Laurite

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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. Laurite has a Mohs hardness of 7.5 and a specific gravity of 6.99. It can contain osmium, rhodium, iridium, and iron substituting for the ruthenium. It occurs in ultramafic layered magmatic cumulate deposits and sedimentary placer deposits derived from them.

It was discovered in 1866 in Borneo, Malaysia and named for Laurie, the wife of Charles A. Joy, an American chemist. Though rare, it occurs in many parts of the world.

[edit] References

• Mindat location data
• Webmineral