Pentlandite

The pentlandite is a Sulfure of Fer and Nickel of formula (Fe, Ni) ₉S₈, of crystalline Système cubic, Groupe of space $Fm \ bar {3} m$ , hardness 3 ½ - 4, color yellow-bronzes clearly. Its structure consists of a cubic stacking of Soufre, both Cation S partially occupying the tetrahedral and octahedral cavities.

The iron ratio/nickel is very close to 1 and the final members do not exist in a natural state, nor were never synthesized. The mixed crystals exist only in one narrow interval of composition around report/ratio 1: 1.

One almost always finds pentlandite in Co-growth with the Pyrrhotite, with which it forms the “pyrrhotites nickélifères”, which are used to extract the Nickel from it (another important source is the Garniérite, or “ The aspect and the glare of pentlandite are similar to those of the Pyrrhotite, but pentlandite is not magnetic and its milked is of color bronzes.

Seldom pure, it often contains Cobalt which modifies the melting point:

* 0% Co: 610°C;

* 7,5% Co: 630°C;

* 40,8% Co: 746°C.

The pressure plays an opposite part.

Random links: