keilite

{{Short description|Iron-magnesium sulfide mineral}}

{{Infobox mineral

| name = Keilite

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| category = Sulfides

| formula = {{chem2|(Fe(2+),Mg)S}}

| IMAsymbol = Ke{{Cite journal|last=Warr|first=L.N.|date=2021|title=IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols|journal=Mineralogical Magazine|volume=85|issue=3|pages=291–320|doi=10.1180/mgm.2021.43|bibcode=2021MinM...85..291W|s2cid=235729616|doi-access=free}}

| molweight = 81.91 gm

| strunz = 2/C.15-15

| dana = 2.8.1.9

| system = Isometric

| class = Hexoctahedral

| symmetry = Fm{{overline|3}}m (No. 225)

| unit cell = a = 5.1717(18)Å

| color =

| colour = Grey

| habit = Microscopic crystals

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| cleavage = Distinct/good

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| tenacity = Brittle

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| luster = Metallic

| streak =

| diaphaneity = Opaque

| gravity = 3.958

| density = 3.958

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Keilite is an iron-magnesium sulfide mineral with the chemical formula {{chem2|(Fe,Mg)S)}} that is found in enstatite chondrites.{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=Keilite Mineral Data|url=http://webmineral.com/data/Keilite.shtml|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=15 February 2021|website=WebMineral}} Keilite is the iron-dominant analog of niningerite.{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=Keilite|url=http://www.handbookofmineralogy.com/pdfs/Keilite.pdf|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303171359/http://www.handbookofmineralogy.com/pdfs/keilite.pdf|archive-date=3 March 2016|access-date=15 February 2021|website=Handbook of Mineralogy}}{{Cite journal|vauthors=Shimizu M, Yoshida H, Mandarino JA|title=The New Mineral Species Keilite, (Fe,Mg)S, The Iron-Dominant Analogue of Niningerite|url=https://rruff.info/doclib/cm/vol40/CM40_1687.pdf|journal=The Canadian Mineralogist|year=2002|volume=40|issue=6|pages=1687–1692|doi=10.2113/gscanmin.40.6.1687|bibcode=2002CaMin..40.1687S |s2cid=93381076 |via=}} Keilite is named after Klaus Keil (born 1934).

Occurrences

Examples of keilite occurrences are enstatite chondrites and the Zakłodzie meteorite. It appears to be confined to impact-melt influenced enstatite chondrites that were quenched. There are also some meteorites interpreted as impact-melt breccias that do not contain keilite. This is explained as a deeper burial after impact, which slowed cooling and enabled retrograde reactions (diapthoresis) to take place.{{cite journal|last=Keil|first=Klaus|title=Occurrence and origin of keilite, (Fe>0.5,Mg<0.5)S, in enstatite chondrite impact-melt rocks and impact-melt breccias|journal=Chemie der Erde - Geochemistry|date=30 April 2007|volume=67|issue=1|pages=37–54|doi=10.1016/j.chemer.2006.05.002|bibcode=2007ChEG...67...37K}}

References