Niccolite
Encyclopedia
Nickeline or niccolite is a mineral
consisting of nickel
arsenide
, NiAs, containing 43.9% nickel and 56.1% arsenic.
Small quantities of sulfur
, iron
and cobalt
are usually present, and sometimes the arsenic is largely replaced by antimony
. Forms an isomorphous series with breithauptite
(nickel antimonide).
In 1751, Baron Axel Fredrik Cronstedt
was attempting to extract copper from kupfernickel mineral, and obtained instead a white metal that he called after the spirit, nickel. In modern German, Kupfernickel and Kupfer-Nickel designates the alloy Cupronickel
.
The names nickeline (F. S. Beudant
, 1832) and niccolite (J. D. Dana, 1868) refer to the presence of nickel
(Lat. niccolum).
, and may be formed by replacement of nickel-copper bearing sulfides (replacing pentlandite
, and in association with copper arsenic sulfides), or via metasomatism
of sulfide-free ultramafic rocks, where metasomatic fluids introduce sulfur, carbonate, and arsenic. This typically results in mineral assemblaged including millerite
, heazelwoodite and metamorphic pentlandite
-pyrite
via sulfidation and associated arsenopyrite-nickeline-breithauptite.
Associated minerals include: arsenopyrite
, barite
, silver
, cobaltite
, pyrrhotite
, pentlandite
, chalcopyrite
, breithauptite
and maucherite
. Nickeline alters to annabergite
(a coating of green nickel arsenate) on exposure to moist air.
Most of these minerals can be found in the areas surrounding Sudbury and Cobalt
, Ontario
. Other localities include the eastern flank of the Widgiemooltha Dome, Western Australia, from altered pentlndite-pyrite-pyrrhotite assemblages within the Mariners, Redross and Miitel nickel mines where nickeline is produced by regional Au-As-Ag-bearing alteration and carbonate metasomatism. Other occurrences include within similarly modified nickel mines of the Kambalda
area.
ides, arsenide
s, antimonides
and bismuth
ides of transition metal
s. Members of this group include cobalt(II) sulfide and iron(II) sulfide
.
The following are the members of the nickeline group:
and milling techniques. When nickel sulfide ore deposits have been altered to produce nickeline, often the presence of arsenic renders the ore uneconomic when concentrations of As reach several hundred parts per million. However, arsenic bearing nickel ore may be treated by blending with 'clean' ore sources, to produce a blended feedstock which the mill and smelter can handle with acceptable recovery.
The primary problem for treating nickeline in conventionally constructed nickel mills is the specific gravity of nickeline versus that of pentlandite. This renders the ore difficult to treat via the froth flotation technique. Within the smelter itself, the nickeline contributes to high arsenic contents which require additional reagents and fluxes to strip from the nickel metal.
Mineral
A mineral is a naturally occurring solid chemical substance formed through biogeochemical processes, having characteristic chemical composition, highly ordered atomic structure, and specific physical properties. By comparison, a rock is an aggregate of minerals and/or mineraloids and does not...
consisting of nickel
Nickel
Nickel is a chemical element with the chemical symbol Ni and atomic number 28. It is a silvery-white lustrous metal with a slight golden tinge. Nickel belongs to the transition metals and is hard and ductile...
arsenide
Arsenide
Arsenide is an arsenic anion with the charge −3. The trianion is formed by the reduction of arsenic by three electrons. For example heating arsenic powder with excess sodium gives sodium arsenide . The anions have no existence in solution since they are extremely basic...
, NiAs, containing 43.9% nickel and 56.1% arsenic.
Small quantities of sulfur
Sulfur
Sulfur or sulphur is the chemical element with atomic number 16. In the periodic table it is represented by the symbol S. It is an abundant, multivalent non-metal. Under normal conditions, sulfur atoms form cyclic octatomic molecules with chemical formula S8. Elemental sulfur is a bright yellow...
