Mineralogical and spectroscopic features of vavr'inite from Cu-Ni ores of Pay-Khoy ridge (Nenets autonomous district, Russia)

The article presents new data on the mineral vavřínite (found in 2011) in copper-nickel ores of the Pay-Khoy gabbro-dolerite complex located in the far north-east of the European part of Russia, between the Barents and Kara seas, which is currently the third confirmed place of discovery in the world. The mineral is found in within Perviy ore occurrence, which is an intrusive body of a complex type, represented by gabbros and gabbro-dolerites of Late Devonian age. Three types of ore mineralization are distinguished: 1)schlieren-imbedded pentlandite, chalcopyrite, pyrrhotite (includes vavřínite) in marginal parts; 2) vein (injection)-imbedded chalcopyrite, pyrrhotite in leucocratic quartz dolerites; 3) metasomatic substantially disseminated and pyrrhotite in contact-modified rocks. Vavřínite is associated with cobaltine as well as with pyrrhotite, chalcopyrite, pentlandite, nickeline, and non-metalloferrous minerals. Vavřínite is creamy white color, highly anisotropic, and has a Vickers microhardness (VHN10,20) of 111.6-146.5 kg/mm2. The Raman spectra for Pay-Khoy vavřínite was obtained for the first time, with the main bands at 110, 192, and 218 cm-1.