PADMAITE with CLAUSTHALITE and NORDSTRÖMITE Polished Section

SPECIMEN DESCRIPTION

The Srednyaya Padma mine, Zaonezhie peninsula, Republic of Karelia, Russia is a uranium-vanadium prospect and is the Type Locality for six different mineral species, many of which contain selenium and precious metals. This sample contains the rare palladium bismuth selenide mineral, Padmaite, which was first described from this deposit. Also recorded as being present on the previous collectors label are Clausthalite and Nordströmite. As usual with palladium-bearing compounds, 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 17 x 15 mm rock chip 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.