Native Iridium
A valid IMA mineral species - grandfathered
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About Native Iridium
Formula:
(Ir,Os,Ru)
Colour:
Silver-white with yellow tinge
Lustre:
Metallic
Hardness:
6 - 7
Specific Gravity:
22.65 - 22.84
Crystal System:
Isometric
Name:
The element iridium was named by Smithson Tennant, in 1803, after Iris, the Greek Winged goddess of the rainbow, due to many of the salts he obtained being strongly coloured.
In mineralogical use the elemental name iridium is shared with the native element.
In mineralogical use the elemental name iridium is shared with the native element.
Natural iridium often contains distinct amounts of Os, Ru or Pt.
The definition of iridium now incorporates old "osmiridium" and "ruthenosmiridium" mineral species (all have Ir as the dominant element).
See also (hexagonal) rutheniridosmine.
Note: The type locality is not determined.
The definition of iridium now incorporates old "osmiridium" and "ruthenosmiridium" mineral species (all have Ir as the dominant element).
See also (hexagonal) rutheniridosmine.
Note: The type locality is not determined.
Unique Identifiers
Mindat ID:
2045
Long-form identifier:
mindat:1:1:2045:5
IMA Classification of Native Iridium
Approved, 'Grandfathered' (first described prior to 1959)
IMA status notes:
Redefined by the IMA
IMA Formula:
Ir
Approval history:
Redefined 1991 s.p.: Harris and Cabri (1991).
Classification of Native Iridium
1.AF.10
1 : ELEMENTS (Metals and intermetallic alloys; metalloids and nonmetals; carbides, silicides, nitrides, phosphides)
A : Metals and Intermetallic Alloys
F : Platinum group elements
1 : ELEMENTS (Metals and intermetallic alloys; metalloids and nonmetals; carbides, silicides, nitrides, phosphides)
A : Metals and Intermetallic Alloys
F : Platinum group elements
Dana 7th ed.:
1.2.1.2
1.2.1.2
1 : NATIVE ELEMENTS AND ALLOYS
2 : Platinum Group Metals and Alloys
1 : NATIVE ELEMENTS AND ALLOYS
2 : Platinum Group Metals and Alloys
1.77
1 : Elements and Alloys (including the arsenides, antimonides and bismuthides of Cu, Ag and Au)
1 : Elements and Alloys (including the arsenides, antimonides and bismuthides of Cu, Ag and Au)
Mineral Symbols
As of 2021 there are now IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols (abbreviations) for each mineral species, useful for tables and diagrams.
| Symbol | Source | Reference for Standard |
|---|---|---|
| Ir | IMA–CNMNC | Warr, L.N. (2021). IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols. Mineralogical Magazine, 85(3), 291-320. doi:10.1180/mgm.2021.43 |
Physical Properties of Native Iridium
Metallic
Transparency:
Opaque
Colour:
Silver-white with yellow tinge
Comment:
gray on fracture
Hardness:
6 - 7 on Mohs scale
Hardness:
VHN100=946 - 988 - Vickers
Tenacity:
Malleable
Cleavage:
Poor/Indistinct
Indistinct on {001}
Indistinct on {001}
Fracture:
Hackly
Density:
22.65 - 22.84 g/cm3 (Measured) 22.66 g/cm3 (Calculated)
Optical Data of Native Iridium
Type:
Isotropic
Reflectivity:
| Wavelength | R1 (%) |
|---|---|
| 400nm | 67.4% |
| 440nm | 68.8% |
| 480nm | 69.6% |
| 520nm | 70.2% |
| 560nm | 71.6% |
| 600nm | 72.5% |
| 640nm | 73.4% |
| 680nm | 74.4% |
| 700nm | 74.4% |
Graph shows reflectance levels at different wavelengths (in nm). Peak reflectance is 74.4%.
Chemistry of Native Iridium
Mindat Formula:
(Ir,Os,Ru)
Element Weights:
| Element | % weight |
|---|---|
| Ir | 100.000 % |
Calculated from ideal end-member formula.