, iron
Iron
Iron is a chemical element with the symbol Fe and atomic number 26. It is a metal in the first transition series. It is the most common element forming the planet Earth as a whole, forming much of Earth's outer and inner core. It is the fourth most common element in the Earth's crust...
and cobalt
Cobalt
Cobalt is a chemical element with symbol Co and atomic number 27. It is found naturally only in chemically combined form. The free element, produced by reductive smelting, is a hard, lustrous, silver-gray metal....
are usually present, and sometimes the arsenic is largely replaced by antimony
Antimony
Antimony is a toxic chemical element with the symbol Sb and an atomic number of 51. A lustrous grey metalloid, it is found in nature mainly as the sulfide mineral stibnite...
. Forms an isomorphous series with breithauptite
Breithauptite
Breithauptite is a nickel antimonide mineral with the simple formula NiSb. Breithauptite is a metallic opaque copper-red mineral crystallizing in the hexagonal - dihexagonal dipyramidal crystal system. It is typically massive to reniform in habit, but is observed as tabular crystals...
(nickel antimonide).
Etymology and history
When, in the medieval German Erzgebirge (ore mountains), a red mineral resembling copper-ore was found, the miners looking for copper could extract none from it, as it contains none. They blamed a mischievous sprite of German mythology, Nickel (similar to Old Nick) for besetting the copper (German: Kupfer): the mischievous Kupfernickel. This German equivalent of "copper-nickel" was used as early as 1694 (other old German synonyms are Rotnickelkies and Arsennickel).In 1751, Baron Axel Fredrik Cronstedt
Axel Fredrik Cronstedt
Baron Axel Fredrik Cronstedt was a Swedish mineralogist and chemist who discovered nickel in 1751 as a mining expert with the Bureau of Mines. Cronstedt described it as kupfernickel...
was attempting to extract copper from kupfernickel mineral, and obtained instead a white metal that he called after the spirit, nickel. In modern German, Kupfernickel and Kupfer-Nickel designates the alloy Cupronickel
Cupronickel
Cupronickel or copper-nickel or "cupernickel" is an alloy of copper that contains nickel and strengthening elements, such as iron and manganese. Cupronickel is highly resistant to corrosion in seawater, because its electrode potential is adjusted to be neutral with regard to seawater...
.
The names nickeline (F. S. Beudant
François Sulpice Beudant
François Sulpice Beudant , French mineralogist and geologist, was born in Paris.He was educated at the Ecole Polytechnique and Ecole Normale, and in 1811 was appointed professor of mathematics at the lycée of Avignon. Thence he was called, in 1813, to the lycée of Marseilles to fill the post of...
, 1832) and niccolite (J. D. Dana, 1868) refer to the presence of nickel
Nickel
Nickel is a chemical element with the chemical symbol Ni and atomic number 28. It is a silvery-white lustrous metal with a slight golden tinge. Nickel belongs to the transition metals and is hard and ductile...
(Lat. niccolum).
Occurrence
Nickeline is formed by hydrothermal modification of ultramafic rocks and associated ore depositsKambalda type komatiitic nickel ore deposits
Kambalda type nickel ore deposits are a class of magmatic nickel-copper ore deposit in which the physical processes of komatiite volcanology serve to enrich, concentrate and deposit nickel-bearing sulfide within the lava flow environment of an erupting komatiite volcano.-Classification:The...
, and may be formed by replacement of nickel-copper bearing sulfides (replacing pentlandite
Pentlandite
Pentlandite is an iron-nickel sulfide, 9S8. Pentlandite usually has a Ni:Fe ratio of close to 1:1. It also contains minor cobalt.Pentlandite forms isometric crystals, but is normally found in massive granular aggregates. It is brittle with a hardness of 3.5 - 4 and specific gravity of 4.6 - 5.0 and...
, and in association with copper arsenic sulfides), or via metasomatism
Metasomatism
Metasomatism is the chemical alteration of a rock by hydrothermal and other fluids.Metasomatism can occur via the action of hydrothermal fluids from an igneous or metamorphic source. In the igneous environment, metasomatism creates skarns, greisen, and may affect hornfels in the contact...
of sulfide-free ultramafic rocks, where metasomatic fluids introduce sulfur, carbonate, and arsenic. This typically results in mineral assemblaged including millerite
Millerite
Millerite is a nickel sulfide mineral, NiS. It is brassy in colour and has an acicular habit, often forming radiating masses and furry aggregates...
