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Formula: Ag8GeS6
Sulphide, argyrodite group, up to about 40 mol-% of the
sulphur may be replaced by
selenium, forms a series with
canfieldite,
germanium-bearing mineral
Crystal System: Orthorhombic
Specific gravity: 6.29 measured, 6.32 calculated
Hardness: 2½ to 3
Colour: Grey, black
Luminescence: Not fluorescent in UV.
Common impurities: Fe,Sb,Sn
Environments
Metamorphic environments
Hydrothermal environments
Minerals associated with argyrodite include canfieldite,
stephanite, acanthite,
pyrargyrite, polybasite,
aramayoite, diaphorite,
marcasite, pyrite,
galena, sphalerite,
cassiterite and siderite
(HOM).
Localities
At a number of localities in Bolivia, including Aullagas, Colquechaca, Potosí, Oruro, Porco, Chocaya, and
Machacamarca, agyrodite occurs in high-temperature
tin-silver deposits
(HOM).
At the type locality, the Himmelsfürst Mine, Brand-Erbisdorf, Mittelsachsen, Saxony, Germany, agyrodite
occurs in low-temperature polymetallic deposits with silver sulphosalts as
small crystals with edges less than
1 mm long, generally in aggregates
(Mindat).
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