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Formula: Pb6Bi2S9
Sulphosalt, lillianite homologous series group,
bismuth-bearing mineral
Crystal System: Orthorhombic
Specific gravity: 7.17 measured, 7.18 calculated
Hardness: 4 to 5
Streak: Greyish black
Colour: Tin-white
Environments
Localities
At Castlegar, Nelson Mining Division, British Columbia, Canada, sulphides occur disseminated in a heterogeneous very
fine grained mixture of chlorite,
calcite, muscovite and
quartz that developed along fracture zones in granular
quartz. Associated with this mixture are subhedral crystals of
scheelite up to several millimetres in size. The sulphides also occur along the
boundaries of quartz and scheelite as
well as along fractures in scheelite.
Galena and silver- and
bismuth- rich heyrovskyite represent the principal sulphide phases. They
are accompanied by minor amounts of pyrite,
chalcopyrite and molybdenite.
The silver- and bismuth- rich
heyrovskyite occurs primarily as randomly oriented crystals in galena,
ranging in thickness from 0.05 to 0.5 mm. In other portions of the ore they form aggregates in silicate minerals, with
only minor amounts of interstitial galena present. Subhedral
pyrite occurs alone in gangue minerals or
is associated with galena and heyrovskyite
(CM 19.349-353).
At the type locality, Hůrky, Čistá ring, Čistá, Rakovník District, Central Bohemian Region, Czech Republic,
heyrovskyite occurs in high-temperature, hydrothermal quartz veins
associated with pyrite, sphalerite,
galena, molybdenite,
chalcopyrite and covellite. The
crystals of heyrovskyite are less than 20 mm long and 0.1 to 0.5 mm thick, and in masses, mostly less than 2 mm
(AM 57.325).
At La Mothe quarry, La Roche-Ballue, Bouguenais, Nantes, Loire-Atlantique, Pays de la Loire, France, heyrovskyite
(with traces of eskimoite) has been deposited together with
quartz, scheelite,
arsenopyrite, gustavite,
vikingite and galena at 350 to
400oC
(CM: 29.553-559).
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