Coiraite, (Pb,Sn²⁺)_12.5As₃Fe²⁺Sn⁴⁺₅S₂₈: a franckeite-type new mineral species from Jujuy Province, NW Argentina

Authors: Paar, W.H.; Moëlo, Y.; Mozgova, N.N.; Organova, N.I.; Stanley, C.J.; Roberts, A.C.; Culetto, F.J.; Effenberger, H.S.; Topa, D.; Putz, H.; Sureda, R.J.; de Brodtkorb, M.K.

Source: Mineralogical Magazine, Volume 72, Number 5, October 2008 , pp. 1083-1101(19)

Publisher: Mineralogical Society

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Abstract:

Coiraite, ideally (Pb,Sn²⁺)_12.5As₃Fe²⁺Sn⁴⁺₅S₂₈, occurs as an economically important tin ore in the large Ag-Sn-Zn polymetallic Pirquitas deposit, Jujuy Province, NW-Argentina. The new mineral species is the As derivative of franckeite and belongs to the cylindrite group of complex Pb sulphosalts with incommensurate composite-layered structures. It is a primary mineral, frequently found in colloform textures, and formed from hydrothermal solutions at low temperature. Associated minerals are franckeite, cylindrite, pyrite-marcasite, as well as minor amounts of hocartite, Ag-rich rhodostannite, arsenopyrite and galena. Laminae of coiraite consist of extremely thin bent platy crystals up to 50 μm long. Electron microprobe analysis (n = 31) gave an empirical formula Pb_11.21As_2.99Ag_0.13Fe_1.10Sn_6.13S_28.0, close to the ideal formula (Pb_11.3Sn²⁺_1.2)_Σ=12.5As₃Fe²⁺Sn⁴⁺₅S₂₈. Coiraite has two monoclinic sub-cells, Q (pseudotetragonal) and H (pseudohexagonal). Q: a 5.84(1) Å, b 5.86(1) Å, c 17.32(1) Å, β 94.14(1)°, V 590.05(3) Å³, Z = 4, a:b:c = 0.997:1:2.955; H (orthogonal setting): a 6.28(1) Å, b 3.66(1) Å, c 17.33(1) Å, β 91.46(1)°, V 398.01(6) Å³, Z = 2, a:b:c = 1.716:1:4.735. The strongest Debye-Scherrer camera X-ray powder-diffraction lines [d in Å, (I), (hkl)] are: 5.78, (20), (Q and H 003); 4.34, (40), (Q 004); 3.46, (30), (Q and H 005); 3.339, (20), (Q 104); 2.876, (100), (Q and H 006); 2.068, (60), (Q 220).

Keywords: COIRAITE; AS-DERIVATIVE OF FRANCKEITE; TIN; ARSENIC; CYLINDRITE GROUP; SULPHOSALT

Document Type: Research article

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1180/minmag.2008.072.5.1083

Publication date: 2008-10-01

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