Tl-bearing sulfosalt from the Lengenbach quarry, Binn Valley, Switzerland: Philrothite, TlAs3S5

2014 ◽  
Vol 78 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-9 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. Bindi ◽  
F. Nestola ◽  
E. Makovicky ◽  
A. Guastoni ◽  
L. De Battisti

AbstractPhilrothite, ideally TlAs3S5, is a new mineral from the Lengenbach quarry in the Binn Valley, Valais, Switzerland. It occurs as very rare crystals up to 200 mm across on realgar associated with smithite, rutile and sartorite. Philrothite is opaque with a metallic lustre and shows a dark brown streak. It is brittle; the Vickers hardness (VHN25) is 128 kg/mm2 (range: 120–137) (Mohs hardness of 3–3½). In reflected light philrothite is moderately bireflectant and weakly pleochroic from dark grey to light grey. Under crossed polars it is anisotropic with grey to bluish rotation tints. Internal reflections are absent. Reflectance percentages for the four COM wavelengths (Rmin and Rmax) are: 26.5, 28.8 (471.1 nm), 25.4, 27.2 (548.3 nm), 24.6, 26.3 (586.6 nm) and 24.0, 25.1 (652.3 nm), respectively.Philrothite is monoclinic, space group P21/c, with a = 8.013(2), b = 24.829(4), c = 11.762(3) Å, β = 132.84(2)°, V = 1715.9(7) Å3, Z = 8. It represents the N = 4 homologue of the sartorite homologous series. In the crystal structure [R1 = 0.098 for 1217 reflections with I > 2σ(I)], Tl assumes tricapped prismatic sites alternating to form columns perpendicular to the b axis. Between the zigzag walls of Tl coordination prisms, coordination pyramids of As(Sb) form diagonally-oriented double layers separated by broader interspaces which house the lone electron pairs of these elements.The eight strongest calculated powder-diffraction lines [d in Å(I/I0) (hkl)] are: 12.4145 (52) (020); 3.6768 (100) (61); 3.4535 (45) (131); 3.0150 (46) (53); 2.8941 (52) (81); 2.7685 (76) (230); 2.7642 (77) (34); 2.3239 (52) (092). A mean of five electron microprobe analyses gave Tl 26.28(12), Pb 6.69(8), Ag 2.50(4), Cu 0.04(2), Hg 0.07(2), As 32.50(13), Sb 3.15(3), S 26.35(10), total 97.58 wt.%, corresponding, on the basis of a total of nine atoms, to (Tl0.789Pb0.198)∑=0.987 (As2.662Sb0.159Ag0.142Cu0.004Hg0.002)∑=2.969S5.044. The new mineral has been approved by the Commission on New Minerals, Nomenclature and Classification (CNMNC) of the International Mineralogical Association (2013-066) and named for Philippe Roth (b. 1963), geophysicist and well known mineral expert on the Lengenbach minerals for more than 25 years.

2015 ◽  
Vol 79 (3) ◽  
pp. 687-694 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. Bindi ◽  
F. Nestola ◽  
S. Graeser ◽  
P. Tropper ◽  
T. Raber

