Argyrodite

Argyrodite

Infobox mineral
name = Argyrodite
category =
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formula = silver germanium sulfide:Ag8GeS6
molweight =
color = Black, purplish tinge
habit = tetrahedron or rhombic dodecahedron
system = Orthorhombic
twinning =
cleavage = absent
fracture = Conchoidal
mohs = 2.5
luster = metallic
refractive = opaque
opticalprop =
birefringence =
pleochroism =
streak =
gravity = 6.2-6.5
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fusibility =
diagnostic =
solubility =
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Argyrodite, silver germanium sulfide Ag8GeS6 is relatively scarce mineral. The colour is iron-black with a purplish tinge, and the lustre metallic.

Discovered by Clemens Winkler in 1886 it is of interest as it was described shortly after the element germanium was isolated, 15 years after it had been postulated by Mendeleev. It occurs in the Himmelsfürst Mine, Freiberg, Saxony and in Bolivia.

It is of interest to note that the Freiberg mineral was long ago imperfectly described by August Breithaupt under the name Plusinglanz, and that the Bolivian crystals were incorrectly described in 1849 as crystallized brongniardite.

Isomorphous with argyrodite is the corresponding tin bearing mineral Ag8SnS6, also found in Bolivia as pseudocubic crystals, and known by the name canfieldite. There is also a related mineral, putzite, with composition (Cu4.7Ag3.3)GeS6.

Argyrodite gets its name from the Greek words that loosely translate into "rich in silver".

References

* [http://www.mindat.org/min-331.html MinDat]
* [http://mineral.galleries.com/minerals/sulfides/argyrodi/argyrodi.htm Mineral Galleries: Argyrodite]


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  • argyrodite — [är jir′ə dīt΄] n. 〚< Gr argyrōdēs, rich in silver < argyros (see ARGENT) + ITE1〛 a dark gray, soft mineral, Ag8GeS6, found in silver veins, and used as a major source of germanium * * * ▪ …   Universalium

  • argyrodite — [är jir′ə dīt΄] n. [< Gr argyrōdēs, rich in silver < argyros (see ARGENT) + ITE1] a dark gray, soft mineral, Ag8GeS6, found in silver veins, and used as a major source of germanium …   English World dictionary

  • argyrodite — argiroditas statusas T sritis chemija apibrėžtis Mineralas. formulė Ag₈GeS₆ atitikmenys: angl. argyrodite rus. аргиродит …   Chemijos terminų aiškinamasis žodynas

  • argyrodite — ar·gyr·o·dite …   English syllables

  • argyrodite — noun a rare steel grey mineral consisting of silver and germanium and sulfur • Hypernyms: ↑mineral • Substance Meronyms: ↑germanium, ↑Ge, ↑atomic number 32 …   Useful english dictionary

  • Germanium — (pronEng|dʒɚˈmeɪniəm) is a chemical element with the symbol Ge and atomic number 32. It is a lustrous, hard, silver white metalloid in the carbon group, chemically similar to its group neighbors tin and silicon. Germanium has five naturally… …   Wikipedia

  • Argyrodit — Teils kristallines, teils massiges, hellglänzendes Argyrodit Aggregat aus Colquechaca, Chayanta, Potosí , Bolivien Chemische Formel Ag8GeS6 Mineralklasse Sulfide und Sulfosalze 2.BA.70 (8. Auflage …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Germanium — Gallium ← Germanium → Arsenic Si …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Sulfosalts — ▪ Table Sulfosalts name colour lustre Mohs hardness specific gravity argyrodite bluish to purplish black; steel gray when fresh metallic 2½ 6.1–6.3 bournonite steel gray to iron black metallic 2½–3 5.8–5.9 enargite gray black to iron black… …   Universalium

  • Clemens Winkler — Clemens Alexander Winkler Clemens Alexander Winkler Born December 29, 1838(1838 12 29) Freiberg …   Wikipedia

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