Melonite

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Melonite
File:Melonite-Calaverite-219105.jpg
Melonite after calaverite, on quartz. Cresson mine, Cripple Creek, Colorado. Size: 1.3 × 0.9 × 0.4 cm.
General
CategorySulfide minerals
FormulaNiTe2
IMA symbolMlt[1]
Strunz classification2.EA.20
Dana classification02.12.14.01
Crystal systemTrigonal
Crystal classHexagonal scalenohedral (3m)
H-M symbol: (3 2/m)
Space groupP3m1
Unit cella = 3.84 Å, c = 5.26 Å; Z = 1
Identification
Formula mass313.89 g/mol
ColorWhite, reddish white
Crystal habitCrystalline, foliated, granular
Cleavage{0001} Perfect
FractureBrittle
Mohs scale hardness1–1.5
LusterMetallic
StreakDark gray
DiaphaneityOpaque
Specific gravity7.72
Density7.3
Ultraviolet fluorescenceNone
References[2][3][4][5]

Melonite is a telluride of nickel; it is a metallic mineral. Its chemical formula is NiTe2. It is opaque and white to reddish-white in color, oxidizing in air to a brown tarnish.

It was first described from the Melones and Stanislaus mine in Calaveras County, California in 1866, by Frederick Augustus Genth.

Melonite occurs as trigonal crystals, which cleave in a (0001) direction. It has a specific gravity of 7.72 and a hardness of 1–1.5 (very soft).

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  2. ^ Mineralienatlas
  3. ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  4. ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  5. ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  • D. M. Chizhikov and V. P. Shchastlivyi, 1966, Tellurium and Tellurides, Nauka Publishing, Moscow
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  • Error creating thumbnail: File missing Media related to Lua error in Module:Commons_link at line 62: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value). at Wikimedia Commons
  • File:Wiktionary-logo-en-v2.svg The dictionary definition of melonite at Wiktionary


File:Melonite-587385.png
Melonite and Calaverite, Kambalda, Coolgardie Shire, Western Australia. Melonite is a rare nickel telluride. This is a showy, solid foliated mass of lustrous, slightly iridescent melonite with a bit of brassy, golden pyrite on one side from this major nickel producing area.
File:Melonite crystal structure (Wyckoff 1963) crystallographic standard alignment bigger section.png
Melonite crystal structure (Wyckoff 1963), crystallographic standard alignment