Provenite

Nanisivik Mine

MineClosedDraft data

73.0444° N, 84.5372° W · ± 1 km

Pyrite from Nunavut, Canada, with photos of specimens from this locality.

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Minerals found here

Pyrite

Pyrite at Nanisivik Mine

Complex striated cubes and pyrite replacing marcasite from an Arctic Mississippi Valley-type deposit.

Complex, modified pyrite crystals from the Nanisivik Mine on Baffin Island.
Complex, modified pyrite crystals from the Nanisivik Mine on Baffin Island.
Photo: Robert M. Lavinsky · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Source
Flower-like cluster of striated brassy pyrite cubes from the Nanisivik Mine.
Flower-like cluster of striated brassy pyrite cubes from the Nanisivik Mine.
Photo: Robert M. Lavinsky · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Source
Pyrite cubes up to 1 cm on a massive pyrite matrix, Nanisivik, Baffin Island.
Pyrite cubes up to 1 cm on a massive pyrite matrix, Nanisivik, Baffin Island.
Photo: Robert M. Lavinsky · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Source
Formula
FeS₂
Morphology
Striated, bevelled cubes; equant grains; pseudomorphs after marcasite
Typical size
Crystals up to about 8 mm; grains to about 11 mm
Associated minerals
Sphaleritedolomitemarcasitegalena
Surface features
Striated faces; second generation of tiny pyrite crystals
History
The deposit once held about 60 million tonnes of pyrite alongside lead-zinc ore; the mine ran from 1976 to 2002.

Sources: SRC-405 SRC-407 SRC-408 SRC-409

About Pyrite →

Geology of the locality

Setting
Mississippi Valley-type Pb-Zn deposit in carbonate strata of the Borden basin on northern Baffin Island; sulfides precipitated where hot saline brine met cooler carbonate-rich brine
Type
Hydrothermal
Host rock
Dolomite (Society Cliffs Formation)
Region
Nunavut
Country
Canada

Mine operated from 1976 to 2002. Coordinates from the Wikipedia mine page.

Sources: SRC-407 SRC-408 SRC-409

Sources

  1. SRC-407 · Website
    Nanisivik MineWikipedia contributors · 2024 · Wikipedia (mirror)
  2. SRC-408 · Website
    Rock of the Month #42: Pyrite from NanisivikWilson, G. · 2004 · Turnstone Geological Services
  3. SRC-409 · Website
    NanisivikWikipedia contributors · 2024 · Wikipedia
  4. SRC-405 · Website
    Pyrite photographs and file descriptions on Wikimedia CommonsRobert M. Lavinsky (photographer; file descriptions) · Wikimedia Commons

Draft data from the Provenite workbook. Check entries against the cited sources before relying on them. Photos are open-licence images from Wikimedia Commons; the author and licence are given with each photo.