Coloradoite

Coloradoite (also Tellurquecksilber ) is a mineral from the mineral class of " sulfides and sulfosalts ," which can occur at different sites partly plentiful, but overall is not widespread. It crystallizes in the cubic crystal system with the chemical composition of HgTe and has so far been grained to massive mineral aggregates found only in the form of black gray color. The stroke color of the mineral is black gray.

Etymology and history

Coloradoite was first discovered in the " Smuggler Mine", the " Keystone Mine" and "Mountain Lion Mine", but later also in many other areas of the U.S. state of Colorado. The mineral in 1877 was described by Friedrich August Genth, who named it after his main occurrence in Colorado.

Classification

In the now outdated but still in use 8th edition of the mineral classification by Strunz the Coloradoite belonged to the mineral class of " sulfides and sulfosalts " and then to the Department of " sulfides with the molar ratio of metal: sulfur, selenium, tellurium = 1: 1 ," where he formed a distinct group with Hawleyit, Rudashevskyit, Metacinnabarit, Polhemusit, sphalerite, and Stilleit Tiemannit.

The 9th edition valid since 2001 and of the International Mineralogical Association (IMA ) used the Strunz'schen Mineral classification assigns the Coloradoite also in the class of " sulfides and sulfosalts ( sulfides, selenides, tellurides, arsenides, antimonides, bismuthides, Sulfarsenite, Sulfantimonite, Sulfbismuthite ) "and then in the Department of " Metal sulfides, M: S = 1: 1 ( and similar ) " a. This division, however, is further subdivided according to the dominant in the metal compound, so that the mineral according to its composition in the subsection " with zinc (Zn ), iron ( Fe), copper (Cu), silver (Ag ), etc., " Finding is where it together with Hawleyit, Metacinnabarit, Polhemusit, Rudashevskyit, Sakuraiit, sphalerite, and Stilleit Tiemannit the " Sphaleritgruppe " with the system no. 2.CB.05 forms.

The classification of minerals according to Dana assigns the Coloradoite in the class of " sulfides and sulfosalts " and then in the Department of " sulfide minerals ." Here he is with sphalerite, Stilleit, Metacinnabarit, Tiemannit, Hawleyit and Rudashevskyit in the " Sphaleritgruppe ( Isometric: ) " with the system no. 02:08:02 within the subdivision " sulfides - tellurides and selenides, including - with the composition AmBnXp, with (m n): p = 1: 1" to find.

Modifications and varieties

• Kalgoorlit, named after its place of discovery in the area around Kalgoorlie - Boulder, is a mixture of Coloradoite and petzite

Education and Locations

Coloradoite formed by hydrothermal processes in tellurium- precious metal veins. Accompanying minerals include Altait, Calaverit, galena, chalcopyrite, gold, Krennerit, petzite, pyrite, pyrrhotite, sphalerite, tetrahedrite and tennantite.

Worldwide, Coloradoite so far (as of 2011) are detected in over 120 localities. In addition to its main occurrence in Colorado, the mineral in the United States still found in several regions of Alaska, California, Montana, Nevada and North Carolina.

In Austria Coloradoite so far only occurred on Mitter mountain in the municipality of Mühlbach in Salzburg. In Switzerland, with Bitsch VS (Massa Gorge ) in the canton of Valais previously also only a locality known.

Other localities include Australia, Chile, China, Fiji, Finland, France, Ghana, Guyana, India, Iran, Italy, Japan, Canada, Mexico, New Zealand, the Philippines, Romania, Russia, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Sweden, the Czech Republic, Hungary.

Crystal structure

Coloradoite crystallized cubic space group ( Raumgruppen-Nr. 216 ) with the lattice parameters a = 6.45 Å and four formula units per unit cell.