Brownleeite

MnSi
IMA status
  • Approved
IMA symbol
Bwn
IMA approved
2008
Also known as
  • IMA2008-011

Where it forms, where it's found

Geological setting

Particle of cosmic dust collected by a high-altitude research aircraft. Likely formed as high-temperature condensates either in the early Solar System or in the outflow of an evolved star or supernova explosion.

Type locality
Comet 26P/Grigg-Skjellerup
  1. Outer Space

Physical

Density
2.913 g/cm³

Crystallography

Crystal system
Isometric
Space group
#198
Cell parameters
a = 4.557 Å
Unit cell volume
94.63 ų
Z
4
Type-locality form

Three submicrometer-sized grains, with maximum dimensions of 100, 250, and 600 nm.

Crystal structure

Chemical composition

Constituent elements
Mass composition breakdown
ElementAtoms At. mass g/mol Mass g/molMass share
25MnManganeseManganese154.93854.938
66.17%
14SiSiliconSilicon128.08528.085
33.83%
Total83.023100.00%

Mass share = atoms × atomic mass ÷ molar mass × 100

From IMA formula

Synonyms

  • IMA2008-011

In other languages

French
brownleeite
German
Brownleeit · IMA 2008-011
Spanish
Bronwleeíta · Brownleeíta
Italian
Brownleeite

Classification

Strunz
10th ed.

1.BB

  • 1ElementsClass
  • 1.BMetallic Carbides, Silicides, Nitrides, Phosphides and HydridesDivision
  • 1.BBSilicidesGroup
  • 1.BBBrownleeiteSpecies

Literature, links & citation

Citations
  1. 1957Boren, B. (1957) Roentgenuntersuchung der Legierungen von Silicium mit Chrom, Mangan, Kobalt und Nickel. Zeitschrift für Metallkunde: 48: 126-134.
  2. 1991Jørgensen, Jens-Erik; Rasmussen, Svend Erik (1991) Refinement of the Structure of MnSi by Powder Diffraction. Powder Diffraction, 6 (4). 194-195 doi:10.1017/s0885715600017504DOI: 10.1017/s0885715600017504
  3. 2006Brownlee, D. E., Flynn, G., Hörz, Friedrich, Keller, L., McKeegan, K., Sandford, S., Tsou, P., Zolensky, M. E. (2006) Comet Samples Returned by the Stardust Mission. Lunar and Planetary Science XXXVII 2286.
  4. 2008Nakamura-Messenger, K., Keller, L.P., Clemett, S.J., Jones, J.H., Palma, R.L., Pepin, R.O., Klöck, W., Zolensky, M.E., Messenger, S. (2008) New manganese silicide mineral phase in an interplanetary dust particle. Lunar and Planetary Science: 39: 2103-2103.
  5. 2008www.nasa.gov (n.d.) http://www.nasa.gov/home/hqnews/2008/jun/HQ_08143_comet_dust.html
Cite this entry
@misc{mineral2026,
  author    = {Mineral Index editorial board},
  title     = {Brownleeite — Mineral Index},
  year      = {2026},
  url       = {https://mineralindex.org/minerals/brownleeite-36014},
  note      = {Accessed 2026-05-11}
}