Xifengite (Fe5Si3) is a rare metallic iron silicide mineral. The crystal system of xifengite is hexagonal. It has a specific gravity of 6.45 and a Mohs hardness of 5.5. It occurs as steel gray inclusions within other meteorite derived nickel iron mineral phases.

Xifengite
General
CategoryNative element minerals
Formula
(repeating unit)
Fe5Si3
IMA symbolXif[1]
Strunz classification1.BB.40
Crystal systemHexagonal
Crystal classDihexagonal dipyramidal (6/mmm)
H-M symbol: (6/m 2/m 2/m)
Space groupP63/mcm
Unit cella = 6.759(5)
c = 4.720(5) [Å]; Z = 2
Identification
ColorGray, steel-black
Crystal habitAs inclusions
Mohs scale hardness5
LusterMetallic
StreakBlack
DiaphaneityOpaque
References[2][3]

It was first described in 1984 and named for the eastern passageway, Xifengkou, of the Great Wall of China. The type locality is the Yanshan meteorite of the Hebei Province, China. It has also been reported from dredgings along the East Pacific Rise.

The other known natural iron silicide minerals are gupeiite (Fe3Si), hapkeite (Fe2Si), linzhiite (FeSi2), luobusaite (Fe0.84Si2), naquite (FeSi), suessite ((Fe,Ni)3Si), and zangboite (TiFeSi2).[4]

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ Warr, L.N. (2021). "IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols". Mineralogical Magazine. 85 (3): 291–320. Bibcode:2021MinM...85..291W. doi:10.1180/mgm.2021.43. S2CID 235729616.
  2. ^ Xifengite data on Webmineral
  3. ^ Xifengite on Mindat,org with location data
  4. ^ Mindat, http://www.mindat.org