Tetrataenite Mineral Data

General Tetrataenite Information

Chemical Formula:

FeNi

Composition:

Molecular Weight = 57.27 gm

Iron 48.76 % Fe

Nickel 51.24 % Ni

______

100.00 %

Empirical Formula:

Fe⁰⁺_0.5Ni_0.5

Environment:

Exsolution rims and grains in meteorites and exsolved with antitaenite.

IMA Status:

Approved IMA 1979

Locality:

Mesosiderite meteorites and slowly-cooled chondrites below 350 deg. C. Link to MinDat.org Location Data.

Name Origin:

Named for taenite and the tetragonal crystal form of this polymorph.

Name Pronunciation:

Tetrataenite + Pronunciation

Synonym:

ICSD 77284

Tetrataenite Image

Images:

Tetrataenite

Comments: a) B&W reflected-light image of lightly etched tetraraenite (Tt), cloudy taenite (CT), and kamacite (K) and b) X-polarizer image showing unetched optical anisotropy and irregular crystals in the tetrataenite rim.
Location: Estherville mesosiderite meteorite. AmMin v65:624. Scale: Scale Bar 50 µm.
© American Mineralogist

Tetrataenite Crystallography

Axial Ratios:

a:c = 1:1.41413

Cell Dimensions:

a = 2.533, c = 3.582, Z = 2; V = 22.98 Den(Calc)= 8.28

Crystal System:

Tetragonal - Ditetragonal DipyramidalH-M Symbol (4/m 2/m 2/m) Space Group: P 4/mmm

$Help on X Ray Diffraction:$ X Ray Diffraction:

By Intensity(I/I_o): 3.34(1), 2.526(0.8), 2.879(0.8),

Crystal Structure:

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drag1 - LMB Manipulate Structure
drag2 - RMB Resize/Rotate
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S - Stereo Pair on/off
H - Help Screen
I - Data Info
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Clarke R S , Scott E R D , American Mineralogist , 65 (1980) p.624-630, Tetrataenite - ordered FeNi, a new mineral in meteorites, Locality: Cape Town iron meteorite

Physical Properties of Tetrataenite

Cleavage:

None

Color:

Gray white, Silver white.

Density:

8.275

Diaphaneity:

Opaque

Fracture:

Malleable - Deforms rather than breaking apart with a hammer.

Habit:

Exsolution Inclusions - Formed by the exsolution of a separate mineral from the parent mineral caused by a temperature drop.

Habit:

Granular - Generally occurs as anhedral to subhedral crystals in matrix.

Habit:

Massive - Granular - Common texture observed in granite and other igneous rock.

Hardness:

3.5 - Copper Penny

Luster:

Metallic

Magnetism:

Magnetic

Streak:

gray

Optical Properties of Tetrataenite

RL Anisotrophism:

Distinct on well-polished surfaces, bluish green to brownish orange.

RL Color:

Creamy white.

Calculated Properties of Tetrataenite

Electron Density:

Bulk Density (Electron Density)=7.81 gm/cc
note: Specific Gravity of Tetrataenite =8.28 gm/cc.

Fermion Index:

Fermion Index = 0.01
Boson Index = 0.99

Photoelectric:

PE_Tetrataenite= 35.95 barns/electron
U=PE_Tetrataenite x rElectron Density= 280.71 barns/cc.

Radioactivity:

GRapi = 0 (Gamma Ray American Petroleum Institute Units)
Tetrataenite is Not Radioactive

Tetrataenite Classification

Dana Class:

01.01.11.03 (01)Native Elements

(01.01)with metallic elements other than the platinum group

(01.01.11)Iron-Nickel group

01.01.11.00 Iron! Fe I m3m 4/m 3 2/m

01.01.11.01 Kamacite? alpha-(Fe,Ni) F m3m 4/m 3 2/m

01.01.11.02 Taenite gamma-(Fe,Ni) F m3m 4/m 3 2/m

01.01.11.03 Tetrataenite FeNi P 4/mmm 4/m 2/m 2/m

01.01.11.04 Awaruite Ni2FetoNi3Fe P m3m 4/m 3 2/m

01.01.11.05 Nickel Ni F m3m 4/m 3 2/m

01.01.11.06 Wairauite CoFe P m3m 4/m 3 2/m

Strunz Class:

01.AE.10 01 - ELEMENTS (Metals and intermetallic alloys; metalloids and nonmetals; carbides, silicides, nitrides, phosphides)

01.A - Metals and Intermetallic Alloys

01.AE -Iron-chromium family

01.AE.10 Antitaenite* gamma-Fe3Ni Unk Cubic

01.AE.10 Taenite gamma-(Fe,Ni) F m3m 4/m 3 2/m

01.AE.10 Tetrataenite FeNi P 4/mmm 4/m 2/m 2/m

Other Tetrataenite Information

References:

NAME( Dana8) PHYS. PROP.(Dana8) OPTIC PROP.(AntBidBlaNic1)

See Also:

Links to other databases for Tetrataenite :
1 - Am. Min. Crystal Structure Database
2 - Athena
3 - EUROmin Project
4 - Ecole des Mines de Paris
5 - GeoScienceWorld
6 - Google Images
7 - Google Scholar
8 - Handbook of Mineralogy (MinSocAm)
9 - Handbook of Mineralogy (UofA)
10 - Meteorite Minerals
11 - MinDAT
12 - Mineralienatlas (Deutsch)
13 - Online Mineral Museum
14 - QUT Mineral Atlas
15 - Ruff.Info

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Ask about Tetrataenite here :
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Mindat.org's Discussion Groups
Original Rockhounds Discussion Group
Rockhounds Discussion Group on Yahoo Groups
Mineral Discussion Forum from Fabre Minerals - also available in Español

Print or Cut-and-Paste your Tetrataenite Specimen Label here :

Tetrataenite

FeNi
Dana No: 01.01.11.03 Strunz No: 01.AE.10
Locality:

Notes: