Class : Sulfides and sulfosalts
    Subclass : Sulfides
    Crystal system : Cubic
    Chemistry : FeNi₂S₄
    Rarity : Rare

Violarite belongs to the linnaeite group, named after the most common mineral. This group with the formula X₃S₄ (with X = Co, Ni, Fe or Co + Cu) can be compared with that of spinels, with sulfur replacing oxygen ; the octahedral facies is also the most common in both groups. The linnaeite group is composed of three solid solutions : Co (linnaeite in the strict sense) - Ni (polydymite) the intermediate term being siegenite ; Ni (polydymite) - Fe (greigite), the intermediate term being violarite, and Co (linneite) - Cu. The latter solid solution is the only one that is incomplete and stops at carrollite. Violarite is an iron and nickel sulfide from hydrothermal cobalt and nickel deposits. Its name comes from the Latin violaris (violet), in allusion to the color of the mineral under the reflected light microscope. Violarite has a luminous gray to steel gray color with a slightly pinkish hue, tarnishing in reddish to purplish hues. Violarite is not known in crystals but only in masses or millimeter nodules. It is an accessory ore of nickel.

Main photo : Violarite from Perseverance Mine, Australia © Jean-François Carpentier

No known twinning for this mineral species.

No fakes listed for this mineral species.