AbstractEckerite, ideally Ag2CuAsS3, is a new mineral from the Lengenbach quarry in the Binn Valley, Valais, Switzerland. It occurs as very rare euhedral crystals up to 300 μm across associated with realgar, sinnerite, hatchite, trechmannite and yellow, fibrous smithite. In thick section eckerite is opaque with a metallic lustre and shows a dark orange-red streak. It is brittle; the Vickers hardness (VHN25) is 70 kg/mm2 (range: 64–78) (Mohs hardness of ∼2½–3). In reflected light, eckerite is moderately bireflectant and weakly pleochroic from light grey to a slightly bluish grey. Internal reflections are absent. Under crossed nicols, it is weakly anisotropic with greyish to light blue rotation tints. Reflectance percentages for Rmin and Rmax are 27.6, 31.7 (471.1 nm), 22.8, 26.1 (548.3 nm), 21.5, 24.5 (586.6 nm) and 19.4, 22.3 (652.3 nm), respectively.Eckerite is monoclinic, space group C2/c, with a = 11.8643(3), b = 6.2338(1), c = 16.6785(4) Å, β = 110.842(3)°, V = 1152.81(5) Å3, Z = 8. The crystal structure [R1 = 0.0769 for 1606 reflections with Fo > 4σ(Fo)] is topologically identical to that of xanthoconite and pyrostilpnite. In the structure, AsS3 pyramids are joined by AgS3 triangles to form double sheets parallel to (001); the sheets are linked by Cu(Ag) atoms in a quasi-tetrahedral coordination. Among the three metals sites, Ag2 is dominated by Cu. The mean metal–S distances reflect well the Ag ↔ Cu substitution occurring at this site.The eight strongest powder X-ray diffraction lines [d in Å (I/I0) (hkl)] are: 3.336 (70) (312); 2.941 (100) (314,114); 2.776 (80) (400,206); 2.677 (40) (312); 2.134 (50) (421); 2.084 (40) (208,206); 2.076 (40) (420); 1.738 (40) (228,226). A mean of five electron microprobe analyses gave Ag 52.08(16), Cu 11.18(9), Pb 0.04(1), Sb 0.29(3), As 15.28(11), S 20.73(13), total 99.60 wt.%, corresponding, on the basis of a total of 7 atoms per formula unit, to Ag2.24Cu0.82As0.94Sb0.01S2.99. The new mineral has been approved by the International Mineralogical Association Commission on New Minerals, Nomenclature and Classification (2014–063) and named for Markus Ecker, a well known mineral expert on the Lengenbach minerals for more than 25 years.


2020 ◽  
Vol 84 (3) ◽  
pp. 390-397 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luca Bindi ◽  
Yves Moëlo

AbstractBiagioniite, ideally Tl2SbS2, is a new mineral from the Hemlo gold deposit, Marathon, Ontario, Canada. It occurs as very rare anhedral crystals up to 65 μm across associated with aurostibite, stibarsen and native gold in a calcite matrix. Biagioniite is opaque with a metallic lustre and shows a black streak. In reflected light biagioniite is moderately bireflectant and not pleochroic. Under crossed polars it is weakly anisotropic with blueish to light-blue rotation tints. Internal reflections are absent.Reflectance percentages for the four standard wavelengths (Rmin and Rmax) are 35.9 and 37.5 (471.1 nm); 34.7 and 36.2 (548.3 nm); 33.8 and 35.3 (586.6 nm); and 31.5 and 33.7 (652.3 nm), respectively. A mean of four electron microprobe analyses gave: Tl 65.12(31), Ag 3.52(9), Sb 20.22(12), S 10.80(8), total 99.66 wt.%, corresponding, on the basis of a total of 5 atoms, to (Tl1.87Ag0.19)Σ2.06Sb0.97S1.97. Biagioniite is monoclinic, space group Pc, with a = 11.0895(9), b = 14.3124(11), c = 7.9352(6) Å, β = 96.230(8)°, V = 1252.02(17) Å3 and Z = 8. The four strongest powder-diffraction lines [d in Å (I/I0) (hkl)] are: 3.56 (100) (310); 3.37 (75) ($\bar{2}$31); 3.79 (60) (012); 3.03 (60) (032). In the crystal structure [R1 = 0.024 for 2655 reflections with I > 2σ(I)], thallium adopts various coordinations extending from quasi-linear to quasi-tetrahedral. Antimony forms Sb–Sb pairs, which lead to the formula [Tl+1]4[Sb2]4+[S2–]4. Biagioniite is isostructural with dervillite, Ag2AsS2. The new mineral has been approved by the International Mineralogical Association Commission on New Minerals, Nomenclature and Classification (IMA2019–120) and named for Cristian Biagioni, Associate Professor of Mineralogy at the Department of Earth Sciences of the University of Pisa, Italy.


