abelsonite

{{Infobox mineral | name = Abelsonite | category = Organic minerals | boxwidth = | boxbgcolor = | image = File:Abelsonite - Green River Formation, Uintah County, Utah, USA.jpg | imagesize = | caption = Abelsonite from the Green River Formation, Uintah County, Utah, US | formula = C31H32N4Ni | IMAsymbol = Abl | molweight = | strunz = 10.CA.20 | dana = 50.4.9.1 | system = Triclinic | symmetry = P (No. 2) | unit cell = a = 8.508, b = 11.185 Åc = 7.299 [Å], α = 90.85°β = 114.1°, γ = 79.99° Z = 1 | color = Pink-purple, dark greyish purple, pale purplish red, reddish brown | habit = | twinning = | cleavage = Probable on {11} | fracture = Fragile | tenacity = | mohs = 2–3 | luster = Adamantine, sub-metallic | polish = | refractive = | opticalprop = Biaxial | birefringence = | 2V = | dispersion = | pleochroism = | fluorescence= Non-fluorescent | absorption = Strong reddish brown to reddish black | streak = Pink | gravity = 1.45 | density = | melt = | fusibility = | diagnostic = | solubility = | diaphaneity = Semitransparent | other = | references = }} Abelsonite is a nickel porphyrin mineral with chemical formula C31H32N4Ni. It was discovered in 1969 in the U.S. State of Utah and described in 1975. The mineral is named after geochemist Philip H. Abelson. It is the only known crystalline geoporphyrin.

==Description== Abelsonite is semitransparent and pink-purple, dark greyish purple, pale purplish red, or reddish brown in color. The mineral occurs as thin laths or plates or small aggregates up to . The mineral is soluble in benzene and acetone and is insoluble in water, dilute hydrochloric acid, and dilute nitric acid.