Chenguodaite (Ag9FeTe2S4): a new tellurosulfide mineral from the gold district of East Shandong Peninsula, China

Abstract

Chenguodaite, approved by IMA-CNMMN (2004-042a), was discovered in the Bunan quartz vein-type gold deposit in the gold district of East Shandong Peninsula. The mineral occurs in high grade Au-Ag-Cu ores, coexisting with galena, chalcopyrite, hessite, electrum, unnamed Ag6TeS2 and Ag16FeBiTe3S8, enclosed and replaced by native silver and acanthite. In the reflected light microscope, the mineral has light gray color, indistinguishable anistropism and hardness around 2–3. The color indices of chenguodaite relative to ICE C illuminator are: x=0.3027, y=0.3076, Y=25.78%,-λd=474 nm, Pe=3.68%, similar to those of canfieldite. The average chemical composition from 16 microprobe analyses is Ag8.97Fe1.00Te1.99S4.04, idealized to Ag9FeTe2S4. The polycrystalline X-ray diffraction of chenguodaite by Gandolfi camera and synchrotron oscillation photography results in 67 reflections with the 12 strongest being (relative intensity in bracket): 6.742(69), 6.416(39), 5.951(33), 3.265(100), 2.981(24), 2.649(22), 2.25(24), 2.188(71), 2.142(22), 2.123(31), 2.044(23), 1.949(33), which are indexed to a primitive orthorhombic cell with a=12.769 (2) A, b= 14.814(2) A, c= 16.233 (1) A, V= 3070.6 A3, Z = 9, Dcal.=6.85 g/cm3. The name is for the late Prof. Chen Guoda, a famous Chinese geologist and the founder of Diwa-Geodepression theory of tectonics.