, heazelwoodite and metamorphic pentlandite
Pentlandite
Pentlandite is an iron-nickel sulfide, 9S8. Pentlandite usually has a Ni:Fe ratio of close to 1:1. It also contains minor cobalt.Pentlandite forms isometric crystals, but is normally found in massive granular aggregates. It is brittle with a hardness of 3.5 - 4 and specific gravity of 4.6 - 5.0 and...
-pyrite
Pyrite
The mineral pyrite, or iron pyrite, is an iron sulfide with the formula FeS2. This mineral's metallic luster and pale-to-normal, brass-yellow hue have earned it the nickname fool's gold because of its resemblance to gold...
via sulfidation and associated arsenopyrite-nickeline-breithauptite.
Associated minerals include: arsenopyrite
Arsenopyrite
Arsenopyrite is an iron arsenic sulfide . It is a hard metallic, opaque, steel grey to silver white mineral with a relatively high specific gravity of 6.1. When dissolved in nitric acid, it releases elemental sulfur. When arsenopyrite is heated, it becomes magnetic and gives off toxic fumes...
, barite
Barite
Baryte, or barite, is a mineral consisting of barium sulfate. The baryte group consists of baryte, celestine, anglesite and anhydrite. Baryte itself is generally white or colorless, and is the main source of barium...
, silver
Silver
Silver is a metallic chemical element with the chemical symbol Ag and atomic number 47. A soft, white, lustrous transition metal, it has the highest electrical conductivity of any element and the highest thermal conductivity of any metal...
, cobaltite
Cobaltite
Cobaltite is a sulfosalt mineral composed of cobalt, arsenic and sulfur, CoAsS. It contains up to 10 percent iron and variable amounts of nickel. Structurally it resembles pyrite with one of the sulfur atoms replaced by an arsenic atom....
, pyrrhotite
Pyrrhotite
Pyrrhotite is an unusual iron sulfide mineral with a variable iron content: FeS . The FeS endmember is known as troilite. Pyrrhotite is also called magnetic pyrite because the color is similar to pyrite and it is weakly magnetic...
, pentlandite
Pentlandite
Pentlandite is an iron-nickel sulfide, 9S8. Pentlandite usually has a Ni:Fe ratio of close to 1:1. It also contains minor cobalt.Pentlandite forms isometric crystals, but is normally found in massive granular aggregates. It is brittle with a hardness of 3.5 - 4 and specific gravity of 4.6 - 5.0 and...
, chalcopyrite
Chalcopyrite
Chalcopyrite is a copper iron sulfide mineral that crystallizes in the tetragonal system. It has the chemical composition CuFeS2. It has a brassy to golden yellow color and a hardness of 3.5 to 4 on the Mohs scale. Its streak is diagnostic as green tinged black.On exposure to air, chalcopyrite...
, breithauptite
Breithauptite
Breithauptite is a nickel antimonide mineral with the simple formula NiSb. Breithauptite is a metallic opaque copper-red mineral crystallizing in the hexagonal - dihexagonal dipyramidal crystal system. It is typically massive to reniform in habit, but is observed as tabular crystals...
and maucherite
Maucherite
Maucherite is a grey to reddish silver white nickel arsenide mineral. It crystallizes in the tetragonal crystal system. It occurs in hydrothermal veins alongside other nickel arsenide and sulfide minerals. It is metallic and opaque with a hardness of 5 and a specific gravity of 7.83. It is also...
. Nickeline alters to annabergite
Annabergite
Annabergite is an arsenate mineral consisting of a hydrous nickelarsenate, Ni32·8H2O, crystallizing in the monoclinic system and isomorphous with vivianite and erythrite. Crystals are minute and capillary and rarely met with, the mineral occurring usually as soft earthy masses and encrustations. A...
(a coating of green nickel arsenate) on exposure to moist air.
