Images
Formula: (Fe,Os,Ru,Ir)
Alloy of iron, osmium,
ruthenium and iridium, hexagonal
paramorph of isometric native iron
Crystal System: Hexagonal
Specific gravity: 10.69 calculated
Hardness: 6 to 7
Streak: Black
Colour: Steel-grey with a yellow tint
Magnetism: Magnetic
Environments
Localities
At the type locality, the Chirynaisky Massif, Koryak Okrug, Kamchatka Krai, Russia, hexaferrum occurs as
inclusions of cubic or octahedral crystals up to 200 µm, usually 5–50 µm, in Cr spinel at the
dunite-harzburgite
massif. It represents a continuous solid solution of
platinum-group elements in iron,
and among the individual grains are ruthenian,
osmian and iridian varieties. The grains
are opaque, magnetic, steel-grey in colour with a yellow tint, metallic lustre and no cleavage. Hexaferrum is
associated with iridosmine,
rutheniridium, laurite,
tulameenite, awaruite,
native iron, native copper,
native zinc, oregonite and
pentlandite, and other sulphides
(AM 84.1686).
Hexaferrum from the Chirynaisky Massif -
Image
Back to Minerals