Rickardite
| Rickardite | |
|---|---|
|
Rickardite on tellurium | |
| General | |
| Category | Telluride mineral |
| Formula (repeating unit) | Cu7Te5 |
| Strunz classification | 02.BA.30 |
| Identification | |
| Color | Red-violet (fresh), darkens |
| Crystal system | Orthorhombic |
| Mohs scale hardness | 3½ |
| Luster | Metallic |
| Streak | Red |
| Diaphaneity | Opaque |
Rickardite is a copper telluride mineral (Cu7Te5)[1] or Cu3-x (x = 0 to 0.36)Te2.[2] It was first described for an occurrence in the Good Hope Mine, Vulcan district, Gunnison County, Colorado, USA,[3] and named for mining engineer Thomas Arthur Rickard (1864–1953) (Thomas Rickard is his cousin).[1] It is a low temperature hydrothermal mineral that occurs associated with vulcanite, native tellurium, cameronite, petzite, sylvanite, berthierite, pyrite, arsenopyrite and bornite.[2]
See also
References
- D. M. Chizhikov and V. P. Shchastlivyi, 1966, Tellurium and Tellurides, Nauka Publishing, Moscow