2012 ◽  
Vol 76 (5) ◽  
pp. 1153-1163 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. Bindi ◽  
F. Nestola ◽  
A. Guastoni ◽  
L. Peruzzo ◽  
M. Ecker ◽  
...  

AbstractRaberite, ideally Tl5Ag4As6SbS15, is a new mineral from Lengenbach quarry in the Binn Valley, Valais, Switzerland. It occurs very rarely as euhedral crystals up to 150 m m across associated with yellow needle-like smithite, realgar, hatchite and probable trechmannite, edenharterite, jentschite and two unidentified sulfosalts. Raberite is opaque with a metallic lustre and has a dark brown–red streak. It is brittle with a Vickers hardness (VHN10) of 52 kg mm–2 (range 50–55) corresponding to a Mohs hardness of 2½–3. In reflected light raberite is moderately bireflectant and very weakly pleochroic from light grey to a slightly greenish grey. It is very weakly anisotropic with greyish to light blue rotation tints between crossed polars. Internal reflections are absent. Reflectance percentages for the four COM wavelengths [listed as Rmin, Rmax, (λ)] are 30.6, 31.8 (471.1 nm), 28.1, 29.3 (548.3 nm), 27.1, 28.0 (586.6 nm), and 25.8, 26.9 (652.3 nm).Raberite is triclinic, space group P1, with a = 8.920(1), b = 9.429(1), c = 20.062(3) Å, α = 79.66(1), β = 88.84(1), γ = 62.72(1)º, V = 1471.6(4) Å3 and Z = 2. The crystal structure [R1 = 0.0827 for 2110 reflections with I > 2σ(I)] consists of columns of nine-coordinate Tl atoms forming irregular polyhedra extending along [001] and forming sheets parallel to (010). The columns are decorated by cornersharing MS3 pyramids (M = As, Sb) and linked by AgS3 triangles. Of the seven M positions, one is dominated by Sb and the others by As; the mean M-S bond distances reflect As ↔ Sb substitution at these sites.The eight strongest lines in the powder diffraction pattern [dcalc in Å (I) (hkl)] are: 3.580 (100) (11̄3); 3.506 (58) (1̄23); 3.281 (73) (006); 3.017 (54) (1̄2̄3); 3.001 (98) (133); 2.657 (51) (226); 2.636 (46) (300); 2.591 (57) (330). A mean of 9 electron microprobe analyses gave Tl 39.55(13), Ag 18.42(8), Cu 0.06(2), As 17.08(7), Sb 5.61(6), S 19.15(11); total 99.87 wt.%, which corresponds to Tl4.85Ag4.28Cu0.02As5.72Sb1.16S14.97 with 31 atoms per formula unit. The new mineral has been approved by the IMA-CNMNC Commission (IMA 2012-017) and is named for Thomas Raber, an expert on Lengenbach minerals.


2013 ◽  
Vol 77 (3) ◽  
pp. 327-334 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Anashkin ◽  
A. Bovkun ◽  
L. Bindi ◽  
V. Garanin ◽  
Y. Litvin

