Routhierite

Routhierite
Routhierite cristals (red).
General
CategorySulfosalt mineral
Formula
(repeating unit)		Tl(Cu,Ag)(Hg,Zn)2(As,Sb)2S6
IMA symbolRtr[1]
Strunz classification2.GA.40
Crystal systemTetragonal
Crystal classDitetragonal pyramidal (4mm)
H-M symbol: (4mm)
Space groupI4mm
Unit cella = 9.9821(11),
c = 11.3122(12) [Å]; Z = 4
Identification
ColorViolet-red
Crystal habitAnhedral grains, xenomorphic grains and veinlets
TwinningMicroscopic polysynthetic twin lamellae
Cleavage2; two perpendicular
Mohs scale hardness3.5
LusterMetallic
DiaphaneityOpaque
Density5.83
PleochroismWeak
References[2][3][4]

Routhierite is a rare thallium sulfosalt mineral with formula Tl(Cu,Ag)(Hg,Zn)2(As,Sb)2S6.

It was first described in 1974 for an occurrence in the Jas Roux deposit in the French Alps.[3] It was named after French geologist Pierre Routhier (1916–2008).[5] It is also reported from the Northern Ural Mountains, Russia and the Thunder Bay district of Ontario, Canada.[2]

References

  1. ^ Warr, L.N. (2021). "IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols". Mineralogical Magazine. 85 (3): 291–320. Bibcode:2021MinM...85..291W. doi:10.1180/mgm.2021.43. S2CID 235729616.
  2. ^ a b Handbook of Mineralogy
  3. ^ a b "Routhierite". mindat.org the mineral database.
  4. ^ Routhierite Mineral Data
  5. ^ Biography in french (archived)


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