Awaruite

Awaruite is a naturally occurring alloy and iron with a composition from Ni2Fe to Ni3Fe.

Awaruite occurs in river placer deposits derived from serpentinized peridotites. It also occurs as a rare component of meteorites. It occurs in association with native gold and magnetite , heazlewoodite , violarite in peridotites; with kamacite , schreibersite

It was first described in 1885 for an occurrence along Gorge River, South Island, its type locality

Awaruite is also known as josephinite in an occurrence in Josephine County, Oregon where it is found as placer nuggets in stream channels and masses in serpentinized portions of the Josephine peridotite. Some nuggets contain andradite

An occurrence of awaruite is being developed commercially as an ore mineral in a large low grade deposit in central British Columbia. In the deposit awaruite occurs disseminated in the Mount Sidney Williams ultramafic