Elements listed:
Common Impurities:
Pt,Au,Pd,Cu,Fe
Crystallography of Native Iridium
Crystal System:
Isometric
Class (H-M):
m3m(4/m32/m) - Hexoctahedral
Space Group:
Fm3m
Setting:
Fm3m
Cell Parameters:
a = 3.8394 Å
Unit Cell V:
56.60 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Z:
4
Morphology:
Generally cubic, commonly in rounded or angular grain
Twinning:
On {111} in polysynthetic groups
Crystal Structure
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Data courtesy of the American Mineralogist Crystal Structure Database. Click on an AMCSD ID to view structure
| ID | Species | Reference | Link | Year | Locality | Pressure (GPa) | Temp (K) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0014950 | Native Iridium | Owen E A, Yates E L (1933) Precision measurements of crystal parameters Philosophical Magazine 15 472-488 | 1933 | synthetic | 0 | 293 | |
| 0011147 | Native Iridium | Wyckoff R W G (1963) Second edition. Interscience Publishers, New York, New York Cubic closest packed, ccp, structure Crystal Structures 1 7-83 | 1963 | 0 | 293 |
CIF Raw Data - click here to close
X-Ray Powder Diffraction
Powder Diffraction Data:
| d-spacing | Intensity |
|---|---|
| 2.2170 Å | (100) |
| 1.9197 Å | (50) |
| 1.1574 Å | (45) |
| 0.7838 Å | (45) |
| 1.3575 Å | (40) |
| 0.8808 Å | (40) |
| 0.8586 Å | (40) |
Comments:
Synthetic
Geological Environment
Paragenetic Mode(s):
| Paragenetic Mode | Earliest Age (Ga) |
|---|---|
| Near-surface Processes | |
| 26 : Hadean detrital minerals | |
| Stage 4b: Highly evolved igneous rocks | >3.0 |
| 36 : Carbonatites, kimberlites, and related igneous rocks | |
| 37 : Layered igneous intrusions and related PGE minerals | |
| Stage 5: Initiation of plate tectonics | <3.5-2.5 |
| 38 : Ophiolites |
Synonyms of Native Iridium
Other Language Names for Native Iridium
Varieties of Native Iridium
| Aurosmiridium | A solid solution of Gold and Osmium in cubic Iridium. Originally reported from Urals Region, Russia. |
| Osmiridium | A variety of iridium rich in osmium, but still isometric. Originally reported from Urals Region, Russia. The term is also commonly used for mixtures of various Os-Ir-Ru alloys, usually with a composition dominated by osmium or iridium. |
| Platiniridium | A variety of Iridium rich in Platinum. |
| Platosmiridium | Rare cubic Ir-Pt alloy often with admixture of Os. |
| Rutheniridium | Originally a ruthenium-rich variety of Iridium, however as all natural Iridium contains ruthenium this name is now regarded as synonymous with Iridium. |
| Ruthenium-bearing Iridium | Cubic alloy in system Os-Ir-Ru with contents Ir less than 80 at.%, Os less than 10 at.% and Ru in range 20-43 at.%. Rare variety of cubic native Iridium. |
| Ruthenosmiridium | A variety of iridium rich in ruthenium and osmium. Not to be confused with rutheniridosmine. |
Common Associates
Associations Based on Photo Data:
| 18 photos of Native Iridium associated with Native Osmium | (Os,Ir,Ru) |
| 8 photos of Native Iridium associated with Isoferroplatinum | Pt3Fe |
| 8 photos of Native Iridium associated with Laurite | RuS2 |
| 7 photos of Native Iridium associated with Rutheniridosmine | (Ir,Os,Ru) |
| 7 photos of Native Iridium associated with Cuproiridsite | (Cu,Fe)Ir2S4 |
| 4 photos of Native Iridium associated with Tolovkite | IrSbS |
| 3 photos of Native Iridium associated with Sperrylite | PtAs2 |
| 3 photos of Native Iridium associated with Hollingworthite | (Rh,Pt,Pd)AsS |
| 2 photos of Native Iridium associated with Native Platinum | Pt |
| 2 photos of Native Iridium associated with Erlichmanite | OsS2 |
Related Minerals - Strunz-mindat Grouping
| 1.AF.05 | Rutheniridosmine | (Ir,Os,Ru) |
| 1.AF.05 | Native Ruthenium | (Ru,Ir) |
| 1.AF.05 | Native Osmium | (Os,Ir,Ru) |
| 1.AF.10 | Native Rhodium | (Rh,Pt) |
| 1.AF.10 | Native Platinum | Pt |
| 1.AF.10 | Native Palladium | (Pd,Pt) |
Other Information
Health Risks:
No information on health risks for this material has been entered into the database. You should always treat mineral specimens with care.
Internet Links for Native Iridium
mindat.org URL:
https://www.mindat.org/min-2045.html
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References for Native Iridium
Reference List:
Harris, D. C., Cabri, L. J. (1973) The nomenclature of the natural alloys of osmium, iridium and ruthenium based on new compositional data of alloys from world-wide occurrences. The Canadian Mineralogist, 12 (2) 104-112
Localities for Native Iridium
Showing 357 localities.
Locality List
- This locality has map coordinates listed.
- This locality has estimated coordinates.
ⓘ - 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.
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The
Neiva River alluvials, Alapayevsk Urban Okrug, Sverdlovsk Oblast, Russia