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Formula: PtAs2
Arsenide, pyrite group,
platinum-bearing mineral
Platarsite is a
sulphur-enriched variety of sperrylite.
Crystal System: Isometric
Specific gravity: 10.58 measured, 10.78 calculated
Hardness: 6 to 7
Streak: Dark grey to black
Colour: Tin-white
Luminescence: Not fluorescent under UV
Magnetism: Not magnetic
Common impurities: Ir,Rh,Fe,Cu,Sb
Environments
Pegmatites
Metamorphic environments
Sedimentary environments
Hydrothermal environments
Sperrylite is the most widespread platinum mineral, occurring in
every type of deposit
(HOM).
Localities
The type locality is the Vermilion mine, Denison Township, Greater Sudbury, Ontario, Canada.
At the Mesamax Northwest deposit, Ungava Peninsula, Nunavik, Nord-du-Québec, Quebec, Canada, sperrylite is
one of the associated of naldrettite (the Mesamax deposit is the type
locality of naldrettite)
(CM 59.6.1801-1820).
At the Xiaonanshan Cu-Ni-(Pt-Pd) deposit, Wuchuan County, Hohhot City, Inner Mongolia, China, sperrylite is
associated with leadamalgam,
chromite, ilmenite,
magnetite, gersdorffite,
pyrite, chalcopyrite,
violarite, millerite,
stibnite, electrum,
niggliite, iridosmine,
platinum, merenskyite and
kotulskite
(HOM).
At the Danba pegmatite field, Danba county, Garzê Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan, China, sperrylite is
associated with pyrrhotite,
pentlandite, chalcopyrite,
violarite, cubanite,
bornite, sphalerite,
galena, linnaeite,
magnetite,
testibiopalladite,
sudburyite, omeiite,
gold and electrum
(HOM).
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