Parapierrotite from the Monte Arsiccio mine (Apuan Alps, Tuscany, Italy): occurrence and new data on its crystal-chemistry

The occurrence of sulfate minerals associated with the pyrite ores of the southern Apuan Alps has been known since the 19th century but modern mineralogical studies started only in the last decade. Sulfate assemblages were identified in all the pyrite ore deposits from the studied area but the more impressive associations were discovered in the Fornovolasco and Monte Arsiccio mines. Their study allowed to improve the knowledge of the sulfate crystal-chemistry and to achieve a better understanding of the acid mine drainage (AMD) systems associated with pyrite oxidation. More than 20 different mineral species were identified and, among them, four sulfates (volaschioite, giacovazzoite, magnanelliite, and scordariite) have their type localities in the pyrite ore deposits of the Apuan Alps. A review of the mineralogical results of a ten-year-long study is given here.

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Lead-antimony sulfosalts from Tuscany (Italy). XIX. Crystal chemistry of chovanite from two new occurrences in the Apuan Alps and its 8 Å crystal structure

Mineralogical Magazine ◽

10.1180/minmag.2016.080.134 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 81 (4) ◽

pp. 811-831 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Cristian Biagioni ◽

Yves Moëlo

Keyword(s):

Crystal Structure ◽

Oxygen Atom ◽

Crystal Chemistry ◽

Electron Microprobe ◽

Unit Cell ◽

Unit Cell Parameters ◽

Space Group ◽

Cell Parameters ◽

New Occurrences ◽

Apuan Alps

AbstractTwo new occurrences of the lead oxy-sulfosalt chovanite have been identified at the Monte Arsiccio and Pollone mines, Apuan Alps, Tuscany, Italy. Chovanite from Monte Arsiccio occurs as black acicular crystals, up to 5 mm long, associated with rouxelite, robinsonite, sphalerite, valentinite,baryte, dolomite, quartz and Ba-rich K-feldspar ('hyalophane') in metadolostone vugs. Its unit-cell parameters are a = 48.38(5), b = 4.11(4), c = 34.18(4) Å, β = 106.26(2)°, V = 6521(64) Å3, space group C2/m. Very weakreflections indicate the doubling of the b parameter. Electron-microprobe data gave (wt.%): Ag 0.28, Tl 1.51, Pb 45.57, Sb 31.00, As 1.09, S 19.73, Se 0.05, Cl 0.02, sum 99.25. On the basis of ∑Me = 58 apfu, its formula is Ag0.30Tl0.86Pb25.56Sb29.59As1.69S71.52Se0.07Cl0.05.Adding one oxygen atom, it is close to the formula TlPb26(Sb,As)31S72O. Chovanite from Pollone occurs as thick black acicular crystals, up to 1 cm long, associated with baryte and quartz. The high-diffraction quality of the available material allowed the solutionand refinement of the 8 Å crystal structure in the space group P21/c, with unit-cell parameters a = 34.052(3), b = 8.2027(7), c = 48.078(4) Å, β = 106.258(4)°, V = 12891.9(19) Å3. The refinement convergedto R1 = 9.14% on the basis of 19,853 observed reflections with Fo > 4σ(Fo). Electron-microprobe data gave (wt.%): Ag 0.12, Tl 0.54, Pb 48.34, Bi 0.20, Sb 26.71, As 3.37, S 20.23, Cl 0.07, sum 99.57. It corresponds to the formulaAg0.13Tl0.30Pb26.94Bi0.10Sb25.33As5.20S72.85Cl0.20, close to the idealized formula Pb28(Sb,As)30S72O, with a single oxygen atom bound to two (Sb/As) atoms alternating witha vacancy along b as in scainiite and in other Pb oxy-sulfosalts. The crystal chemistry of this 8 Å crystal structure is detailed, taking into account its modular description, the (Sb,As)mSn polymerization, its topological derivation from pellouxite,and the oxygen non-stoichiometry.

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Mercury-arsenic sulfosalts from the Apuan Alps (Tuscany, Italy). II. Arsiccioite, AgHg2TlAs2S6, a new mineral from the Monte Arsiccio mine: occurrence, crystal structure and crystal chemistry of the routhierite isotypic series

Mineralogical Magazine ◽

10.1180/minmag.2014.078.1.08 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 78 (1) ◽

pp. 101-117 ◽

Cited By ~ 17

Author(s):

C. Biagioni ◽

E. Bonaccorsi ◽

Y. Moëlo ◽

P. Orlandi ◽

L. Bindi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Crystal Structure ◽

Crystal Chemistry ◽

Three Dimensional ◽

New Mineral ◽

Chemical Formula ◽

New Mineral Species ◽

Ore Minerals ◽

Reflectance Data ◽

Apuan Alps ◽

The Ideal

AbstractThe new mineral species arsiccioite, AgHg2TlAs2S6, was discovered in the baryte-pyrite-iron oxide ore deposit exploited at the Monte Arsiccio mine, near Sant’Anna di Stazzema (Apuan Alps, Tuscany, Italy). It occurs as anhedral grains scattered in microcrystalline baryte, associated with cinnabar, laffittite, protochabournéite, pyrite, realgar, Hg-bearing sphalerite and stibnite. Arsiccioite is red, with a metallic to sub-metallic lustre. Minimum and maximum reflectance data for COM wavelengths in air are [λ (nm):R(%)]: 471.1: 29.0/29.4; 548.3: 27.6/28.3; 586.6: 26.1/26.5; 652.3: 24.2/24.6. Electron microprobe analyses give (wt.%): Cu 0.78(6), Ag 8.68(21), Zn 0.47(27), Fe 0.04(1), Hg 35.36(87), Cd 0.20(5), Tl 18.79(33), As 10.77(19), Sb 4.75(10), S 18.08(21), Se 0.07(5), total 97.99(44). On the basis of ΣMe= 6 a.p.f.u., the chemical formula is Ag0.87(2)Cu0.13(1)Zn0.08(4)Fe0.01(1)Hg1.91(5)Cd0.02(1)Tl1.00(2)(As1.56(2)Sb0.42(1))S1.98S6.12(6)Se0.01(1). Arsiccioite is tetragonal,I2m, witha10.1386(6),c11.3441(5) Å,V1166.1(2) Å3,Z= 4. The main diffraction lines of the powder diagram are [d(in Å), visually estimated intensity,hkl]: 4.195, m, 211; 3.542, m, 103; 3.025, vs, 222; 2.636, m, 114; 2.518, s, 400 and 303. The crystal structure of arsiccioite has been refined by single-crystal X-ray data to a finalR1= 0.030, on the basis of 893 observed reflections. It shows a three dimensional framework of (Hg,Ag)- centred tetrahedra (1M1 + 2M2), with channels parallel to [001] hosting TlS6and (As,Sb)S3 disymmetric polyhedra. Arsiccioite is derived from its isotype routhieriteM1CuM2Hg2TlAs2S6through the double heterovalent substitutionM1Cu++M2Hg2+→M1Hg2++M2Ag+. This substitution obeys a steric constraint, with Ag+, the largest cation relative to Hg2+and Cu+, entering the largestM2 site. The ideal crystal chemical formula of arsiccioite isM1HgM2(Hg0.5Ag0.5)2TlAs2S6. The crystal chemistry of the routhierite isotypic series is discussed. Finally, the distribution of Hg ore minerals in the Apuan Alps is reviewed.

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