Rheniite is a very rare rhenium sulfide mineral with the chemical formula (ReS2). It forms metallic, silver grey platey crystals in the triclinic - pinacoidal class.[2] It has a specific gravity of 7.5.
| Rheniite | |
|---|---|
 Rheniite on basalt from the Kudriavy Volcano, Kurile Islands | |
| General | |
| Category | Sulfide mineral |
| Formula (repeating unit) | ReS2 |
| IMA symbol | Rhn[1] |
| Strunz classification | 2.EB.35 |
| Crystal system | Triclinic |
| Crystal class | Pinacoidal (1) (same H-M symbol) |
| Space group | P1 |
| Unit cell | a = 6.47 Å, b = 6.368 Å c = 6.401 Å; α = 105° β = 91.59°, γ = 118.9°; Z = 4 |
| Identification | |
| Color | Black, red translucent |
| Crystal habit | Platey |
| Luster | Metallic |
| Streak | Black |
| Diaphaneity | Opaque, translucent in thin fragments |
| References | [2][3] |
It was discovered at the Kudriavy Volcano, Iturup Island in the Kurile Islands, Russia and approved in 2004.[4] It is found in active hot fumaroles on the volcano.
Rheniite is one of the first minerals of the element rhenium to be found. The other known approved rhenium mineral is the sulfide mineral tarkianite. Almost all commercially mined rhenium is retrieved as a by-product of molybdenum mining as rhenium occurs in amounts up to 0.2% in the mineral molybdenite. A discredited rhenium sulfide known as zappinite does not appear to be valid.
Rheniite has also been reported in the Pagoni Rachi Mo–Cu–Te–Ag–Au deposit in northeastern Greece where it occurs with molybdenite in quartz veins associated with an epithermal system in a dacite porphyry.[5]
References
edit- ^ Warr, L.N. (2021). "IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols". Mineralogical Magazine. 85 (3): 291–320. Bibcode:2021MinM...85..291W. doi:10.1180/mgm.2021.43. S2CID 235729616.
- ^ a b Webmineral
- ^ Mindat.org
- ^ Korzhinsky, M.A.; S. I. Tkachenko; K. I. Shmulovich; Y. A. Taran; G. S. Steinberg (2004-05-05). "Discovery of a pure rhenium mineral at Kudriavy volcano". Nature. 369 (6475): 51–52. Bibcode:1994Natur.369...51K. doi:10.1038/369051a0. S2CID 4344624.
- ^ Voudouris, Panagiotis C., et al., 2009, Rhenium-rich molybdenite and rheniite in the Pagoni Rachi Mo-Cu-Te-Ag-Au prospect, Northern Greece: implications for the Re geochemistry of porphyry-style Cu-Mo and Mo mineralization, Canadian Mineralogist 47, 1013-1036
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