Mineral description : Gersdorffite

Massive gersdorffite from Lainejaur, Sweden.

Mineral class	Sulphides : Nickeline - Cobaltine - Skutterudite group
Chemical formula	NiAsS
Crystal system	Cubic
Habitus	Crystals octahedral, sometimes with traces from cubic surfaces. Also exist as striated pyritohedral crystals, like pyrite. Often massive.
Cleavage	Perfect on {100}, fracture uneven, brittle.
Hardness	5.5
Density	5.9
Color	Silvery white to steel gray, opaque. When tarnished, gray to black.
Streak	Grayish black.
Luster	Metallic.
Description	Sometimes used as a nickel ore.
Occurance	In hydrothermal deposits formed at moderate temperatures.
Associates	Nickeline, nickel-skutterudite, ullmanite, siderite.
Notes	Named after the von Gersdorffs, the owners of the nickel mine in Schladming, Austria. (circa 1842)
Localities	A rare mineral in scandinavia. Sweden : Lainejaur, Malå, Lappland. As massive veins in gabbro together with pyrrhotite, nickeline and chalcopyrite. Alnön, Sundsvall, Medelpad. Brunflo, Jämtland. Getö stora silvergruva (Getö large silver mine), Getön, Filipstad, Värmland. Los, Ljusdal, Hälsingland. Muonionalusta, Pajala, Norrbotten. Tunaberg, Nyköping, Södermanland. Norway : Store Sletter, Oslo fjord. In a small ore vein as crystals in chalcosite or sphalerite. Vakkerlien nikkelskjerp, Kvikne. In a small sulphide zone bordering a gabbro. Finland : Saattopora gold mine, Kittilä, Lappland. As a minor mineral accompanying the gold ore. Asikkalan Kalkkinen, north of Lahti. In gabbro. Enonkosken, Laukunkankaan. Haapajärven, Katajaperä. Plus a number of other localities, see "Suomen mineraalit".

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