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Formula: Pt
Native element
There are six
platinum group elements, iridium,
osmium, palladium,
platinum, rhodium and
ruthenium. They
often occur together, and are often
alloyed with each other.
Crystal System: Isometric
Specific gravity: 14 to 19 measured, 21.472 calculated
Hardness: 4 to 4½；
Streak: Grey
Colour: Silver grey
Solubility: Insoluble in hydrochloric, sulphuric and nitric acid
Environments:
Sedimentary environments
Placer deposits
Hydrothermal environments
Most platinum occurs as the native metal in ultramafic rocks,
especially dunite, associated with
olivine,
chromite,
pyroxene and
magnetite. It has been mined extensively in placers which are usually close
to the platinum-bearing
parent rock. It also occurs in quartz veins.
Platinum-bearing minerals include
Alloys
driekopite
hongshiite
isoferroplatinum
niggliite
rustenburgite
taimyrite
tatyanaite
tulameenite
Arsenides
sperrylite
Bismuthide
insizwaite
Sulphides
braggite
cooperite
ferhodsite
malanite
platarsite
Sulphosalts
daomanite
Tellurides
maslovite
Antimonides
genkinite
Tellurobismuthides
moncheite
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