A lot of small grains of the extremely rare palladium sulphide mineral vysotskite in a capsule. Ex.Ralph Merrill collection. From: Noril'sk, Putoran Plateau, Taimyr Peninsula, Eastern Siberia, Russian Federation. — Photo: David Hospital · CC BY-SA 4.0
Vysotskite
Vysotskite is an IMA-recognized mineral species in the sulfide class, with the chemical formula (Pd,Ni)S.
It crystallizes in the tetragonal crystal system (space group P4_2/m).
Key properties: specific gravity 6.705; Metallic, strong. Anisotropism: Weak to moderate, dark brown to dark blue-gray. R1 –R2: (400) 41.2–42.0 luster.
IMA symbol Vsk, IMA status: approved, named in 1962.
Found in andesine diabases (Noril’sk region, Russia) and in ultramafic layered intrusives elsewhere. As disseminations that probably are crystallized products, at magmatic temperatures, of a residual immiscible sulfide melt.
It is found associated with Chalcopyrite, millerite, nickelian pyrite, linnaeite, cooperite (Noril’sk region, Russia); pentlandite, pyrrhotite, chalcopyrite, cubanite.
The name refers to Nikolai Konstaninovich Vysotskii (1864–1932), Soviet geologist, who first found platinum at Noril’sk, Russia.