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Formula: Pd11Sb2As2
Arsenide, isomertieite group,
paramorph of mertieite,
palladium-bearing mineral
Fengluanite is an antimony-rich variety of isomertieite
Specific gravity: 10,33 calculated
Hardness: 5½
Colour: Pale yellow in reflected light
Common impurities: Au,Cu
Environments
Pegmatites
Metamorphic environments
Hydrothermal environments
Isomertieite occurs in heavy metal concentrates with gold and other
palladium minerals
(Dana).
Localities
At the type locality, Itabira, Minas Gerais, Brazil, isomertieite occurs In heavy-metal concentrates from
Precambrian iron-precious metal deposits. Associated minerals include
arsenopalladinite, atheneite,
palladseite, hematite and
gold
(MM 39.528-543, HOM, Mindat).
At the Lac des Iles Complex, Lac des Iles Area, Thunder Bay District, Ontario, Canada, isomertieite is
associated with chalcopyrite,
millerite, kotulskite,
arsenopalladinite and
hematite
(HOM).
The complex is a mafic-ultramafic intrusive complex with
gabbro and
pegmatites, that contains several
platinum group element (PGE) mineralisations
(Mindat).
At the Hongshila Pt-Pd deposit, Boluonuo, Fengning County, Chengde, Hebei, China, isomertieite is associated
with hongshiite, cooperite,
sperrylite, vysotskite,
magnetite, bornite,
polydymite, diopside,
actinolite and epidote
(HOM).
The deposit is a platinum group element (PGE)-bearing
ultramafic body, intruded into metamorphic rocks, mainly
hornblende-plagioclase
gneiss, with minor schist
and marble
(Mindat).
At Hope's Nose, Torquay, Torbay, Devon, England, UK, gold alloyed with up to
16% palladium occasionally hosts tiny crystals of isomertieite and
mertieite
(R&M 96.3.202).
The deposit is in precious (Au, Ag, Pd) and base metal selenide mineralisation in
calcite veins
(Mindat).
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