3 Photos
Taenite
Chemical Formula	γ-(Ni,Fe)
Species	Native Elements
Crystal System	Isometric
Mohs Scale	5
Specific Gravity	7.8-8.22
Color	metallic grayish to white
Streak	light gray
Luster	Metallic
Diaphaneity	Opaque
Cleavage	None
Fracture	Hackly fracture

Taenite (Fe,Ni) is a mineral found naturally on Earth mostly in iron meteorites. It is an alloy of iron and nickel, with nickel proportions of 20% up to 65%.

The name is derived from the Greek for "band". Taenite is a major constituent of iron meteorites. In octahedrites it is found in bands interleaving with kamacite forming Widmanst?tten patterns, whereas in ataxites it is the dominant constituent. In octahedrites a fine intermixture with kamacite can occur, which is called plessite.

Taenite is one of four known Fe-Ni meteorite minerals: The others are kamacite, tetrataenite, and antitaenite.

Properties

It is opaque with a metallic grayish to white color. The structure is isometric-hexoctahedral. Its density is around 8 g/cm3 and hardness is 5 to 5.5 on the Mohs scale. Taenite is magnetic. The crystal lattice has the c≈a= 3.582?±0.002? . The Strunz classification is I/A.08-20, while the Dana classification is 1.1.11.2 . It is a Hexoctahedral (cubic) in structure.

Meteorite Localities with this Mineral

• Campo del Cielo crater in Argentina.
• Henbury Meteorites Conservation Reserve in Australia.
• Canyon Diablo in Arizona.