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Polyxene
A variety of Native Platinum
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About Polyxene
Formula:
(Pt,Fe,Cu,Ni,Pd,Rh)
Colour:
metallic-grey
Lustre:
Metallic
Hardness:
4 - 4½
Specific Gravity:
15 - 19
Name:
From the Greek ĻĪæĪ»ĻĻ - many, and Ī¾ĪĪ½ĪæĪ¹ - strangers, in allusion to complex composition of the mineral containing a lot of PGE and other metals besides of platinum.
Disordered Fe-Pt alloys with a primitive cubic unit cell. It may to contain Fe in the range 10-50 at.%. Ferroan platinum differs from Isoferroplatinum and Tetraferroplatinum by the symmetry of its unit cell.
Described by Hausman in 1813 from Colombia.
Described by Hausman in 1813 from Colombia.
Unique Identifiers
Mindat ID:
6057 (as Polyxene)
3236 (as Native Platinum)
3236 (as Native Platinum)
Long-form identifier:
mindat:1:1:6057:4 (as Polyxene)
mindat:1:1:3236:6 (as Native Platinum)
mindat:1:1:3236:6 (as Native Platinum)
Physical Properties of Polyxene
Metallic
Transparency:
Opaque
Colour:
Metallic-grey
Streak:
Silvery
Hardness:
4 - 4½ on Mohs scale
Fracture:
Irregular/Uneven, Hackly
Density:
15 - 19 g/cm3 (Measured)
Chemistry of Polyxene
Mindat Formula:
(Pt,Fe,Cu,Ni,Pd,Rh)
Element Weights:
| Element | % weight |
|---|---|
| Pt | 100.000 % |
Calculated from ideal end-member formula.
Geological Environment
Geological Setting:
Pt and Pt-Au placers
Synonyms of Polyxene
Platinum-Group Elements (in part)
Common Associates
Associations Based on Photo Data:
| 5 photos of Polyxene associated with Rhodarsenide | (Rh,Pd)2As |
| 4 photos of Polyxene associated with Sperrylite | PtAs2 |
| 4 photos of Polyxene associated with Laurite | RuS2 |
| 3 photos of Polyxene associated with Isoferroplatinum | Pt3Fe |
| 3 photos of Polyxene associated with Hollingworthite | (Rh,Pt,Pd)AsS |
| 2 photos of Polyxene associated with 'Hollingworthite-Irarsite Series' | |
| 2 photos of Polyxene associated with Native Gold | Au |
| 2 photos of Polyxene associated with Magnesiochromite | MgCr2O4 |
| 1 photo of Polyxene associated with Tulameenite | Pt2CuFe |
| 1 photo of Polyxene associated with Ferronickelplatinum | Pt2FeNi |
Other Information
Magnetism:
Ferromagnetic
Notes:
Strong magnetic to distinctly magnetic
Health Risks:
No information on health risks for this material has been entered into the database. You should always treat mineral specimens with care.
Industrial Uses:
important source of platinum and other PGE
Internet Links for Polyxene
mindat.org URL:
https://www.mindat.org/min-6057.html
Please feel free to link to this page.
Please feel free to link to this page.
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References for Polyxene
Reference List:
Localities for Polyxene
Showing 8 localities.
symbol to view information about a locality.
The Locality List
- This locality has map coordinates listed.
- This locality has estimated coordinates.
ā - Click for references and further information on this occurrence.
? - Indicates mineral may be doubtful at this locality.
- Good crystals or important locality for species.
- World class for species or very significant.
(TL) - Type Locality for a valid mineral species.
(FRL) - First Recorded Locality for everything else (eg varieties).
All localities listed without proper references should be considered as questionable.
Canada | |
| Alfredo Petrov |
Ethiopia | |
| Pavel M. Kartashov analytical data (2014) |
Russia | |
| Melānikov et al. (2012) |
| Pavel M. Kartashov analytical data 2018 |
| Pavel M. Kartashov analytical data (2012) |
| Pavel M. Kartashov analytical data of ... |
| Pavel M. Kartashov analytical data 2018 |
USA | |
| Pavel M. Kartashov analytical data 2019 |
Goodnews Bay, Bethel Census Area, Alaska, USA