Chemistry:Xifengite

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Short description: Rare metallic iron silicide mineral
Xifengite
Xifengite-3D-vdW.png
General
CategoryNative element minerals
Formula
(repeating unit)
Fe5Si3
Strunz classification1.BB.40
Crystal systemHexagonal
Crystal classDihexagonal dipyramidal (6/mmm)
H-M symbol: (6/m 2/m 2/m)
Space groupP63/mcm
Unit cella = 6.759(5)
c = 4.720(5) [Å]; Z = 2
Identification
ColorGray, steel-black
Crystal habitAs inclusions
Mohs scale hardness5
|re|er}}Metallic
StreakBlack
DiaphaneityOpaque
References[1][2]

Xifengite (Fe5Si3) is a rare metallic iron silicide mineral. The crystal system of xifengite is hexagonal. It has a specific gravity of 6.45 and a Mohs hardness of 5.5. It occurs as steel gray inclusions within other meteorite derived nickel iron mineral phases.

It was first described in 1984 and named for the eastern passageway, Xifengkou, of the Great Wall of China. The type locality is the Yanshan meteorite of the Hebei Province, China. It has also been reported from dredgings along the East Pacific Rise.

The other known natural iron silicide minerals are gupeiite (Fe
3
Si
), hapkeite (Fe
2
Si
), linzhiite (FeSi
2
), luobusaite (Fe
0.84
Si
2
), naquite (FeSi), suessite ((Fe,Ni)
3
Si
), and zangboite (TiFeSi
2
).[4]

See also

References

  1. Xifengite data on Webmineral
  2. Xifengite on Mindat,org with location data
  3. Warr, L.N. (2021). "IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols". Mineralogical Magazine 85 (3): 291–320. doi:10.1180/mgm.2021.43. Bibcode2021MinM...85..291W. 
  4. Mindat, http://www.mindat.org