Zolenskyite
A valid IMA mineral species
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About Zolenskyite
Michael E. Zolensky
Formula:
FeCr2S4
Specific Gravity:
4.09 (Calculated)
Crystal System:
Monoclinic
Name:
Named in honor of Michael E. Zolensky (b. 1955), planetary scientist with NASA, for his contributions to research on extraterrestrial materials, including enstatite chondrites. He is an expert on meteoritic mineralogy, petrology and geochemistry, space weathering, and the primitive mineralogy of comets. He is a past president of The Meteoritical Society and was awarded the 2020 Leonard Medal. The minor planet 6030/Zolensky is also named in his honor.
Type Locality:
Dimorph of:
The Fe (or FeCr2) analogue of brezinaite and a dimorph of daubréelite.
Zolenskyite forms under high-pressure (>7 GPa) and high-temperature (>1000 K) conditions, likely through solid-state transformation from daubréelite during shock events.
Zolenskyite may be a high-pressure phase, formed from daubréelite at high pressures (several gigapascals) and moderate temperatures in highly shocked regions of the EH parent asteroid before becoming incorporated into Indarch via impact mixing. Zolenskyite survived moderate annealing of the Indarch whole-rock.
Zolenskyite forms under high-pressure (>7 GPa) and high-temperature (>1000 K) conditions, likely through solid-state transformation from daubréelite during shock events.
Zolenskyite may be a high-pressure phase, formed from daubréelite at high pressures (several gigapascals) and moderate temperatures in highly shocked regions of the EH parent asteroid before becoming incorporated into Indarch via impact mixing. Zolenskyite survived moderate annealing of the Indarch whole-rock.
Unique Identifiers
Mindat ID:
55270
Long-form identifier:
mindat:1:1:55270:3
IMA Classification of Zolenskyite
Approved
IMA Formula:
Fe2+Cr3+2S2-4
Approval year:
2020
First published:
2022
Classification of Zolenskyite
2.DA.
2 : SULFIDES and SULFOSALTS (sulfides, selenides, tellurides; arsenides, antimonides, bismuthides; sulfarsenites, sulfantimonites, sulfbismuthites, etc.)
D : Metal Sulfides, M: S = 3 :4 and 2:3
A : M:S = 3:4
2 : SULFIDES and SULFOSALTS (sulfides, selenides, tellurides; arsenides, antimonides, bismuthides; sulfarsenites, sulfantimonites, sulfbismuthites, etc.)
D : Metal Sulfides, M: S = 3 :4 and 2:3
A : M:S = 3:4
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Zsk | 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 Zolenskyite
Transparency:
Opaque
Density:
4.09 g/cm3 (Calculated)
Chemistry of Zolenskyite
Mindat Formula:
FeCr2S4
Element Weights:
Elements listed:
Crystallography of Zolenskyite
Crystal System:
Monoclinic
Class (H-M):
2/m - Prismatic
Space Group:
B2/m
Setting:
C2/m
Cell Parameters:
a = 12.8345(11) Å, b = 3.4359(3) Å, c = 5.9345(5) Å
β = 116.832(6)°
β = 116.832(6)°
Ratio:
a:b:c = 3.735 : 1 : 1.727
Unit Cell V:
233.52 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Z:
2
Comment:
zolenskyite has the C2/m CrNb2Se4-Cr3S4-type structure of synthetic FeCr2S4
X-Ray Powder Diffraction
Powder Diffraction Data:
| d-spacing | Intensity |
|---|---|
| 5.251 Å | (52) |
| 2.977 Å | (47) |
| 2.646 Å | (92) |
| 2.625 Å | (46) |
| 2.067 Å | (93) |
| 2.057 Å | (100) |
| 1.720 Å | (47) |
| 1.716 Å | (78) |
Type Occurrence of Zolenskyite
General Appearance of Type Material:
Euhedral to subhedral crystals 10-20 microns.
Place of Conservation of Type Material:
Type material is deposited in the meteorite collection of the Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences, California Institute of Technology, 1200 East California Boulevard, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA, catalogue numbers ICM1 and ICM3.
