Native element mineral

Native copper
Native gold
Native silver
Native sulfur
Diamond (native carbon)

Native element minerals are those elements that occur in nature in uncombined form with a distinct mineral structure. The elemental class includes metals, intermetallic compounds, alloys, metalloids, and nonmetals. The Nickel–Strunz classification system also includes the naturally occurring phosphides, silicides, nitrides, carbides, and arsenides.

Elements[edit]

The following elements occur as native element minerals or alloys:[1]

Nickel–Strunz Classification -01- Native elements[edit]

This list uses the Classification of Nickel–Strunz (mindat.org, 10 ed, pending publication).

Abbreviations
  • "*" – discredited (IMA/CNMNC status).
  • "?" – questionable/doubtful (IMA/CNMNC status).
  • "REE" – Rare-earth element (Sc, Y, La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Pm, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, Lu)
  • "PGE" – Platinum-group element (Ru, Rh, Pd, Os, Ir, Pt)
  • 03.C Aluminofluorides, 06 Borates, 08 Vanadates (04.H V[5,6] Vanadates), 09 Silicates:
    • Neso: insular (from Greek νησος nēsos, island)
    • Soro: grouping (from Greek σωροῦ sōros, heap, mound (especially of corn))
    • Cyclo: ring
    • Ino: chain (from Greek ις [genitive: ινος inos], fibre)
    • Phyllo: sheet (from Greek φύλλον phyllon, leaf)
    • Tecto: three-dimensional framework
Nickel–Strunz code scheme
NN.XY.##x:
  • NN: Nickel–Strunz mineral class number
  • X: Nickel–Strunz mineral division letter
  • Y: Nickel–Strunz mineral family letter
  • ##x: Nickel–Strunz mineral/group number, x add-on letter

Class: native elements[edit]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "IMA-CNMNC List of Minerals" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2016-04-23. Retrieved 2016-05-24.