New occurrences of ferroselite (FeSe2)

Iron selenide from the uranium-vanadium ores of the Colorado Plateau was under investigation when ferroselite was described as a new mineral in Russia by Bur'yanova and Komkov (1955). Association of ferroselite with selenian pyrite and marcasite within discrete areas of these uranium-vanadium deposits suggests an unusual environment of formation. Its association with apparent low temperature assemblages in the United States and Bussia indicates that its minimum temperature of formation is quite low. Chemical analyses of ferroselite agree well with the theoretical formula FeSe₂; material from the Virgin no. 3 mine, Montrose County, Colorado, gives the formula FeSe_2.07 and that from the A.E.C. no. 8 mine, Temple Mountain, Utah, gives the formula (Fe, Co)Se_2.08. The similarity of hastite and ferroselite suggests that a complete series FeSe₂-CoSe₂ may exist. In contrast to this, pyrite associated with ferroselite apparently will camouflage only 4 per cent (molecular) FeSe₂ within its structure. Ferroselite cannot be distinguished from rammelsbergite (FeAs₂) by X-ray or in polished section; therefore, the exact identification of these two minerals can be made only by specific tests for As or Se. As hastite (CoSe₂) and marcasite are in the same structure group as ferroselite and rammelsbergite, identification of these minerals should include qualitative chemical determinations.