Skip to content
Mineralati

Minerals

Hercynite

hercynite

Fe²⁺Al2O4

Hercynite - UTR23-23 - La Piana Alp - Italy Mineral Specimen

Hercynite - UTR23-23 - La Piana Alp - Italy Mineral Specimen — via www.irocks.com · Source

Overview

Hercynite is a spinel mineral with the formula FeAl2O4. It occurs in high-grade metamorphosed iron-rich argillaceous (clay-containing) sediments as well as in mafic and ultramafic igneous rocks. Due to its hardness it also is found in placers. It was first described in 1847 and its name originates from the Latin name for the Harz, Silva Hercynia, where the species was first found. Hercynite is a spinel of regular symmetry and normal cation distribution, but some disorder occurs in its structure. It consists of ferrous (Fe2+) ions and aluminium ions (Al3+); however some ferric ions (Fe3+) may be located in the structure of hercynite. Melting point of this mineral is between 1,692–1,767 °C (3,078–3,213 °F).

Scientific references

  1. Hercynite — Wikidata. https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q377086 Link
  2. Hercynite — Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hercynite Link