AbstractKudryavtsevaite, ideally Na3MgFe3+Ti4O12, is a new mineral from kimberlitic rocks of the Orapa area, Botswana. It occurs as rare prismatic crystals, up to 100 μm m across, associated with Mg-rich ilmenite, freudenbergite and ulvöspinel. Kudryavtsevaite is opaque with a vitreous lustre and shows a black streak. It is brittle; the Vickers hardness (VHN100) is 901 kg mm−2 (range: 876–925) (Mohs hardness ∼6). In reflected light, kudryavtsevaite is moderately bireflectant and very weakly pleochroic from dark grey to a slightly bluish grey. Under crossed polars, it is very weakly anisotropic with greyish-bluish rotation tints. Internal reflections are absent. Reflectance values (%), Rmin and Rmax, are: 21.3, 25.4 (471.1 nm), 20.6, 24.1 (548.3 nm), 20.0, 23.5 (586.6 nm) and 19.1, 22.4 (652.3 nm).Kudryavtsevaite is orthorhombic, space group Pnma, with a = 27.714(1), b = 2.9881(3), c = 11.3564(6) Å, V = 940.5(1) Å3, and Z = 4. The crystal structure [R1 = 0.0168 for 819 reflections with I > 2σ(I)] consists of edge-sharing and corner-sharing chains composed of Mg, Fe3+ and Ti atoms coordinated by six atoms of oxygen and running along the b axis, with Na filling the tunnels formed by the chains. The eight strongest powder-diffraction lines [d in Å (I/I0) (hkl)] are: 7.17 (100) (301), 4.84 (70) (302), 2.973 (35) (901), 2.841 (50) (004), 2.706 (50) (902), 2.541 (50) (312), 2.450 (70) (611), and 2.296 (45) (612). The average results of 12 electron microprobe analyses gave (wt.%): Na2O 16.46(15), CaO 1.01(3), MgO 5.31(5), Fe2O3 22.24(32), Cr2O3 1.05(6), Al2O3 0.03(2), TiO2 53.81(50), total 99.91, corresponding to the empirical formula (Na2.89Ca0.10)Σ2.99(Ti3.67Fe1.523+Mg0.72Cr0.08)Σ5.99O12, or ideally Na3MgFe3+Ti4O12.The new mineral has been approved by the IMA-CNMNC and named for Galina Kudryavtseva (1947–2006), a well known Russian mineralogist and founder of the Diamond Mineralogy Laboratory and scientific school for investigation of diamond mineralogy and geochemistry at the Lomonosov State University in Moscow, Russia.


2017 ◽  
Vol 81 (2) ◽  
pp. 319-327 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anthony R. Kampf ◽  
Barbara P. Nash ◽  
Joe Marty ◽  
John M. Hughes

AbstractMesaite (IMA2015-069), ideally (V2O7)3·12H2O, is a new mineral from the Packrat mine, Gateway district, Mesa County, Colorado, USA. Crystals of mesaite occur as orangish red blades up to 0.1 mm long and ∼10 μm thick. The streak is light pinkish orange and the lustre is vitreous, transparent. Mesaite has a brittle tenacity, {010} perfect cleavage; fracture is irregular, and no parting was observed. The mineral has a Mohs hardness ≈ 2. The measured density of mesaite is 2.74(1) g cm–3. Mesaite is biaxial (–), α = 1.760(calc), β = 1.780(5), γ = 1.795(5) in white light; the measured 2V value = 81(2)°. Dispersion is strong, r < v, and pleochroism is present in shades of brownish orange. Mesaite is monoclinic, P2/n, with a = 9.146(2), b = 10.424(3), c = 15.532(4) Å, β = 102.653(7)° and V = 1444.7(6) Å3. The strongest four diffraction lines in the powder diffraction pattern are [(dobs in Å, (Iobs), (hkl)]: 10.47 (100) (010), 2.881 (25) (132, 3̄12, 033, 310), 3.568 (24) (1̄14, 1̄23, 2̄13), 3.067 (17) (1̄24, 1̄32, 2̄23). The composition of mesaite was determined by electron microprobe, and yielded an empirical formula of Mn5.32Ca0.56Zn0.31V5.96As0.04O33H23.61 on the basis of 33 O atoms per formula unit (apfu).The atomic arrangement of mesaite was solved and refined to R1 = 0.0600. The structure is formed of zigzag octahedral chains of edge-sharing Mn2+O6 octahedra. Oxygen atoms of the octahedra are shared with V2O7 groups, which link with adjacent octahedral chains to form {010} heteropolyhedral layers. The interlayer region contains Ca atoms and H2O groups. Each Ca bonds to two O6 atoms in the heteropolyhedral layer and to two fully occupied and six partially occupied O (H2O) sites in the interlayer, resulting in an effective Ca coordination of approximately seven. Similar zigzag chains of edge-sharing MnO6 octahedra decorated with V2O7 groups are also found in the mineral fianelite. Mesaite has beenapproved by the Commission on New Minerals, Nomenclature and Classification of the International Mineralogical Association (IMA2015-069). The name mesaite is conferred for Mesa County, Colorado, USA.


