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Melonite

Year of discovery: 1866 (Stanislaus mine, USA), 1974 (Japan)

Locality list: 4 localities of melonite

• NiTe₂
• [Ni²⁺][Te₂]^2-

• Class: Melonite group
• Class: Ditelluride

• Ni => Pd: Merenskyite (Series)
• Ni => Pt: Moncheite
• Ni => Ir: Shuangfengite
• Ni => Au: Calaverite, Krennerite

• Ni₂ => AgAu: Sylvanite, Muthmannite
• Ni₂ => CuAu: Kostovite

• Te₂ => TeSe: Kitkaite

• Color: Reddish silver
• Streak: Dark gray
• Luster: Metallic
• Diaphaneity: Opaque

• Habit: Hexagonal plates

• Cleavage: Perfect on {0001} (1 plane)
• Hardness: 1-1.5
• Density: 7.3

• System: Trigonal
• Group: (-3)m, P(-3)m1
• Lattice: a=3.8, c=5.3

Etymology: Melones mine in California state, USA, where this mineral was discovered for the first time.