Most of these minerals can be found in the areas surrounding Sudbury and Cobalt
Cobalt, Ontario
Cobalt is a town in the district of Timiskaming, province of Ontario, Canada, with a population of 1,223 In 2001 Cobalt was named "Ontario's Most Historic Town" by a panel of judges on the TV Ontario program Studio 2, and in 2002 the area was designated a National Historic Site.-History:Silver was...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
. Other localities include the eastern flank of the Widgiemooltha Dome, Western Australia, from altered pentlndite-pyrite-pyrrhotite assemblages within the Mariners, Redross and Miitel nickel mines where nickeline is produced by regional Au-As-Ag-bearing alteration and carbonate metasomatism. Other occurrences include within similarly modified nickel mines of the Kambalda
Kambalda, Western Australia
Kambalda is a small mining town about 60 kilometres from the mining city of Kalgoorlie in Western Australia, within the Goldfields. It is split into two townsites 4 kilometres apart, Kambalda East and Kambalda West; and is located on the western edge of a giant salt lake, Lake Lefroy...
area.
Crystal structure
The unit cell of nickeline is used the prototype of a class of solids with similar crystal structures. Compounds adopting the NiAs structure are generally the chalcogenChalcogen
The chalcogens are the chemical elements in group 16 of the periodic table. This group is also known as the oxygen family...
ides, arsenide
Arsenide
Arsenide is an arsenic anion with the charge −3. The trianion is formed by the reduction of arsenic by three electrons. For example heating arsenic powder with excess sodium gives sodium arsenide . The anions have no existence in solution since they are extremely basic...
s, antimonides
Antimony
Antimony is a toxic chemical element with the symbol Sb and an atomic number of 51. A lustrous grey metalloid, it is found in nature mainly as the sulfide mineral stibnite...
and bismuth
Bismuth
Bismuth is a chemical element with symbol Bi and atomic number 83. Bismuth, a trivalent poor metal, chemically resembles arsenic and antimony. Elemental bismuth may occur naturally uncombined, although its sulfide and oxide form important commercial ores. The free element is 86% as dense as lead...
ides of transition metal
Transition metal
The term transition metal has two possible meanings:*The IUPAC definition states that a transition metal is "an element whose atom has an incomplete d sub-shell, or which can give rise to cations with an incomplete d sub-shell." Group 12 elements are not transition metals in this definition.*Some...
s. Members of this group include cobalt(II) sulfide and iron(II) sulfide
Iron(II) sulfide
Iron sulfide or ferrous sulfide is a chemical compound with the formula . In practice, iron sulfides are often non-stoichiometric. Powdered iron sulfide is pyrophoric Iron(II) sulfide or ferrous sulfide (Br.E. sulphide) is a chemical compound with the formula . In practice, iron sulfides are...
.
- Breithauptite: nickel antimonide, NiSb
- Freboldite: cobalt selenide, CoSe
- Imgreite: nickel telluride, NiTe
- Langistite: cobalt nickel arsenide, (Co,Ni)As
- Nickeline: nickel arsenide, NiAs
- Pyrrhotite: iron sulfide Fe1-xS
- Sederholmite: nickel selenide, NiSe
- Stumpflite: platinum antimonide bismuthideBismuthideThe bismuthide ion is Bi3−.Bismuthides are compounds of bismuth with more electropositive elements. They are intermetallic compounds, containing partially metallic and partially ionic bonds....
, Pt(Sb,Bi) - Sudburyite: palladium nickel antimonide, (Pd,Ni)Sb
- Troilite: iron sulfide, FeS
Economic Importance
Nickeline is rarely used as a source of nickel due to the presence of arsenic, which is deleterious to most smeltingSmelting
Smelting is a form of extractive metallurgy; its main use is to produce a metal from its ore. This includes iron extraction from iron ore, and copper extraction and other base metals from their ores...
and milling techniques. When nickel sulfide ore deposits have been altered to produce nickeline, often the presence of arsenic renders the ore uneconomic when concentrations of As reach several hundred parts per million. However, arsenic bearing nickel ore may be treated by blending with 'clean' ore sources, to produce a blended feedstock which the mill and smelter can handle with acceptable recovery.
The primary problem for treating nickeline in conventionally constructed nickel mills is the specific gravity of nickeline versus that of pentlandite. This renders the ore difficult to treat via the froth flotation technique. Within the smelter itself, the nickeline contributes to high arsenic contents which require additional reagents and fluxes to strip from the nickel metal.