Rheniite

Rheniite

Rheniite, hardened lava on the backside, from the Kudriavy Volcano, Kurile Islands
General
Category Sulfide mineral
Formula
(repeating unit)		 ReS2
Strunz classification 2.EB.35
Crystal system Triclinic
Pinacoidal class
Unit cell a = 6.47 Å, b = 6.368 Å
c = 6.401 Å; α = 105°
β = 91.59°, γ = 118.9°; Z = 4
Identification
Color Black, red translucent
Crystal habit Platey
Crystal symmetry Triclinic
H-M symbol: (1)
Space group: P1
Luster Metallic
Streak Black
Diaphaneity Opaque, translucent in thin fragments
References [1][2]

Rheniite is a very rare rhenium sulfide mineral (ReS2). It forms metallic, silver grey platey crystals in the triclinic - pinacoidal class.[1] It has a specific gravity of 7.5.

It was discovered at the Kudriavy Volcano, Iturup Island in the Kurile Islands, Russia[3] and approved in 2004. It is found in active hot fumaroles on the volcano.

Rheniite is the first mineral of the element rhenium to be found. The second known approved rhenium mineral is tarkianite, being also a sulfide. Almost all commercially mined rhenium is retrieved as a by-product of molybdenum mining as rhenium occurs in amounts up to 0.2% in the mineral molybdenite. A discredited rhenium sulfide known as zappinite does not appear to be valid.

Rheniite has also been reported in the Pagoni Rachi Mo–Cu–Te–Ag–Au deposit in northeastern Greece where it occurs with molybdenite in quartz veins associated with an epithermal system in a dacite porphyry.[4]

References

  1. 1 2 Webmineral
  2. ↑ Mindat.org
  3. ↑ Korzhinsky, M.A.; S. I. Tkachenko; K. I. Shmulovich; Y. A. Taran; G. S. Steinberg (2004-05-05). "Discovery of a pure rhenium mineral at Kudriavy volcano". Nature 369 (6475): 51–52. Bibcode:1994Natur.369...51K. doi:10.1038/369051a0.
  4. ↑ Voudouris, Panagiotis C., et al., 2009, Rhenium-rich molybdenite and rheniite in the Pagoni Rachi Mo-Cu-Te-Ag-Au prospect, Northern Greece: implications for the Re geochemistry of porphyry-style Cu-Mo and Mo mineralization, Canadian Mineralogist 47, 1013-1036
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