Temagamite
Telluride mineral
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Temagamite is a bright white palladium mercury telluride mineral with a hardness of 2+1⁄2 on the Mohs scale. Its chemical formula is Pd3HgTe3. It was discovered at the Temagami Mine on Temagami Island, Lake Temagami in 1973,[4] and it represents a rare mineral in the Temagami Greenstone Belt.
| Temagamite | |
|---|---|
| |
| General | |
| Category | Telluride mineral |
| Formula | Pd3HgTe3 |
| IMA symbol | Tem[1] |
| Strunz classification | 2.BC.50 |
| Crystal system | Orthorhombic Unknown space group |
| Identification | |
| Color | Bright white to grey |
| Crystal habit | microscopic included grains |
| Mohs scale hardness | 2.5 |
| Luster | Metallic |
| Diaphaneity | Opaque |
| Specific gravity | 9.5 |
| Pleochroism | Weak |
| References | [2][3][4] |
It occurs as microscopic inclusions within massive chalcopyrite at Temagami in association with other rare tellurides: merenskyite, stützite, hessite and an unnamed Pd-Hg-Ag telluride.[5] In addition to the discovery locality, it has been reported from the Stillwater igneous complex in Montana and the New Rambler copper–nickel mine in the Medicine Bow Mountains of Wyoming.[3]