2012 ◽  
Vol 76 (3) ◽  
pp. 743-750 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Guastoni ◽  
L. Bindi ◽  
F. Nestola

AbstractDebattistiite, ideally Ag9Hg0.5As6S12Te2, is a new mineral (IMA-CNMNC 2011-098) from the Lengenbach quarry in the Binn Valley, Valais, Switzerland. It occurs as very rare tabular euhedral crystals up to 150 μm across in cavities in dolomitic marble, associated with realgar, rutile, trechmannite and hutchinsonite. Debattistiite is opaque with a metallic lustre and a grey streak. It is brittle; the Vickers hardness (VHN25) is 80 kg mm–2 (range: 65–94), corresponding to a Mohs hardness of 2–2½. In reflected light debattistiite is dark grey, highly bireflectant and weakly pleochroic from dark grey to a slightly greenish grey. Between crossed polars it is highly anisotropic with brownish to blue rotation tints. Internal reflections are absent. Reflectance percentages for the four COM wavelengths (Rmin and Rmax) are 27.2, 34.5 (471.1 nm), 25.5, 31.0 (548.3 nm), 22.9, 28.4 (586.6 nm), and 20.1, 25.2 (652.3 nm), respectively.Debattistiite is triclinic, space group P1, with a = 7.832(5), b = 8.606(4), c = 10.755(5) Å, α = 95.563(9), β = 95.880(5), γ = 116.79(4)°, V = 635.3(6) Å3 and Z = 1. The crystal structure [R1 = 0.0826 for 795 reflections with I > 2σ(I)] consists of corner-sharing AsS3 pyramids forming three-membered distorted rings linked by Ag atoms in triangular or tetrahedral coordination.The five strongest powder-diffraction lines [d in Å (I/I0) (hkl)] are as follows: 10.56 (6) (001); 3.301 (5) (2̄12); 2.991 (4) (21̄2); 2.742 (2̄1̄1) and 2.733 (10) (2̄30). A mean of nine electron microprobe analyses gave: Ag 44.88, Hg 4.49, As 20.77, S 17.72, Te 11.82; total 99.68 wt.%, which corresponds to Ag9.02Hg0.49As6.012S11.98Te2.01, on the basis of 29.5 atoms. The new mineral is named for Luca De Battisti, a systematic mineralogist and expert on the minerals of Lengenbach quarry.


2020 ◽  
Vol 58 (5) ◽  
pp. 587-596
Author(s):  
Anatoly V. Kasatkin ◽  
Emil Makovicky ◽  
Jakub Plášil ◽  
Radek Škoda ◽  
Atali A. Agakhanov ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT The new sulfosalt chukotkaite, ideally AgPb7Sb5S15, was discovered in the valley of the Levyi Vulvyveem river, Amguema river basin, Iultin District, Eastern Chukotka, Chukotka Autonomous Okrug, North-Eastern region, Russia. The new mineral forms anhedral grains up to 0.4 × 0.5 mm intergrown with pyrrhotite, sphalerite, galena, stannite, quartz, and Mn-Fe-bearing clinochlore. Other associated minerals include arsenopyrite, benavidesite, diaphorite, jamesonite, owyheeite, uchucchacuaite, cassiterite, and fluorapatite. Chukotkaite is lead-grey and has metallic luster and a grey streak. It is brittle and has an uneven fracture. Neither cleavage nor parting were observed. Mohs hardness is 2–2½. Dcalc. = 6.255 g/cm3. In reflected light, chukotkaite is white, moderately anisotropic with rotation tints varying from bluish-grey to brownish-grey. No pleochroism or internal reflections are observed. The chemical composition of chukotkaite is (wt.%; electron microprobe) Ag 3.83, Pb 53.67, Sb 24.30, S 18.46, total 100.26. The empirical formula based on the sum of all atoms = 28 pfu is Ag0.93Pb6.78Sb5.22S15.07. Chukotkaite is monoclinic, space group P21/c, a = 4.0575(3), b = 35.9502(11), c = 19.2215(19) Å, β = 90.525(8)°, V = 2803.7(4) Å3, and Z = 4. The strongest lines of the powder X-ray diffraction pattern [d, Å (I, %) (hkl)] are: 3.52 (100) (045), 3.38 (50) (055), 3.13 (50) (065), , 2.82 (25) (066), 1.91 (50) (0 1 10). The crystal structure of chukotkaite was refined from single-crystal X-ray diffraction data to R = 0.0712 for 3307 observed reflections with Iobs &gt; 3σ(I). Chukotkaite belongs to the group of rod-based sulfosalts. The new mineral is named after the region of its type locality: Chukotka Autonomous Okrug, North-Eastern Region, Russia.