Geological Setting of Type Material:
EH4 enstatite chondrite.
Associated Minerals at Type Locality:
Synonyms of Zolenskyite
Other Language Names for Zolenskyite
Dutch:Zolenskyiet
German:Zolenskyit
Common Associates
Associations Based on Photo Data:
Related Minerals - Strunz-mindat Grouping
| 2.DA. | Ferrodimolybdenite | FeMo2S4 |
| 2.DA. | Zaykovite | Rh3Se4 |
| 2.DA. | Ezochiite | Cu+(Rh3+Pt4+)S4 |
| 2.DA. | Grimmite | NiCo2S4 |
| 2.DA.05 | Shiranuiite | Cu+(Rh3+Rh4+)S4 |
| 2.DA.05 | Fletcherite | CuNi2S4 |
| 2.DA.05 | Florensovite | (Cu,Zn)Cr1.5Sb0.5S4 |
| 2.DA.05 | Siegenite | CoNi2S4 |
| 2.DA.05 | Cadmoindite | CdIn2S4 |
| 2.DA.05 | Kalininite | ZnCr2S4 |
| 2.DA.05 | Violarite | Fe2+Ni3+2S4 |
| 2.DA.05 | Nickeltyrrellite | CuNi2Se4 |
| 2.DA.05 | Linnaeite | Co2+Co3+2S4 |
| 2.DA.05 | Carrollite | CuCo2S4 |
| 2.DA.05 | Cuproiridsite | (Cu,Fe)Ir2S4 |
| 2.DA.05 | Cuprorhodsite | (Cu+0.5Fe3+0.5)Rh3+2S4 |
| 2.DA.05 | Berndlehmannite | Cu(CrV)S4 |
| 2.DA.05 | Polydymite | Ni2+Ni3+2S4 |
| 2.DA.05 | Trüstedtite | Ni3Se4 |
| 2.DA.05 | Daubréelite | Fe2+Cr3+2S4 |
| 2.DA.05 | Cuprokalininite | Cu(Cr3+Cr4+)S4 |
| 2.DA.05 | Greigite | Fe2+Fe3+2S4 |
| 2.DA.05 | Joegoldsteinite | MnCr2S4 |
| 2.DA.05 | Bornhardtite | Co2+Co3+2Se4 |
| 2.DA.05 | Tyrrellite | Cu(Co,Ni)2Se4 |
| 2.DA.05 | Indite | FeIn2S4 |
| 2.DA.05 | Xingzhongite | Pb2+Ir3+2S4 |
| 2.DA.05 | Malanite | Cu+(Ir3+Pt4+)S4 |
| 2.DA.10 | Rhodostannite | Cu+(Fe2+0.5Sn4+1.5)S4 |
| 2.DA.10 | Toyohaite | Ag+(Fe2+0.5Sn4+1.5)S4 |
| 2.DA.15 | Brezinaite | Cr3S4 |
| 2.DA.15 | Heideite | (Fe,Cr)1.15(Ti,Fe)2S4 |
| 2.DA.20 | Konderite | Cu3Pb(Rh,Pt,Ir)8S16 |
| 2.DA.20 | Inaglyite | Cu3Pb(Ir,Pt)8S16 |
| 2.DA.25 | Kingstonite | Rh3S4 |
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 Zolenskyite
mindat.org URL:
https://www.mindat.org/min-55270.html
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References for Zolenskyite
Reference List:
Miyawaki, Ritsuro, Hatert, Frédéric, Pasero, Marco, Mills, Stuart J. (2021) IMA Commission on New Minerals, Nomenclature and Classification (CNMNC) – Newsletter 59. European Journal of Mineralogy, 33 (1) 139-143 doi:10.5194/ejm-33-139-2021
Localities for Zolenskyite
Showing 3 localities.
symbol to view information about a locality.
The 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.
Azerbaijan (TL) | |
| Miyawaki et al. (2021) +1 other reference |
Germany | |
| Kołodziej et al. (2025) |
Sweden | |
| Bindi et al. (2026) |
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Indarch meteorite, Hindarx, Aghjabadi District, Azerbaijan