Provenite

Nikolaevskiy Mine

MineUnknownDraft data

44.5500° N, 135.5830° E · ± 10 km

Pyrrhotite and Siderite from Primorsky Krai, Russia, with photos of specimens from this locality.

View on the map

Minerals found here

PyrrhotiteSiderite

On the same specimen

Same specimen Calcite with Siderite

2 specimen photo(s) from this locality show siderite with calcite together. The pairing comes from the photographer's file name and label, so the relationship between the two minerals is not specified.

Same specimen Galena with Pyrrhotite

1 specimen photo(s) from this locality show pyrrhotite with galena together. The pairing comes from the photographer's file name and label, so the relationship between the two minerals is not specified.

Same specimen Quartz with Pyrrhotite

2 specimen photo(s) from this locality show pyrrhotite with quartz together. The pairing comes from the photographer's file name and label, so the relationship between the two minerals is not specified.

Pyrrhotite at Nikolaevskiy Mine

Large brassy pseudohexagonal pyrrhotite plates and stacked compound crystals on quartz, often with galena.

Cluster of intergrown, tarnished pseudohexagonal pyrrhotite crystals from the Nikolaevskiy Mine.
Cluster of intergrown, tarnished pseudohexagonal pyrrhotite crystals from the Nikolaevskiy Mine.
Photo: Robert M. Lavinsky · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Source
Large sculptural pyrrhotite crystal with golden luster and staggered growth, Nikolaevskiy Mine.
Large sculptural pyrrhotite crystal with golden luster and staggered growth, Nikolaevskiy Mine.
Photo: Robert M. Lavinsky · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Source
Large cluster of thick stacked pyrrhotite crystals rimmed by galena, Nikolaevskiy Mine.
Large cluster of thick stacked pyrrhotite crystals rimmed by galena, Nikolaevskiy Mine.
Photo: Robert M. Lavinsky · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Source
Ribbon-like composite of hexagonal pyrrhotite crystals standing on quartz, Nikolaevskiy Mine.
Ribbon-like composite of hexagonal pyrrhotite crystals standing on quartz, Nikolaevskiy Mine.
Photo: Robert M. Lavinsky · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Source
Lustrous brassy compound pyrrhotite crystal among milky quartz needles, Nikolaevskiy Mine.
Lustrous brassy compound pyrrhotite crystal among milky quartz needles, Nikolaevskiy Mine.
Photo: Robert M. Lavinsky · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Source
Formula
Fe₁₋ₓS (x = 0-0.17)
Morphology
Pseudohexagonal plates, stacked compound crystals, towers and ribbon-like groups
Typical size
Crystals commonly 3-9 cm
Color / luster
Brassy yellow to bronze; some tarnished
Associated minerals
Quartzgalenasphaleritecalcitesideritechalcopyrite
Surface features
Stepped and striated faces
Availability
Commonly available
History
Most specimens reached the market in the 1980s and 1990s; one labelled specimen was mined in 1992.

Sources: SRC-627 SRC-594 SRC-633

About Pyrrhotite →

Siderite at Nikolaevskiy Mine

Perfect sphere of siderite on a small matrix from the Nikolaevskiy Mine.
Perfect sphere of siderite on a small matrix from the Nikolaevskiy Mine.
Photo: Robert M. Lavinsky · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Source
Sparkly tan ball of siderite blades with colourless calcite rhombs from the Nikolaevskiy Mine.
Sparkly tan ball of siderite blades with colourless calcite rhombs from the Nikolaevskiy Mine.
Photo: Robert M. Lavinsky · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Source
Formula
FeCO₃
Morphology
Spherical balls of bladed crystals
Typical size
Spheres about 3-4 cm
Color / luster
Tan, sparkly
Associated minerals
Calcitepyrrhotitequartz
Availability
Scarce

Sources: SRC-594 SRC-616

About Siderite →

Geology of the locality

Setting
Lead-zinc skarn deposit in Triassic limestone blocks within an Early Cretaceous accretionary complex; ore lies along limestone contacts with siltstone, sandstone, breccia and felsic volcanic rocks.
Type
Skarn
Host rock
Limestone; skarn
Region
Primorsky Krai
Country
Russia

Underground mine of the Dalnegorsk district. The mine itself could not be located in an allowed source; the coordinates are those of Dalnegorsk town (Wikipedia), so the position is town-level.

Sources: SRC-594 SRC-626

Sources

  1. SRC-594 · Website
    Pyrrhotite from Nikolaevskiy Mine, RussiaEugene (EarthWonders) · 2026 · EarthWonders
  2. SRC-626 · Website
    DalnegorskWikipedia contributors · 2026 · Wikipedia
  3. SRC-627 · Book
    Handbook of Mineralogy - PyrrhotiteAnthony, J.W.; Bideaux, R.A.; Bladh, K.W.; Nichols, M.C. · 2005 · Mineral Data Publishing / Mineralogical Society of America
  4. SRC-633 · Website
    File:Pyrrhotite-Quartz-242625.jpgRobert M. Lavinsky · Wikimedia Commons
  5. SRC-616 · Website
    File:Siderite-Calcite-44369.jpgRobert M. Lavinsky · 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.