Argentopyrite

 

Cyclic twinning

Origin: St. Andreasberg, Harz, Lower Saxony, Germany

Owner: Lou Perloff

Microscopic image

 

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Photo-Atlas of Minerals

  

This specimen contains several crystals of argentopyrite to about 1 mm showing cyclic twinning producing stout pseudohexagonal crystals with a violet tarnish. The pryramidal terminations are sometimes rough - but not all are rough, some are perfect. The sternbergite is also fabulous as thick tabular, striated crystals to 1 mm with a goldish tarnish. It is obviously much softer than the argentopyrite and foil like.

Origin: Jáchymov, Erzgebirge, Západoèeský Kraj , Bohemia, Czech Republic
Type Locality: Ex. Feinglos Collection

Sample size: 3.5 x 3 x 2.3 cm

 

  

Origin: Svornost mine, Jachymov, Bohemia, Czech Republic
 Ex. Kidwell and Czech Geological Survey collections

Sample size: 3 x 3 x 2 cm

 

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Specimen featuring a mound of crystalline silver over which there are masses of well defined crystals of argentopyrite to around 1 mm. In places the silver emerges from the mass in stout corkscrew wires.

Origin: Freiberg, Saxony, Germany

Ex. Mark Wrigley collection

Sample size: 8.1 x 4.8 x 2.6 cm

 

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