Melonite

For the trademarked surface finish, see Ferritic nitrocarburizing.
Melonite
Melonite after calaverite, on quartz. Cresson mine, Cripple Creek, Colorado. Size: 1.3 × 0.9 × 0.4 cm.
General
CategorySulfide minerals
Formula
(repeating unit)		NiTe2
IMA symbolMlt[1]
Strunz classification2.EA.20
Dana classification02.12.14.01
Crystal systemTrigonal
Crystal classHexagonal scalenohedral (3m)
H-M symbol: (3 2/m)
Space groupP3m1
Unit cella = 3.84 Å, c = 5.26 Å; Z = 1
Identification
Formula mass313.89 g/mol
ColorWhite, reddish white
Crystal habitCrystalline, foliated, granular
Cleavage{0001} Perfect
FractureBrittle
Mohs scale hardness1–1.5
LusterMetallic
StreakDark gray
DiaphaneityOpaque
Specific gravity7.72
Density7.3
Ultraviolet fluorescenceNone
References[2][3][4][5]

Melonite is a telluride of nickel; it is a metallic mineral. Its chemical formula is NiTe2. It is opaque and white to reddish-white in color, oxidizing in air to a brown tarnish.

It was first described from the Melones and Stanislaus mine in Calaveras County, California in 1866, by Frederick Augustus Genth.

Melonite occurs as trigonal crystals, which cleave in a (0001) direction. It has a specific gravity of 7.72 and a hardness of 1–1.5 (very soft).

See also

References

  1. ^ 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.
  2. ^ Mineralienatlas
  3. ^ "Melonite Mineral Data". Webmineral.com. Retrieved 2011-10-28.
  4. ^ "Melonite mineral information and data". Mindat.org. Retrieved 2011-10-28.
  5. ^ "Mieralienatlas Lexikon - Melonit". Mieralienatlas. Retrieved 2011-10-28.
  • D. M. Chizhikov and V. P. Shchastlivyi, 1966, Tellurium and Tellurides, Nauka Publishing, Moscow
  • Media related to Melonite at Wikimedia Commons
  • The dictionary definition of melonite at Wiktionary


Melonite and Calaverite, Kambalda, Coolgardie Shire, Western Australia. Melonite is a rare nickel telluride. This is a showy, solid foliated mass of lustrous, slightly iridescent melonite with a bit of brassy, golden pyrite on one side from this major nickel producing area.
Melonite crystal structure (Wyckoff 1963), crystallographic standard alignment