Category Sulfide mineral Strunz classification 2.EB.05a Space group Pa3 | Formula(repeating unit) RuS2 | |
Crystal class Diploidal (m3)H-M symbol: (2/m 3) | ||
Laurite is an opaque black, metallic ruthenium sulfide mineral with formula: RuS2. It crystallizes in the isometric system. It is in the pyrite structural group. Though rare, it occurs in many parts of the world.
Laurite has a Mohs hardness of 7.5 and a specific gravity of 6.43. It can contain osmium, rhodium, iridium, and iron substituting for the ruthenium.
Discovery and occurrence
It was discovered in 1866 in Borneo, Malaysia and named for Laurie, the wife of Charles A. Joy, an American chemist. It occurs in ultramafic magmatic cumulate deposits and sedimentary placer deposits derived from them. It occurs associated with cooperite, braggite, sperrylite, other minerals of the platinum group elements and chromite.
References
Laurite Wikipedia(Text) CC BY-SA