Moschellandsbergite
- Landsbergit
Moschellandsbergit, also briefly called Landsbergit or referred to as γ - amalgam, is a rarely occurring mineral from the mineral class of elements, more precisely, a natural alloy of about 26 to 27% silver and 74-73 % mercury. It crystallizes in the cubic crystal system with the chemical composition Ag2Hg3 and developed opaque and mostly rich area, dodecahedral crystals, but also granular to massive mineral aggregates of silver-white color and strong metallic luster.
Special Features
Before the blowpipe melts Moschellandsbergit and forms a silver grain.
Etymology and history
1442 the mining of silver and mercury is first mentioned on Moschellandsberg at Obermoschel. In the described hard silver at least is a very likely indication because it is a brittle mineral in Landsbergit. Described Valid ( according to IMA) and named after the first locality Moschellandsberg is Landsbergit only in 1938 by Berman and Harcourt.
Classification
In the now outdated but still in use classification of minerals according to Strunz ( 8th edition ) of the Moschellandsbergit belonged to the department of " metals, alloys and intermetallic compounds ," where he along with Belendorffit, lead amalgam, Eugenit, gold amalgam, Kolymit, Luanheit, Paraschachnerit, Potarit, mercury, Schachnerit and Weishanit the " mercury amalgam series" with the system no. I/A.02 formed.
The 9th edition used since 2001 and valid by the International Mineralogical Association (IMA ) of the Strunz'schen Mineral classification assigns the Moschellandsbergit also in the department of " metals and intermetallic compounds " one. However, this is further subdivided according to the conditions prevailing in the connection and summarized to families metals, so that the mineral " mercury amalgam family " can be found according to its composition in the subdivision where it only together with Eugenit, Luanheit, Moschellandsbergit Paraschachnerit and Schachnerit forms the unnamed group 1.AD.15.
The common in English-speaking classification of minerals according to Dana assigns the Moschellandsbergit in the class of elements, there, however, in the department of " Metallic elements other than the platinum group ", where he together with Schachnerit, Paraschachnerit, Luanheit, Eugenit and Weishanit the subdivision silver amalgam alloys forms.
Education and Locations
Moschellandsbergit is a hydrothermal mineral that is found mostly with cinnabar ( vermilion ), tetrahedrite and pyrite in low-grade deposits.
Apart from its type locality Moschellandsberg ( pit " Carolina " and " trust in God " ), the mineral in Germany still in Königsberg, the Pit " Fresh Courage " at Stahlberg, the pit Friedrichssegen at Frücht and " Daimbacher yard" (formerly " Old Mine " in Daimbach ) found in Mörsfeld in Rhineland -Palatinate.
Worldwide, Moschellandsbergit been detected at 20 localities (as of 2010), as well as in the " Chalanches Les Mine" at Allemont in the French department of Isère, the " Yamagano Mine" on the Japanese island of Kyushu, Schwarzleo in Austria, in the East Siberian regions of Russia, Sala in Sweden, Brezina in Slovakia, Radnice in the Czech Republic, " Adolf Mine" at Rudabánya in Hungary and in several regions of Nevada in the United States.
Crystal structure
Moschellandsbergit crystallized cubic space group I23 ( Raumgruppen-Nr. 197 ) with the lattice parameters a = 10.05 Å and four formula units per unit cell. Its structure corresponds to that of γ - brass