Abstract
Bortnikovite, a new mineral species that is an intermetallic compound of Pd, Cu, and Zn with the simplified formula Pd4Cu3Zn has been detected at the unique Konder placer deposit in the Ayan-Maya district, Khabarovsk krai. The primary source of this placer is a concentrically zoned alkaline ultramafic massif. The X-ray diffraction pattern is indexed on the assumption of a tetragonal unit cell: a = 6.00 ± 0.02 A and c = 8.50 ± 0.03 A, V = 306 ± 0.01 A3, Z = 3, probable space group P4/mmm. The calculated density is 11.16 g/cm3; the mean microhardness VHN is 368 kg/mm2. In reflected light, the new mineral is white with a slight grayish beige tint; bireflectance, anisotropy, and internal reflections are not observed. The reflectance spectrum belongs to the concave group of the anomalous type. The measured values of reflectance are as follows: 56.9 (470 nm), 61.7 (546 nm), 63.4 (589 nm), and 65.4% (650 nm). The new mineral is intergrown with isoferroplatinum, titanite, perovskite, V-bearing magnetite, bornite, and chlorite. The origin of bortnikovite is related to the effect of alkaline fluid on ultramafic rocks. The new mineral is named in honor of Professor Nikolai Stefanovich Bortnikov, a prominent mineralogist and researcher of ore deposits and a corresponding member of the Russian Academy of Sciences. Bortnikovite is the first platinum group mineral that contains Zn as a major mineralforming element.
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
