Oosterboschite

Oosterboschite is a rare selenide mineral with the formula (Pd,Cu)₇Se₅.^[2] It crystallises in the orthorhombic crystal system. It has a creamy yellow colour and a Moh's hardness of 5.^[3] It is often found as grains with no clear shape.^[4] The crystals are opaque and often no bigger than 0.4 mm.

Oosterboschite
Black Oosterboschite with trogtalite, cuprosklodowskite, and quartz from the Musonoi mine. From the Howard Belsky collection.
General
Category	Selenide minerals
Formula	(Pd,Cu)7Se5
IMA symbol	Oos[1]
Strunz classification	2.BC.10
Dana classification	2.16.15.2
Crystal system	Orthorhombic Unknown space group
Unit cell	a = 10.42, b = 10.6, c = 14.43, Z = 8
Identification
Colour	Creamy yellow-white
Crystal habit	Anhedral grains
Mohs scale hardness	5
Luster	Metallic
Streak	Black
Diaphaneity	Opaque
Density	8.48 (calculated)
Ultraviolet fluorescence	None
Solubility	Insoluble
References

Occurrence

The mineral was approved by the IMA in 1970, after being discovered in the Musonoi Cu–Co mine, near Kolwezi, Katanga Province, Congo. It was later also discovered at the Copper Hills prospect, East Pilbara, Australia, and at Hope’s Nose, Torquay, Devon, England.^[5] It is often found in the oxidation zones of the mines, together with verbeekite, trogtalite, selenian digenite, covellite, gold, and chrisstanleyite. It was named after Robert Oosterbosch, a Belgian mining engineer that was very active in the Katanga region, where the type locality is also located.^[3]

See also

• List of minerals
• List of minerals named after people