Zaykovite

zaykovite

kingstonite

rhodium

selenium

Images

Formula: Rh₃Se₄
Selenide of rhodium
Crystal System: Monoclinic
Specific gravity: 8.32 calculated
Environments

Placer deposits

Zaykovite is a new mineral, approved in 2019 and to date (April 2023) reported only from the type locality.

Localities

At the type locality, Kazan Au-bearing placers, Gogino, Bredinsky District, Chelyabinsk Oblast, Russia, zaykovite was discovered in the assemblages of platinum group minerals from the gold placer deposit. It occurs as crystals up to 40 μm in size within the grains of Pt₃Fe alloy, in association with an unnamed palladium – antimony – tellurium phase and a gold – palladium alloy. In reflected light, zaykovite has a grey colour with bluish-greenish tint. A continuous series of solid solutions between kingstonite and zaykovite was encountered in the samples from the Kazan placer. The possible sources of this unique rhodium - selenium mineralisation could be serpentinised dunite – harzburgite or gabbro – clinopyroxenite – dunite complexes in the vicinity (MM 87.1.118-129).

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