2009 ◽  
Vol 73 (5) ◽  
pp. 847-854 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. Sokolova ◽  
Y. Abdu ◽  
F. C. Hawthorne ◽  
A. V. Stepanov ◽  
G. K. Bekenova ◽  
...  

AbstractCámaraite, ideally Ba3NaTi4(Fe2+,Mn)8(Si2O7)4O4(OH,F)7, is a new mineral from the Verkhnee Espe deposit, Akjailyautas Mountains, Kazakhstan. It occurs as intergrowths with bafertisite and jinshajiangite in separate platy crystals up to 8 mm × 15 mm × 2 mm in size, or as star-shaped aggregates of crystals with different orientations. Individual crystals are orange-red to brownish-red, and are platy on {001}. Cámaraite is translucent and has a pale-yellow streak, a vitreous lustre, and does not fluoresce under cathode or ultraviolet light. Cleavage is {001} perfect, no parting was observed, and Mohs hardness is <5; the mineral is brittle. The calculated density is 4.018 g cm-3. In transmitted light, camaraite is strongly pleochroic, X = light brown, Y = reddish-brown, Z = yellow- brown, with Z < X < Y. Cámaraite is biaxial +ve and 2Vmeas. = 93(1)°. All refractive indices are greater than 1.80. Cámaraite is triclinic, space group C, a = 10.678(4) Å, b = 13.744(8) Å, c = 21.40(2) Å, α = 99.28(8)°, β = 92.38(5)°, γ = 90.00(6)°, V = 3096(3) Å3, Z = 4, a:b:c = 0.7761:1:1.5565. The seven strongest lines in the X-ray powder-diffraction pattern are as follows: [d (Å), (I), (hkl)]: 2.63, (100), (401); 2.79, (90), (3, 41, 26, 225); 1.721, (70), (11, 49, 02); 3.39, (50), (24, 223); 3.18, (50), (5, 24); 2.101, (50), (2, 40); 1.578, (50), (1, 2, 61, 40). Chemical analysis by electron microprobe gave: Nb2O5 1.57, SiO2 25.25, TiO2 15.69, ZrO2 0.33, Al2O3 0.13, Fe2O3 2.77, FeO 16.54, MnO 9.46, ZnO 0.12, MgO 0.21, CaO 0.56, BaO 21.11, Na2O 1.41, K2O 0.84, H2O 1.84, F 3.11, less O:F 1.31, total 99.63 wt.%, where the valence state of Fe was determined by Mössbauer spectroscopy [Fe3+/(Fe2+ + Fe3+) = 0.13(8)] and the H2O content was derived by crystal-structure determination. The resulting empirical formula on the basis of 39 anions is Ca0.05)Σ7.78Si7.97O35.89H3.88F3.11. Cámaraite is a Group-II TS-block mineral in the structure hierarchy of Sokolova (2006). The mineral is named camaraite after Fernando Cámaraite (born 1967) of Melilla, Spain, in recognition of his contribution to the fields of mineralogy and crystallography. The new mineral and mineral name have been approved by the Commission on New Minerals, Nomenclature and Classification, International Mineralogical Association (IMA 2009-11).


