diaphaneity
opaque
Luster
metallic
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