Zinkenite
- Lead stibnite
- Keeleyit
- Zinckenit
Zinkenite, also written Zinckenit and known by the mining designation lead stibnite or synonymously as Keeleyit, is a mineral from the mineral class of " sulfides and sulfosalts ," which can be abundant in various localities in part, is but overall not widespread.
Zinkenite crystallized in the hexagonal crystal system with the chemical composition Pb9Sb22S42 and mainly developed thin, prismatic and along the Z- axis striped opaque crystals to about 5 cm in length, but also radial- to felted or massive aggregates of white- to steel gray color and metallic luster. The bar is normally has a steel-gray to black color, but the changes to a reddish-brown color when the line sample is finely rubbed .. On the air can Zinkenite after some time start up colorful color.
Etymology and history
Zinkenite was first discovered in 1825 in the Graf Jost -Christian Mine at Wolf Mountain / Stolberg in Germany and described in 1826 by Gustav Rose, who ( in later publications also tines ) named the mineral after its discoverer Johann Ludwig Carl Zincken.
Classification
In the now outdated but still in use 8th edition of the mineral classification by Strunz the Zinkenite belonged to the mineral class of " sulfides and sulfosalts " and there to the general ward of " thio ", where he formed a distinct group with Scainiit.
The 9th edition used since 2001 and valid by the International Mineralogical Association (IMA ) of the Strunz'schen Mineral classification assigns the Zinkenite also in the class of " sulfides and sulfosalts ," there, however, in the fine already divided the department " sulfosalts with PbS as model " one. This division, however, is further subdivided according to the crystal structure and the prevailing in the compound metal, so that the mineral according to its composition in the subsection " Galena derivatives with lead (Pb) " is to find where it as a name, the " Zinkenitgruppe " with the system number. Forms 2.JB.35 and the other members Pellouxit, Pillait and Scainiit.
The mainly common in English-speaking classification of minerals according to Dana assigns the Zinkenite in the class of " sulfides and sulfosalts " and there in the department of " thio " one. Here it is also named the " Zinkenitgruppe " with the system no. 03:08:01 and the other members Pillait, Pellouxit and Tazieffit within the subdivision of the " sulpho with the ratio 1 < z / y < 2 and the composition (A ) i ( A2 ) j [ Bycz ], A = metals, B = semimetals to find C = non-metals ".
Education and Locations
Zinkenite precipitates from hydrothermal solutions from different veins. Accompanying minerals include Boulangerite, Bournonite, Jamesonite, stannite and stibnite.
Worldwide, Zinkenite so far (as of 2011) are detected at around 175 localities. Apart from its type locality pit Jost Christian in Saxony -Anhalt, the mineral occurred in Germany and in several places in the Black Forest in Baden- Württemberg, in case of fire wood in the Bavarian Fichtelgebirge, at Uentrop ( Arnsberg ) and Nuttlar ( Meschede ) in North Rhine -Westphalia, in several places the Eifel and in Raubach in Rhineland -Palatinate, in Kleinvoigtsberg ( Großschirma ) in Saxony and Thuringia in Greiz.
In Switzerland, Zinkenite found previously only on Felsberger Calanda, a summit of the Calenda - massif in the canton of Grisons.
Among others, the Ito's Mine and the San José mine in Oruro in Bolivia were known for their large crystal finds with up to 5 cm in diameter, but also in other areas of Departemento Oruro and Potosí Department Zinkenite could be found.
Other localities are Argentina, Australia, China, France, Greece, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Luxembourg, Mexico, Mongolia, Peru, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, Spain, Tajikistan, Turkey, Ukraine, the United Kingdom ( UK) and the United States of America (USA).
Crystal structure
Zinkenite crystallized hexagonal space group P63 ( Raumgruppen-Nr. 173) with the lattice parameters a = 22.15 Å and c = 4.33 Å and 1 formula units per unit cell.
Use
Zinkenite is only degraded in local accumulation as raw material for lead recovery. Otherwise, it is a rather insignificant ore and serves collectors and mineralogists as a mineral specimen.