2015 ◽  
Vol 79 (1) ◽  
pp. 121-131 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luca Bindi ◽  
Giovanni Pratesi ◽  
Maurizio Muniz-Miranda ◽  
Matteo Zoppi ◽  
Laura Chelazzi ◽  
...  

AbstractBonazziite is a new mineral from Khaidarkan deposit, Kyrgyzstan and represents the natural analogue of the β-form of the well known As4S4 compound. It occurs as rare crystals up to 100 μm across associated with realgar, sulfur, wakabayashilite, alacránite, non-stoichiometric As4S4+x sulfides and stibnite in a calcite matrix. In thick section, bonazziite is opaque with a resinous lustre and a dark-orange streak. It is brittle; the Vickers hardness (VHN15) is 70 kg/mm2 (range: 60–76) (Mohs hardness of ∼2½). In plane-polarized incident light, bonazziite is strongly bireflectant and pleochroic from orange to light red. The mineral shows orange to red internal reflections. Between crossed polars, the mineral is strongly anisotropic with greyish to light-blue rotation tints. Reflectance percentages in air for Rmin and Rmax are 19.9, 22.2 (471.1 nm), 19.1, 21.3 (548.3 nm), 18.8, 19.7 (586.6 nm) and 17.8, 18.9 (652.3 nm), respectively. Bonazziite is monoclinic, space group C2/c, with a = 9.956(1), b = 9.308(1), c = 8.869(1) Å, β = 102.55(2)° and V = 802.3(2) Å3, Z = 4. The crystal structure [R1 = 0.0263 for 735 reflections with Fo > 4σ(Fo)] is based on the As4S4 cage-like molecule, in which each As atom links one As and two S atoms. The As4S4 molecule is identical to that found in the structure of realgar. The six strongest powder diffraction lines [d in Å (I/I0) (hkl)] are: 5.74 (100) (1̄11); 4.10 (60) (021); 3.92 (50) (1̄12); 3.12 (60) (022, 310); 2.95 (50) (221, 202); 2.86 (80) (2̄22, 1̄31). a mean of six electron microprobe analyses gave the formula As3.95S4.05, on the basis of eight atoms. The new mineral has been approved by the International Mineralogical Association Commission on New Minerals, Nomenclature and Classification (IMA No. 2013-141) and named for Paola Bonazzi, in recognition of her seminal contributions to the study of arsenic sulfides and their alteration induced by exposure to light.


2014 ◽  
Vol 78 (3) ◽  
pp. 739-745 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. R. Cabral ◽  
R. Skála ◽  
A. Vymazalová ◽  
A. Kallistová ◽  
B. Lehmann ◽  
...  

AbstractKitagohaite, ideally Pt7Cu, is a new mineral from the Lubero region of North Kivu, Democratic Republic of the Congo. The mineral occurs as alluvial grains that were recovered together with other Pt-rich intermetallic compounds and Au. Kitagohaite is opaque, greyish white and malleable and has a metallic lustre and a grey streak. In reflected light, kitagohaite is white and isotropic. The crystal structure of kitagohaite is cubic, space group Fmm, of the Ca7Ge type, with a = 7.7891(3) Å, V = 472.57(5) Å3 and Z = 4. The strongest diffraction lines [d in Å(I)(hkl)] are: 2.246 (100)(222), 1.948(8)(004), 1.377 (77)(044), 1.174(27)(622), 1.123 (31)(444) and 0.893 (13)(662). The Vickers hardness is 217 kg mm−2 (VHN100), which is equivalent to a Mohs hardness of 3½ and the calculated density is 19.958(2) g cm−3. Electron-microprobe analyses gave a mean value (n = 13) of 95.49 wt.% Pt and 4.78 wt.%Cu, which corresponds to Pt6.93Cu1.07 on the basis of eight atoms. The new mineral is named for the Kitagoha river, in the Lubero region.


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