Publication details
Zvěstovite-(Fe), Ag6(Ag4Fe2)As4S13, a new member of the tetrahedrite group from the Ulatayskoe Ag–Cu–Co occurrence, eastern Siberia, Russia
| Authors | |
|---|---|
| Year of publication | 2024 |
| Type | Article in Periodical |
| Magazine / Source | European Journal of Mineralogy |
| MU Faculty or unit | |
| Citation | |
| Web | https://ejm.copernicus.org/articles/36/529/2024/ |
| Doi | http://dx.doi.org/10.5194/ejm-36-529-2024 |
| Keywords | TENNANTITE; REFINEMENT; CELL |
| Description | The new mineral zvěstovite-(Fe), ideally Ag6(Ag4Fe2)As4S13, has been found in the small abandoned Ulatayskoe Ag–Cu–Co occurrence, Ovyurskiy District, Tuva Republic, eastern Siberia, Russia. It occurs as anhedral grains, up to 1?×?0.4?mm in size but usually much smaller, closely intergrown with native silver, in Mg-bearing siderite–quartz gangue. Other associated minerals include acanthite, cobaltite, As-rich members of the tetrahedrite group (kenoargentotennantite-(Fe), tennantite-(Zn), zvěstovite-(Zn)), gersdorffite, jalpaite, krutovite, löllingite, pearceite, safflorite, skutterudite, Br-bearing chlorargyrite, malachite, and muscovite. Zvěstovite-(Fe) is iron black and opaque and has a black streak and metallic lustre. It is brittle and has a conchoidal fracture. No cleavage or parting is observed. The Vickers micro-indentation hardness (Vickers hardness number, VHN; 25?g load) is 169?kg?mm-2 (range of 149–187?kg?mm-2, n=4), corresponding to a Mohs hardness of 3–3.5. The calculated density is 4.979?g?cm-3. In reflected light, zvěstovite-(Fe) is light grey with a greenish tint and isotropic. Internal reflections are ubiquitous and deep red in colour. The reflectance values for wavelengths recommended by the Commission on Ore Mineralogy of the International Mineralogical Association are (R, %): 32.5 (470?nm), 31.1 (546?nm), 30.1 (589?nm), and 28.8 (650?nm). The chemical composition (wt?%, electron microprobe data, mean of eight spot analyses) is as follows: Cu 1.81, Ag 56.02, Fe 4.60, Zn 0.01, As 13.85, Sb 2.63, S 21.50, total 100.42. The empirical formula, calculated on the basis of 16 atoms per formula unit, is Ag9.93Cu0.54Fe1.58As3.54Sb0.41S12.83. Zvěstovite-(Fe) is cubic and has a space group of 3m, with a=10.8601(3), V=1280.86(11)?A3, and Z=2. The strongest lines of the X-ray powder diffraction pattern (d, A (I, %) hkl) are 7.68 (11) 110, 3.136 (100) 222, 2.717 (12) 400, 1.984 (8) 521, 1.921 (23) 440, and 1.638 (11) 622. The crystal structure of zvěstovite-(Fe) was refined to R1=0.0551 for 400 unique reflections with Fo>4? (Fo). The possible ordering of the split M(2) sites is discussed. The new mineral is the Fe isotype of zvěstovite-(Zn). Both these minerals form the zvěstovite series within the tetrahedrite group. |