Images
Formula: (Ni,Fe)
Alloy of iron and nickel,
iron group
Crystal System: Isometric
Specific gravity: 8.01 to 8.08
Hardness: 5 to 5½
Streak: Light grey
Colour: Silver-white to steel-grey
Solubility: Slowly soluble in dilute hydrochloric acid
Magnetism: Magnetic
Common impurities: Co,Cu,P,S,C
Environments
Igneous environments
Extraterrestrial environments
Taenite occurs in iron
meteorites containing more than 7%
nickel and is a major component of
nickel-rich ataxites.
It is
an accessory mineral in many chondrites and in some
lunar rocks
(Dana).
It also occurs terrestrially in serpentinised
nickeliferous ultramafic rocks,
as particles or spherules in placer sands, and as loose, detached masses which give few clues as to their ultimate
origin; also in mafic igneous rocks that assimilated carbon under
reducing conditions. Associated minerals include kamacite,
awaruite, graphite,
cohenite, moissanite,
schreibersite, troilite,
daubréelite, oldhamite and
other meteorite minerals
(HOM).
Localities
The type locality is the Gorge River, Westland District, West Coast Region, New Zealand.
Back to Minerals