Staročeskéite, Ag0.70Pb1.60(Bi1.35Sb1.35)Σ2.70S6, from Kutná Hora, Czech Republic, a new member of the lillianite homologous series

Abstract

ABSTRACTA new mineral species, staročeskéite, ideally Ag0.70Pb1.60(Bi1.35Sb1.35)Σ2.70S6, has been found at Kutná Hora ore district, Czech Republic. The mineral occurs in the late-stage Bi-mineralization associated with other lillianite homologues (gustavite, terrywallaceite, vikingite, treasurite, eskimoite and Bi-rich andorite-group minerals) and other bismuth sulfosalts (izoklakeite, cosalite and Bi-rich jamesonite) in quartz gangue. The mineral occurs as lath shaped crystals or anhedral grains up to 80 µm × 70 µm, growing together in aggregates up to 200 µm × 150 µm across. Staročeskéite is steel-grey in colour and has a metallic lustre, the calculated density is 6.185 g/cm3. In reflected light staročeskéite is greyish white; bireflectance and pleochroism are weak with greyish tints. Anisotropy is weak to medium with grey to bluish grey rotation tints. Internal reflections were not observed. The empirical formula based on electron probe microanalyses and calculated on 11 apfu is: (Ag0.68Cu0.01)Σ0.69(Pb1.56Fe0.01Cd0.01)Σ1.58(Bi1.32Sb1.37)Σ2.69(S6.04Se0.01)Σ6.05. The ideal formula is Ag0.70Pb1.60(Bi1.35Sb1.35)Σ2.70S6, which requires Ag 7.22, Pb 31.70, Bi 26.97, Sb 15.72 and S 18.39 wt.%, total 100.00 wt.%. Staročeskéite is a member of the lillianite homologous series withN= 4. Unlike gustavite and terrywallaceite, staročeskéite, similarly to lillianite, is orthorhombic, space groupCmcm, witha= 4.2539(8),b= 13.3094(8),c= 19.625(1) Å,V= 1111.1(2) Å3andZ= 4. The structure of staročeskéite contains four sulfur sites and three metal sites: one pure Pb site and two mixed sites,M1 (0.52Bi + 0.356Ag + 0.124Sb) andM2 (0.601Sb + 0.259Pb + 0.14Bi). The mineral is characterized by the Bi:Sb ratio 1:1 (Bi/(Bi + Sb) = 0.50) and the Ag++ Bi3+, Sb3+↔ 2 Pb2+substitution (L%) equal to 70%. Thus the mineral lies between two series of the lillianite structures withN= 4, between the lillianite–gustavite series and the andorite series.