General Information:
Chemical Formula:
(Os,Ir)
Composition:
(Molecular Weight = 382.42 gm)
Iridium 50.26 % Ir
Osmium 49.74 % Os
Empirical Formula:
IrOs
Environment:
Occures with platinum in alluvial deposits.
IMA Status:
Not IMA Approved
Locality:
Choco, Colombia, and the district of Ekaterinburg, Ural Mountains.
Name Origin:
Named after the elements iridium (Latin, Iris = "rainbow.") and osmium (Greek, osme = "smell.") in the chemical formula.
Physical Properties:
Cleavage:
[0001] Perfect
Color:
white or gray.
Density:
19.3 - 21.12, Average = 20.21
Diaphaniety:
Opaque
Habits:
Granular - Generally occurs as anhedral to subhedral crystals in matrix., Nuggets - Irregular lumps produced by stream transport of malleable metals.,
Hardness:
6-7 - Orthoclase-Quartz
Luminescence:
Non-fluorescent.
Luster:
Metallic
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