Cubanite from Oktyabrsky Mine, Talnakh Cu-Ni Deposit, Norilsk-Talnakh Mining Region

The Oktyabrsky Mine, Talnakh Cu-Ni Deposit, is the Type Locality for 13 different mineral species, many of which are palladium, or platinum-bearing. This sample contains two of these - Tatyanaite and Sobolevskite. Also recorded as being present on the previous collectors label are Taimyrite, Rustenburgite, Sperrylite, Native Silver, Galena, Chalcopyrite and Cubanite. As always with these species, they form complex microscopic intergrowths that are only identifiable using reflected light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The sample we have here is a typical polished mount used for both reflected light microscopy and SEM studies. The minerals occur in a 6 x 4 mm single grain mounted in the polished block with one surface polished. This is not our usual type of specimen, but included due to its rarity. Examples of these rare species from this occurrence are few and far between. The overall measurements provided indicate the size of the polished block.