Benleonardite

Formula:  Ag8(Sb,As)Te2S3

Origin of name:  For Benjamin Franklin Leonard (1921- ), American geologist, of the U.S. Geological Survey, Denver

 

Crystal system:  Tetragonal

Crystal class:  4/m 2/m 2/m

Twinning: According to some simple law

Unit cell: a = 6.603 Å, b = 6.603 Å, c = 12.726 Å

 

Colour:  Pale blue in reflected light

Diaphaneity:  Opaque

Luster: Metallic

Habit:  Black powdery crusts, grains, to 40 µm forming monomineralic crusts <1 mm across, lath-like grains 5-20 µm long

Hardness:  3

Specific gravity:  7.76

Cleavage:  None

Tenacity:

Streak:

 

Synonyms/varieties:

 

Comments: Found as powdery crusts with other sulfides in fractures in an intensely silicified rhyolitic vitrophyre

 

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