Cooperite is a grey mineral consisting of platinum sulfide (PtS), generally in combinations with sulfides of other elements such as palladium and nickel (PdS and NiS). Its general formula is (Pt,Pd,Ni)S. It is a dimorph of braggite.[2]

Cooperite
Cooperite specimen from Tulameen River, Princeton, British Columbia, Canada
General
CategoryMineral
Formula
(repeating unit)
PtS (also PdS, NiS)
IMA symbolCpe[1]
Strunz classification2.CC.35b
Dana classification2.8.5.1
Crystal systemTetragonal
Crystal classTetragonal - Ditetragonal dipyramidal
Space groupP42/mmc (No. 131)
Unit cell73.57 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Identification
ColourSteel gray
TwinningOccasional
FractureConchoidal
Mohs scale hardness4–5
LusterMetallic
DiaphaneityOpaque
Specific gravity9.5
Density9.5 g/cm3 (Measured), 10.2 g/cm3 (Calculated)
PleochroismVisible: white to creamy white or bluish white
Major varieties
FormDistorted crystal fragments, irregular grains to 1.5mm

It is mined as an ore of platinum and platinum group metals such as palladium. It occurs in South Africa in minable quantities and in an old mine near Mount Washington on Vancouver Island.[3]

It was first described in 1928 for occurrences in the Bushveld Igneous Complex and named after South African metallurgist Richard A. Cooper who first characterized it.[2][4]

See also

edit

References

edit
  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. ^ a b Mindat mineral data
  3. ^ "Cooperite (MinSocAm)" (PDF). MinSocAm Handbook of Mineralogy. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2012-07-16. Retrieved 11 February 2021.
  4. ^ Handbook of Mineralogy