Pentlandite

Pentlandite is an iron–nickel sulfide mineral with an approximate formula of (Fe,Ni)₉S₈. It is a major source of nickel and commonly occurs with other sulfide minerals in magmatic deposits.

Sulfide mineral: A mineral in which sulfur is bonded to one or more metals or semimetals. Pentlandite belongs to this mineral class, whose bonding and chemistry shape its properties.
Magmatic sulfide deposit: An ore deposit formed when sulfide liquids separate from magma and concentrate metals. Pentlandite commonly crystallizes from sulfide liquids in these nickel-rich deposits.
Nickel mining: The extraction of nickel-bearing ore from the Earth's crust. Pentlandite is a principal target mineral in many sulfide nickel mines.
Sudbury Basin: A large impact structure in Ontario, Canada, known for major nickel, copper, and platinum-group-element deposits. Its magmatic sulfide ores contain abundant pentlandite and have supported extensive nickel mining.
Nickel: A metallic chemical element with symbol Ni and atomic number 28. Nickel is the economically valuable metal extracted from pentlandite.
Magma: Molten or partly molten rock beneath Earth's surface, containing crystals and dissolved gases. Sulfide saturation in magma can generate the liquid from which pentlandite crystallizes.
Nickel extraction: The separation and recovery of nickel from ores or recycled materials. Its nickel content makes pentlandite a feedstock for extraction and refining.
Norilsk–Talnakh: A major Russian district of nickel, copper, and platinum-group-element deposits in Siberia. Pentlandite is a key nickel-bearing mineral in the district's exceptionally rich sulfide ores.
Iron: A metallic chemical element with symbol Fe and atomic number 26. Iron substitutes for nickel in pentlandite's variable chemical composition.
Sulfide saturation: The condition at which magma contains enough sulfur for a separate sulfide liquid to form. This process concentrates nickel into sulfide liquid that can later crystallize as pentlandite.

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