Bilibinskite

Bilibinskite is an Au - Cu - Pb telluride. It is a rare mineral that was named after Soviet geologist Yuri Bilibin (1901–1952), who researched the geology of gold deposits during the time of the USSR.

Bilibinskite
General
CategoryTelluride mineral
Formula
(repeating unit)
Au3Cu2PbTe2
Strunz classification02.BA.55
Crystal systemCubic
Crystal classSulfide
Identification
Formula mass1,180.39 g/mol
ColorBronze colored, light brown or brownish-pink
Crystal habitMassive
CleavageNone
Mohs scale hardness4.5 - 5
LusterSub-metallic
Streakgolden brown
Diaphaneityopaque
Density14.27
Optical propertiesAnisotropic
Other characteristicsIMA Status Approved (1978)
References[1][2]

Properties

Bilibinskite is a metallic mineral with a color that ranges from opaque bronze-colored to light-brown or brownish-pink. It has a sub-metallic luster, a brown streak color and has no fission. Bilibinskite crystallizes in the cubic system. It has a high relative density of 14.27. The mineral has a hardness of 4.5 to 5 and it is not radioactive.

Occurrence

Bilibinskite is a very rare mineral that formed in the weathering zones of gold tellurides. The type locality is the Kamchatka Peninsula in the Russian Far East, where the mineral was discovered in 1978. It has also been found in hypogene ores of Kazakhstan, Xinjiang and Tuva.[3]

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See also

References

  1. Bilibinskite - Russian Foundation for Basic Researches
  2. Handbook of Mineralogy
  3. I.Y. Nekrasov, Geochemistry, Mineralogy and Genesis of Gold Deposits, table 20.
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