Nazarovite
Nazarovite is an IMA-recognized mineral species in the native element class, with the chemical formula Ni₁₂P₅.
It crystallizes in the tetragonal crystal system (space group I4/m).
Key properties: specific gravity 7.54; Metallic luster.
IMA symbol Naz, IMA status: approved, named in 2019.
Terrestrial nazarovite originates in phosphide assemblages in pyrometamorphic rocks. Meteoritic nazarovite occurs in Ni-rich phosphide precipitates in a pallasite meteorite.
It is found associated with Transjordanite, magnetite, diverse Fe-Ni phosphides (Halamish wadi); nickelphosphide (Marjalahti pallasite). Distribution From Halamish wadi.
The mineral was named to honor Michail Alexandrovich Nazarov (1949-2016), Russian mineralogist and petrologist, for his contributions to the study of reduced meteoritic assemblages.