Heazlewoodite, Ni3S2, is a rare sulfur-poor nickel sulfide mineral found in serpentinized dunite. It is a rare nickel sulfide mineral found in serpentinized dunite. It was first described in 1896 from Heazlewood, Tasmania, Australia. This mineral has been found in meteorites including irons and CV carbonaceous chondrites.
General Information
- Category: Sulfide mineral
- Formula: Ni3S2
- Crystal system: Trigonal
- Crystal class: Trapezohedral (32)
Fig: Heazlewoodite – rare sulfur-poor nickel sulfide mineral
Properties
It occurs as disseminations and masses of opaque, metallic light bronze to brassy yellow grains which crystallize in the trigonal crystal system. It has a hardness of 4, a specific gravity of 5.82.
- Color: Pale bronze
- Crystal habit: Disseminated granular to massive
- Cleavage: None
- Mohs scale hardness: 4
- Luster: Metallic
- Diaphaneity: Opaque
- Specific gravity: 5.82
Occurrence
Heazlewoodite is known from few ultramafic intrusions within terrestrial rocks. The Honeymoon Well ultramafic intrusive, Western Australia is known to contain heazlewoodite-millerite sulfide assemblages within serpentinized olivine accumulate dunite, formed from the metamorphic process.
The mineral is also reported, again in association with millerite, from the ultramafic rocks of New Caledonia.
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