Argentopyrite

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Argentopyrite
Argentopyrite - Schneeberg, Erzgebirge, Saxony, Germany.jpg
Argentopyrite (from Schneeberg, Erzgebirge, Saxony, Germany)
General
Category Sulfide mineral
Formula
(repeating unit)
AgFe2S3
IMA symbol Agpy [1]
Strunz classification 2.CB.65
Crystal system Monoclinic
Crystal class Prismatic (2/m)
(same H-M symbol)
Space group P1121/n
Identification
ColorBronze-brown or gray-white; iridescent (many colors)
Crystal habit Tabular prisms, pseudohexagonal or pseudo-orthorhombic, possibly pyramidally-terminated
Fracture Uneven
Tenacity Brittle
Mohs scale hardness3.5-4
Luster Metallic
Streak Grey
Diaphaneity Opaque
Density 4.25-4.27
References [2] [3] [4]

Argentopyrite is a moderately rare sulfide mineral with the chemical formula AgFe2S3. It is one of the natural compounds of the MFe2S3 type, with M being caesium in very rare pautovite, copper in relatively common cubanite, potassium in rare rasvumite and thallium in rare picotpaulite. The type locality is Jáchymov in Czech Republic. Chemically similar mineral include sternbergite (dimorphous with argentopyrite), lenaite, AgFeS2, and argentopentlandite, Ag(Fe,Ni)8S8. [2]

Crystal structure

Although previously assumed orthorhombic, [5] argentopyrite was later shown to be monoclinic, with structural relationship to cubanite. The most important feature of the argentopyrite structure are: [6]

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sekaninaite</span> Mg, Fe, Al cyclosilicate mineral

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Baotite</span>

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Julgoldite</span>

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cubanite</span> Copper iron sulfide mineral

Cubanite is a copper iron sulfide mineral that commonly occurs as a minor alteration mineral in magmatic sulfide deposits. It has the chemical formula CuFe2S3 and when found, it has a bronze to brass-yellow appearance. On the Mohs hardness scale, cubanite falls between 3.5 and 4 and has a orthorhombic crystal system. Cubanite is chemically similar to chalcopyrite, however it is the less common copper iron sulfide mineral due to crystallization requirements.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Beraunite</span>

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bergenite</span>

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sinoite</span>

Sinoite is rare mineral with the chemical formula Si2N2O. It was first found in 1905 in chondrite meteorites and identified as a distinct mineral in 1965. Sinoite crystallizes upon meteorite impact as grains smaller than 0.2 mm surrounded by Fe-Ni alloys and the mineral enstatite. It is named after its SiNO composition and can be prepared in the laboratory as a silicon oxynitride ceramic.

Bobfergusonite is a mineral with formula Na2Mn5FeAl(PO4)6. The mineral varies in color from green-brown to red-brown. It was discovered in 1986 in Manitoba, Canada, and named for Robert Bury Ferguson (born 1920). As of 2012, the mineral has only been found in Canada and Argentina.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hidalgoite</span> Mineral of the beudantite group

Hidalgoite, PbAl3(AsO4)(SO4)(OH)4, is a rare member of the beudantite group and is usually classified as part of the alunite family. It was named after the place where it was first discovered, the Zimapán mining district, Hidalgo, Mexico. At Hidalgo where it was initially discovered, it was found as dense white masses in alternating dikes of quartz latite and quartz monzonite alongside other secondary minerals such as sphalerite, arsenopyrite, cerussite and trace amounts of angelsite and alamosite, it was then rediscovered at other locations such as Australia where it occurs on oxidized shear zones above greywacke shales especially on the anticline prospects of the area, and on fine grained quartz-spessartine rocks in Broken Hill, Australia. Hidalgoite specimens are usually associated with copper minerals, clay minerals, iron oxides and polymetallic sulfides in occurrence.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hubeite</span>

The mineral hubeite, Ca
2
Mn2+
Fe3+
[Si
4
O
12
(OH)]·(H
2
O)
2
, is a sorosilicate of the Si
4
O
13
group. Structurally it also belongs to the Akatoreite group. It was found and named after the province of Hubei, China. It is common to iron ores in a mine of that region. It occurs mainly as aggregates of fan like crystals. It is dark to pale brown, has orange-brown streak and is vitreous. Hubeite has a hardness of 5.5 in the Mohs scale, one good cleavage and conchoidal fracture. It is triclinic with a space group of P1*. The structure of hubeite is very uncommon, and in fact there is only one other mineral that fits the Si
4
O
13
group, which is ruizite.

Moorhouseite is a rare mineral with the formula CoSO4•6H2O, a naturally occurring cobalt(II) sulfate hexahydrate. It is the lower-hydrate-equivalent of bieberite (heptahydrate) and aplowite (hexahydrate). It is also hydrated equivalent of cobaltkieserite. It occurs together with moorhouseite within efflorescences found in the Magnet Cove Barium Corporation mine in Walton, Nova Scotia, Canada.

Falsterite is a rare phosphate mineral with the formula Ca2MgMn2+2(Fe2+0.5Fe3+0.5)4Zn4(PO4)8(OH)4(H2O)14. It is a pegmatitic mineral, related to the currently approved mineral ferraioloite.

Filipstadite is a very rare mineral of the spinel group, with the formula (Mn,Mg)(Sb5+0.5Fe3+0.5)O4. It is isometric, although it was previously though to be orthorhombic. When compared to a typical spinel, both the octahedral and tetrahedral sites are split due to cation ordering. Filipstadite is chemically close to melanostibite. The mineral comes from Långban, Sweden, a manganese skarn deposit famous for many rare minerals.

Nuragheite is a rare natural thorium molybdate, formula Th(MoO4)2·H2O, discovered in Su Seinargiu, Sarroch, Cagliari, Sardegna, Italy. This locality is also a place of discovery of the other thorium molybdate - ichnusaite, which is a trihydrate.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sturmanite</span>

Sturmanite is a rare sulfate mineral with the chemical formula Ca6Fe3+2(SO4)2.5(B(OH)4)(OH)12 · 25 H2O. It crystallises in the tetragonal system and it has a Moh's hardness of 2.5. Sturmanite has a bright yellow to amber colour and falls in the ettringite group. It was named after Bozidar Darko Sturman (born 1937), Croatian-Canadian mineralogist and Curator Emeritus of Mineralogy, Royal Ontario Museum.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Capgaronnite</span>

Capgaronnite is a mineral that forms small tufted aggregates or isolated crystals with a maximum width of 0.02mm and a maximum length of 0.1mm. This mineral is related to perroudite in chemical composition and crystal structure. Capgaronnite is associated with secondary minerals of Cu like olivenite, cyanotrichite, and tennantite.

References

  1. Warr, L.N. (2021). "IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols". Mineralogical Magazine. 85 (3): 291–320. Bibcode:2021MinM...85..291W. doi: 10.1180/mgm.2021.43 . S2CID   235729616.
  2. 1 2 "Argentopyrite - Argentopyrite: Argentopyrite mineral information and data" . Retrieved 2016-03-07.
  3. "Argentopyrite" (PDF). Retrieved 2016-03-07.
  4. Mineralienatlas
  5. Murdoch, J., and Berry, L.G., 1954. X-ray measurements on argentopyrite. American Mineralogist 39, 475-485
  6. Yang, H., Pinch, W.W., and Downs, R.T., Crystal structure of argentopyrite, AgFe2S3, and its relationship with cubanite. American Mineralogist 94, 1727-1730