By John Sobolewski (JSS) (http://www.mindat.org/photo-192760.html) [CC-BY-3.0], via Wikimedia Commons
Pentlandite resembles other yellowish metallic minerals and is cut by collectors as a curiosity. The cut stones are quite attractive but too soft for hard wear.
| Data | Value |
|---|---|
| Name | Pentlandite |
| Stone Sizes | Cabochons of any desired size can be out from massive material. |
| Formula | (Fe,Ni)9S8 |
| Colors | Light bronze yellow. |
| Fracture | Conchoidal |
| Hardness | 3.5-4 |
| Cleavage | None |
| Crystallography | Isometric. Crystals extremely rare; massive, granular. |
| Birefringence | None |
| Luminescence | None. Nonmagnetic. |
| Luminescence Present | No |
| Pleochroism | None. |
| Luster | Metallic. |
| Specific Gravity | 4.6-5 |
| Transparency | Opaque. |
Occurrence: Associated with pyrrhotite and other nickel ores in basic rocks.
Norway; Transvaal, South Africa; Alaska; California; Nevada.
Sudbury, Ontario, Canada: major ore mineral, huge masses.
Comments: Pentlandite resembles other yellowish metallic minerals and is cut by collectors as a curiosity. The cut stones are quite attractive but too soft for hard wear.
Pentlandite is usually intimately intermixed with pyrrhotite and chalcopyrite in Canadian ore bodies, creating an interesting, multicolored metallic appearance.
Name: After J.B. Pentland who first noted the mineral.
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