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Sulfide

Keilite

FeS
Hardness4
Crystal systemCubic
ClassSulfide

Keilite

An iron-magnesium sulfide of enstatite chondrite meteorites — the iron analogue of niningerite, named for Klaus Keil.

Intro adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA).

Keilite is an IMA-recognized mineral species in the sulfide class, with the chemical formula FeS.

It crystallizes in the cubic crystal system (space group Fm3m). It is a member of the Rocksalt structural group.

Key properties: Mohs hardness 4; Metallic luster.

IMA symbol Ke, IMA status: approved, named in 2001.

An accessory mineral in enstatite chondrite and achondrite meteorites.

It is found associated with Niningerite, enstatite, kamacite, troilite; troilite (or pyrrhotite), Fe-Ni metal, an (Fe, Zn, Mn)S phase, enstatite (with relict forsterite cores).

The mineral was named to honor Dr. Klaus Keil (b. 1934), Hawaii Institute of Geophysics and Planetology, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA, for his research on chondritic meteorites.

Index entry. This entry combines official IMA/RRUFF species data with published physical-property data and a Wikipedia introduction — a full written entry hasn’t been published yet. Browse more K minerals or help write this entry.