Mineralogy Database

Iridium Mineral Data

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General Iridium Information

Help on Chemical  Formula: Chemical Formula: (Ir,Os,Ru,Pt)
Help on Composition: Composition: Molecular Weight = 182.79 gm
   Iridium    52.58 %  Ir
   Osmium     31.22 %  Os
   Ruthenium   5.53 %  Ru
   Platinum   10.67 %  Pt
             ______ 
             100.00 % 
Help on Empirical Formula: Empirical Formula: Pt0.1Ir0.5Os0.3Ru0.1
Help on Environment: Environment: As exsolution particles in Pt-Fe alloys.
Help on IMA Status: IMA Status: Valid Species (Pre-IMA) 1804
Help on Locality: Locality: Kamchatka Oblast', Pustaya River, Russia. Link to MinDat.org Location Data.
Help on Name Origin: Name Origin: Named after the element Iridium which was from the Latin, Iris = "rainbow" in allusion to the colored salts derived from its compounds.
Help on Name Pronunciation: Name Pronunciation: Iridium Say IRIDIUM
Help on Synonym: Synonym: ICSD 64992
  Irite - mixture of several PGE minerals
  Osmiridium
  PDF 6-598
  Platiniridium
  Ruthenosmiridium
 

Iridium Image

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  Iridium

Comments: Silvery metallic crystalline iridium micrograin and irregular nuggets.
Location: Fox Gulch, Goodnews Bay, Alaska, USA. Scale: See Photo.
© Jeff Weissman / Photographic Guide to Mineral Species

Iridium Crystallography

Help on Cell Dimensions: Cell Dimensions: a = 3.8394, Z = 4; V = 56.60 Den(Calc)= 21.45
Help on Crystal System: Crystal System: Isometric - Hexoctahedral H-M Symbol (4/m 3 2/m) Space Group: F m3m
Help on X Ray Diffraction: X Ray Diffraction: By Intensity(I/Io): 2.217(1), 1.9197(0.5), 1.1574(0.45),
 

Physical Properties of Iridium

Help on Cleavage: Cleavage: None
Help on Color: Color: White.
Help on Density: Density: 22.6 - 22.8, Average = 22.7
Help on Diaphaneity: Diaphaneity: Opaque
Help on Fracture: Fracture: Malleable - Deforms rather than breaking apart with a hammer.
Help on Habit: Habit: Granular - Generally occurs as anhedral to subhedral crystals in matrix.
Help on Hardness: Hardness: 6-7 - Orthoclase-Quartz
Help on Luminescence: Luminescence: Non-fluorescent.
Help on Luster: Luster: Metallic
Help on Magnetism: Magnetism: Nonmagnetic
Help on Streak: Streak: white
 

Optical Properties of Iridium

Help on RL Color: RL Color: White, silver with yellow tint.
Help on Reflectivity Reflectivity
Standardized Intensity (100%) Reflection Spectra of Iridium in Air
λ R  ∑ R(λ) 
 400 nm   66.70   
 420 nm   67.60 
 440 nm   68.50 
 460 nm   69.20 
 480 nm   69.90 
 500 nm   70.40 
 520 nm   70.80 
 540 nm   71.20 
 560 nm   71.60 
 580 nm   72.00 
 600 nm   72.30 
 620 nm   72.70 
 640 nm   73.20 
 660 nm   73.70 
 680 nm   74.20 
 700 nm   74.80 
Calculated Relative Intensity Colors of Iridium in Air
Relative
Intensity
   0%   20%   40%   60%   80% 100% 120% 130%
R                
 

Calculated Properties of Iridium

Help on Electron Density: Electron Density: Bulk Density (Electron Density)=17.3 gm/cc
note: Specific Gravity of Iridium =21.5 gm/cc.
Help on Fermion Index: Fermion Index: Fermion Index = 0.1
Boson Index = 0.9
Help on Photoelectric: Photoelectric: PEIridium =1,451.87 barns/electron
U=PEIridium x rElectron Density=25045.69 barns/cc.
Help on Radioactivity: Radioactivity: GRapi = 0 (Gamma Ray American Petroleum Institute Units)
Iridium is Not Radioactive
 

Iridium Classification

Help on  Dana Class: Dana Class: 01.02.01.02 (01)Native Elements
  (01.02)with platinum group metals and alloys
  (01.02.01)Platinum group (Space Group Fm3m)
 
01.02.01.01 Platinum Pt F m3m 4/m 3 2/m
 
01.02.01.02 Iridium (Ir,Os,Ru,Pt) F m3m 4/m 3 2/m
 
01.02.01.03 Rhodium (Rh,Pt) F m3m 4/m 3 2/m
 
01.02.01.04 Palladium Pd,Pt F m3m 4/m 3 2/m
Help on  Strunz Class: Strunz Class: 01.AF.10 01 - ELEMENTS (Metals and intermetallic alloys; metalloids and nonmetals; carbides, silicides, nitrides, phosphides)
  01.A - Metals and Intermetallic Alloys
  01.AF -Platinum-group elements
 
01.AF.10 Palladium Pd,Pt F m3m 4/m 3 2/m
 
01.AF.10 Iridium (Ir,Os,Ru,Pt) F m3m 4/m 3 2/m
 
01.AF.10 Rhodium (Rh,Pt) F m3m 4/m 3 2/m
 
01.AF.10 Platinum Pt F m3m 4/m 3 2/m
 

Other Iridium Information

Help on References: References: NAME( Emsley91) PHYS. PROP.(Enc. of Minerals,2nd ed.,1990) OPTIC PROP.(AntBidBlaNic1)
Help on See Also: See Also: Links to other databases for Iridium :
1 - Am. Min. Crystal Structure Database
2 - Athena
3 - EUROmin Project
4 - Ecole des Mines de Paris
5 - GeoScienceWorld
6 - Google Images
7 - Google Scholar
8 - Handbook of Mineralogy (MinSocAm)
9 - Handbook of Mineralogy (UofA)
10 - MinDAT
11 - Mineralienatlas (Deutsch)
12 - Online Mineral Museum
13 - QUT Mineral Atlas
14 - Ruff.Info
15 - WWW-MINCRYST

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Iridium

(Ir,Os,Ru,Pt)
Dana No: 01.02.01.02 Strunz No: 01.AF.10
Locality:

 

Notes:

 

 
   
 


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