| Aikinite | |
|---|---|
| General | |
| Category | Sulfide mineral |
| Chemical formula | PbCuBiS3 |
| Crystal symmetry | Orthorhombic – dipyramidal, H-M symbol (2/m 2/m 2/m), space group Pbnm |
| Unit cell | a = 11.297 Å, b = 11.654 Å, c = 4.061 Å, Z = 4 |
| Identification | |
| Molar mass | 575.92 g |
| Color | Lead gray, grayish black, reddish brown |
| Crystal habit | Acicular, massive |
| Cleavage | {010} indistinct |
| Mohs scale hardness | 2-2.5 |
| Luster | Metallic |
| Streak | Grayish black |
| Diaphaneity | Opaque |
| Specific gravity | 6.1–6.8, Average = 6.44 |
| Other characteristics | Not radioactive |
| References | [1][2] |
Aikinite is a sulfide mineral of lead, copper and bismuth with formula PbCuBiS3. It forms black to grey or reddish brown acicular orthorhombic crystals with a Mohs hardness of 2 to 2.5 and a specific gravity of 6.1 to 6.8. It was originally found in 1843 in the Beryozovskoye deposit, Ural Mountains. It is named after Arthur Aikin (1773–1854), an English geologist.