Hemusite

• IMA 1968-038

Hemusit is a very rarely occurring mineral from the mineral class of sulfides and sulfosalts. It crystallizes in the cubic crystal system with the chemical composition and forms Cu6SnMoS8 round or irregularly shaped aggregates of particles of up to 0.05 mm in size.

Etymology and history

The mineral was first in 1971 by G.I. Terziev found in the Chelopech mine at Panagjurischte in the Oblast Pazardzhik (Bulgaria). They named it after the ancient name of the Balkan Mountains Hemus in which the locality is situated.

Classification

In the classification by Strunz Hemusit is counted among the metal sulfides with a ratio of metal to sulfur, selenium or tellurium of 1:1. After the 8th edition forms a group together with Kiddcreekit. In the 9th edition it forms with Catamarcait, Vinciennit, Kiddcreekit, Morozeviczit, Polkovicit and Renierite a subset of the sulphides of zinc, iron, copper or silver.

In the classification by Dana it forms with Kiddcreekit a subset of the sulfides, selenides and tellurides with a general ratio formula AmBnXp and a ratio of (m n) p of 1:1.

Education and Locations

Hemusit formed hydrothermally. It is associated with enargite, Luzonit, Colusite, Stannoidit, Renierite, tennantite, chalcopyrite and pyrite.

From the very rare mineral only five localities (as of October 2010) are known. In addition to the type locality was found Hemusit in Shimoda and Iriki in Japan, the Kamchatka Peninsula in Russia and Kochbulak in Uzbekistan.

Crystal structure

Hemusit crystallizes in the cubic crystal system in the space group Fm3m, F432 or F43m with the lattice parameters a = 10.82 Å and four formula units per unit cell.