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Structural role of copper in the minerals of the pearceite-polybasite group: the case of the new minerals cupropearceite and cupropolybasite

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  05 July 2018

L. Bindi ,
M. Evain ,
P. G. Spry ,
K. T. Tait  and
S. Menchetti
L. Bindi*
Affiliation:
Museo di Storia Naturale, sezione di Mineralogia, Università degli Studi di Firenze, Via La Pira, 4, I-50121, Firenze, Italy
M. Evain
Affiliation:
Laboratoire de Chimie des Solides, I.M.N., UMR 6502 CNRS - Université de Nantes, 2 rue de la Houssinière, B.P. 32229, F-44322 Nantes Cedex 3, France
P. G. Spry
Affiliation:
Department of Geological and Atmospheric Sciences, 253 Science I, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa 50011- 3212, USA
K. T. Tait
Affiliation:
Department of Natural History, Royal Ontario Museum, 100 Queens Park, Toronto, Ontario M5S 2C6, Canada
S. Menchetti
Affiliation:
Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra, Università degli Studi di Firenze, Via La Pira, 4, I-50121, Firenze, Italy
*
E-mail: [email protected]
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Abstract

The pearceite-polybasite group of minerals, general formula [M6T2S7][Ag9CuS4] with M = Ag, Cu; and T = As, Sb, show a crystal structure which can be described as the succession, along the c axis, of two pseudo-layer modules: a [M6T2S7]2–A module layer and a [Ag9CuS4]2+B module layer. Copper is present in one structural position of the B module layer and replaces Ag in the only fully occupied M position of the A module layer. When the Cu content is >4.00 a.p.f.u., the structural position of the A module layer becomes Cu-dominant and, consequently, the mineral deserves its own name. In this paper we report the crystal-chemical characterization of two Cu-rich members exhibiting the 111 unitcell type (corresponding to the Tac polytype). One sample (space group (P)m1, a 7.3218(8), c 11.8877(13) Å, V 551.90(10) Å3, Z = 1) having As >Sb and with the structural position of the A module layer dominated by Cu, has been named cupropearceite and the other sample (space group (P3̄)m1, a 7.3277(3), c 11.7752(6) Å, V 547.56(8) Å3, Z = 1) having Sb >As has been named cupropolybasite.

Both the new minerals and mineral names have been approved by the IMA-CNMNC.

Keywords

cupropearceitecupropolybasitenew mineralcrystal structurechemical composition
Type
Research Article
Information
Mineralogical Magazine , Volume 71 , Issue 6 , December 2007 , pp. 641 - 650
Copyright
Copyright © The Mineralogical Society of Great Britain and Ireland 2007

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