Geographic Minerals

Brezinaite

Brezinaite

Brezinaite, discovered in 1969, is a rare mineral composed of chromium and sulfur. It was named in honor of Aristides Brezina (1848–1909), a past Director of the Mineralogy-Petrology Section of the Natural History Museum, Vienna, Austria.

Brezinaite is a monoclinic-prismatic brownish gray mineral containing chromium and sulfur. It is found in meteorites, such as the Irwin-Ainsa meteorite (Tucson meteorite), its type locality. It was also found in the New Baltimore meteorite and the Sikhote-Alin meteorite.

General Information

  • Category: Sulfide mineral
  • Formula: Cr3S4
  • Crystal system: Monoclinic
  • Crystal class: Prismatic (2/m) (same H-M symbol).

Properties

  • Color: Brownish gray, gray
  • Mohs scale hardness: 3.5-4.5
  • Luster: Metallic – dull
  • Diaphaneity: Opaque
  • Specific gravity: 4.12
  • Transparency: Opaque
  • Hardness: 3½ – 4½ on Mohs scale
  • Density: 4.12 g/cm3 (Calculated)

Occurrence: In the metal matrix and contiguous to silicate inclusions (Tucson iron meteorite).

Association: Forsterite, enstatite, aluminous diopside, anorthite, feldspathic glass, kamacite, taenite, schreibersite (Tucson iron meteorite); troilite, carlsbergite, daubreelite (New Baltimore iron meteorite).

 

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