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A Geoscience Digital Image Library

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TitleNickeline (niccolite) from Cobalt, Ontario
DescriptionThis 8 cm wide sample is almost all nickeline. Nickeline, sometimes called niccolite, is a nickel arsenide mineral having formula NiAs. An important nickel ore mineral, it is generally metallic with a copper red to pinkish color. Its first name was the German term “kupfernickel” which means “copper nickel.” It sounds like some sort of alloy, but it was actually a term of derision because nickel meant “nixes” or underground goblins. The miners in Germany who first saw the copper-red metallic mineral were convinced the mineral was a rich ore of copper. Unfortunately, they found the mineral contained no copper. However, it did contain another useful metal and it is call nickel (Ni) today.
LocationCanada ▹ Ontario. Near Cobalt.
PhotographerDarla Sondrol. 2001-07-10.
CollectionUniversity of North Dakota Mineralogy Collection #174.
Key wordsNiccolite, nickeline
Tech details1001 KB. Hand specimen. Fujifilm FinePix S1Pro digital camera; 60mm AF Nikon micro lens.
GeoDIL number1100