Mineralogy Database

Osmium Mineral Data

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General Osmium Information

Help on Chemical  Formula: Chemical Formula: (Os,Ir)
Help on Composition: Composition: Molecular Weight = 190.71 gm
   Iridium  25.20 %  Ir
   Osmium   74.80 %  Os
           ______ 
           100.00 % 
Help on Empirical Formula: Empirical Formula: Os0.75Ir0.25
Help on Environment: Environment: In magmatic segregation deposits and concentrated in placers derived from ultrabasic rocks.
Help on IMA Status: IMA Status: Valid Species (Pre-IMA) 1804
Help on Locality: Locality: Urals Region, Sverdlovskaya Oblast', Nizhnii Tagi, Russia. Link to MinDat.org Location Data.
Help on Name Origin: Name Origin: Named for the principle element in the composition.
Help on Name Pronunciation: Name Pronunciation: Osmium Say OSMIUM
Help on Synonym: Synonym: ICSD 40323
  Iridosmine
  Nevyanakite
  PDF 41-601
  Rutheniridosmium
  Siserskite
 

Osmium Image

Click Here for Larger   Image in a New Browser Window Images:
Click Here for Larger   Image

  Osmium   Cooperite   Vasilite   Vysotskite

Comments: BSE image taken with a SEM of the sulfide-dominant microparagenesis filling a gas vacuole. Cooperite crystal surrounded by Pd-Cu-Pt-S phase (vasilite?), vysotskite and osmium laths (white) in chalcopyrite-bornite matrix (dark). (CanMin 38:1258).
Location: Pustaya River placer deposit, situated within the Koryak-Kamchatka platinum-bearing belt of Alaskan-type intrusions in eastern Russia. Scale: See Image.
© Canadian Mineralogist

Osmium Crystallography

Help on Axial Ratios: Axial Ratios: a:c = 1:1.58953
Help on Cell Dimensions: Cell Dimensions: a = 2.714, c = 4.314, Z = 2; V = 27.52 Den(Calc)= 23.01
Help on Crystal System: Crystal System: Hexagonal - Dihexagonal Dipyramidal H-M Symbol (6/m 2/m 2/m) Space Group: P 63/mmc
Help on X Ray Diffraction: X Ray Diffraction: By Intensity(I/Io): 1.22(1), 2.13(1), 1.35(0.6),
 

Physical Properties of Osmium

Help on Cleavage: Cleavage: {0001} Perfect
Help on Color: Color: Steel gray.
Help on Density: Density: 19 - 21, Average = 20
Help on Diaphaneity: Diaphaneity: Opaque
Help on Fracture: Fracture: Elastic - Fragments which spring back after bending.
Help on Habit: Habit: Granular - Generally occurs as anhedral to subhedral crystals in matrix.
Help on Hardness: Hardness: 6-7 - Orthoclase-Quartz
Help on Luster: Luster: Metallic
Help on Streak: Streak: gray
 

Optical Properties of Osmium

Help on RL Anisotrophism: RL Anisotrophism: Weak to moderate.
Help on RL Color: RL Color: White, bluish gray tint.
Help on Reflectivity Reflectivity
Standardized Intensity (100%) Reflection Spectra of Osmium in Air
λ R1 R2  ∑ R1(λ)   ∑ R2(λ) 
 400 nm   62.60   63.60 
   
 420 nm   63.20   64.20 
 440 nm   63.80   64.80 
 460 nm   64.30   65.30 
 480 nm   64.60   65.60 
 500 nm   64.80   66.00 
 520 nm   64.60   66.20 
 540 nm   64.30   66.20 
 560 nm   64.00   66.00 
 580 nm   63.50   65.70 
 600 nm   63.10   65.40 
 620 nm   62.80   65.40 
 640 nm   62.60   65.40 
 660 nm   62.40   65.50 
 680 nm   62.20   65.60 
 700 nm   62.00   65.80 
Calculated Relative Intensity Colors of Osmium in Air
Relative
Intensity
   0%   20%   40%   60%   80% 100% 120% 140%
R1                
R2                
 

Calculated Properties of Osmium

Help on Electron Density: Electron Density: Bulk Density (Electron Density)=18.4 gm/cc
note: Specific Gravity of Osmium =23.0 gm/cc.
Help on Fermion Index: Fermion Index: Fermion Index = 0.13
Boson Index = 0.87
Help on Photoelectric: Photoelectric: PEOsmium =1,493.21 barns/electron
U=PEOsmium x rElectron Density=27475.43 barns/cc.
Help on Radioactivity: Radioactivity: GRapi = 0 (Gamma Ray American Petroleum Institute Units)
Osmium is Not Radioactive
 

Osmium Classification

Help on  Dana Class: Dana Class: 01.02.02.01 (01)Native Elements
  (01.02)with platinum group metals and alloys
  (01.02.02)Osmium group (Space Group P63/mmc)
 
01.02.02.01 Osmium (Os,Ir) P 63/mmc 6/m 2/m 2/m
 
01.02.02.02 Ruthenium (Ru,Ir,Os) P 63/mmc 6/m 2/m 2/m
 
01.02.02.03 Rutheniridosmine (Ir,Os,Ru) P 63/mmc 6/m 2/m 2/m
 
01.02.02.04 Hexaferrum! (Fe,Os,Ru,Ir) P 63/mmc 6/m 2/m 2/m
 
01.02.02.05 Hexamolybdenum! (Mo,Ru,Fe,Ir,Os) P 63/mmc 6/m 2/m 2/m
 
01.02.02.06 IMA2008-055! (Ni,Fe,Ir) P 63/mmc 6/m 2/m 2/m
Help on  Strunz Class: Strunz Class: 01.AF.05 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.05 Osmium (Os,Ir) P 63/mmc 6/m 2/m 2/m
 
01.AF.05 Rutheniridosmine (Ir,Os,Ru) P 63/mmc 6/m 2/m 2/m
 
01.AF.05 Ruthenium (Ru,Ir,Os) P 63/mmc 6/m 2/m 2/m
 

Other Osmium Information

Help on References: References: NAME( Dana8) PHYS. PROP.(Enc. of Minerals,2nd ed.,1990) OPTIC PROP.(AntBidBlaNic1)
Help on See Also: See Also: Links to other databases for Osmium :
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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Osmium

(Os,Ir)
Dana No: 01.02.02.01 Strunz No: 01.AF.05
Locality:

 

Notes:

 

 
   
 


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