Ferrotochilinite, 6FeS · 5Fe(OH)2, a new mineral from the Oktyabr’sky deposit, Noril’sk district, Siberia, Russia

Abstract

A new mineral, ferrotochilinite, ideally 6FeS · 5Fe(OH)2, was found at the Oktyabr’sky Mine, Oktyabr’skoe Cu-Ni deposit, Noril’sk, Krasnoyarsk krai, Siberia, Russia. It is associated with ferrovalleriite, magnetite and Fe-rich, chlorite-like phyllosilicate in the cavities of pentlandite-mooihoekite-cubanite ore with subordinate magnetite and chalcopyrite. Ferrotochilinite occurs as flattened on [001], prismatic to elongated lamellar crystals up to 0.1 × 0.5 × 3.2 mm, typically split and curved. Aggregates (up to 6.5 mm in size) are fanlike, rosette-like, or chaotic. Ferrotochilinite is dark bronze. The streak is black. The luster is moderately metallic. The Mohs’ hardness is ca. 1; VHN is 13 kg/mm2. Cleavage is {001} perfect, micalike. Individuals are flexible, inelastic. D(calc) = 3.467 g/cm3. In reflected light, ferrotochilinite is gray, with the hue changing from pale beige to bluish; bireflectance is distinct. Anisotropy is distinct, with gray bluish to yellowish beige rotation colors. No internal reflections. Reflectance values [R min-R max, % (λ, nm)] are: 11.6–11.4 (470), 11.2–12.4 (546), 11.1–13.6 (589), 11.0–15.5 (650). The IR spectrum shows the presence of (OH) groups bonded with Fe cations and the absence of H2O molecules. Chemical composition (wt %; electron probe; H content is calculated) is as follows: 0.02 Mg, 61.92 Fe, 0.03 Ni, 0.09 Cu, 19.45 S, 16.3 O, 1.03 H calc; the total is 98.84. The empirical formula calculated on the basis of 6 S atoms is: Mg0.01Fe10.96Ni0.005Cu0.015S6(OH)10.07 = (Fe5.98Cu0.0015Ni0.005)Σ6S6(OH)9.80(Fe 4.89 2+ Mg0.01)Σ4.90(OH)9.80Fe 0.09 3+ (OH)0.27. Ferrotochilinite is monoclinic, space group is C2/m, Cm or C2, the unit-cell dimensions are: a = 5.463(5), b = 15.865(17), c = 10.825(12) A, β = 93.7(1)°, V = 936(3) A3, Z = 2. The strongest reflections in the X-ray powder diffraction pattern (d, A-I[hkl]) are: 10.83-13[001], 5.392-100[002], 3.281-7[023], 2.777-7[150], 2.696-12[004, $$20\bar 1$$ ], 2.524-12[ $$22\bar 1$$ , $$20\bar 2$$ ], 2.152-8[134, 153], 1.837-11[135, $$17\bar 3$$ ]. Ferrotochilinite is a structural analog of tochilinite, with Fe2+ instead of Mg in the hydroxide part. The type specimen is deposited in Fersman Mineralogical Museum of Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow.