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Meerschautite

A valid IMA mineral species
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03005810017272024414113.jpg
Meerschautite

Pollone Mine, Valdicastello Carducci, Pietrasanta, Lucca Province, Tuscany, Italy
00026710017272472292177.jpg
Meerschautite

Pollone Mine, Valdicastello Carducci, Pietrasanta, Lucca Province, Tuscany, Italy
03005810017272024414113.jpg
Meerschautite

Pollone Mine, Valdicastello Carducci, Pietrasanta, Lucca Province, Tuscany, Italy
00026710017272472292177.jpg
Meerschautite

Pollone Mine, Valdicastello Carducci, Pietrasanta, Lucca Province, Tuscany, Italy
03005810017272024414113.jpg
Meerschautite

Pollone Mine, Valdicastello Carducci, Pietrasanta, Lucca Province, Tuscany, Italy
00026710017272472292177.jpg
Meerschautite

Pollone Mine, Valdicastello Carducci, Pietrasanta, Lucca Province, Tuscany, Italy
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About MeerschautiteHide

Formula:
(Ag,Cu)6Pb43-2xSb44+2xS112Ox (x ~0.5)
Ideal formula: (Ag,Cu)5.5Pb42.4(Sb,As)45.1S112O0.8
Colour:
Lead-grey to black
Lustre:
Metallic
Specific Gravity:
5.924 (Calculated)
Crystal System:
Monoclinic
Name:
For Alain Meerschaut (b. 1945), Research Director at the CNRS (now retired), chemist-crystallographer in the field of solid-state chemistry at the Institut des Matériaux Jean Rouxel, Nantes, France, for his outstanding contribution to the definition and crystal structure study of new lead-antimony sulfosalts from Apuan Alps hydrothermal ores, i.e. scainiite, pillaite, pellouxite, rouxelite, moëloite, and marrucciite.
Structurally, an expanded derivative of owyheeite. Also has quasi-homeotypic relationships with sterryite and parasterryite; and related to ciriottiite.

Chemically unique in terms of dominating elements; somewhat similar to pellouxite.

There are two structural building blocks both based on a column with pseudotrigonal Pb6S12 core: (1) with short, Ag-rich arm; (2) with long arm containing localized Sb-O-Sb bonds.


Unique IdentifiersHide

Mindat ID:
43939
Long-form identifier:
mindat:1:1:43939:6

IMA Classification of MeerschautiteHide

Classification of MeerschautiteHide

Strunz-mindat (2026):
2.HB.25

2 : SULFIDES and SULFOSALTS (sulfides, selenides, tellurides; arsenides, antimonides, bismuthides; sulfarsenites, sulfantimonites, sulfbismuthites, etc.)
H : Sulfosalts of SnS archetype
B : With Cu, Ag, Fe, Sn and Pb

Mineral SymbolsHide

As of 2021 there are now IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols (abbreviations) for each mineral species, useful for tables and diagrams.

SymbolSourceReference for Standard
MeeIMA–CNMNCWarr, L.N. (2021). IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols. Mineralogical Magazine, 85(3), 291-320. doi:10.1180/mgm.2021.43

Physical Properties of MeerschautiteHide

Lustre:
Metallic
Transparency:
Opaque
Colour:
Lead-grey to black
Streak:
Black
Tenacity:
Brittle
Cleavage:
Perfect
Parallel to a;
Fracture:
Conchoidal
Density:
5.924 g/cm3 (Calculated)

Optical Data of MeerschautiteHide

Anisotropism:
With grey to dark grey rotation tints and brownish and greenish shades.
Bireflectance:
Weak
Reflectivity:
WavelengthR1 (%)R2 (%)
400nm41.1%43.1%
420nm40.6%42.4%
440nm40.1%41.8%
460nm39.8%41.5%
470nm39.7%41.4%
480nm39.5%41.2%
500nm39.2%40.8%
520nm38.8%40.5%
540nm38.5%40.0%
546nm38.3%39.9%
560nm38.0%39.6%
580nm37.6%39.2%
589nm37.4%39.0%
600nm37.1%38.7%
620nm36.6%38.1%
640nm36.0%37.5%
650nm35.8%37.2%
660nm35.5%36.9%
680nm35.0%36.4%
700nm34.6%36.0%


Graph shows reflectance levels at different wavelengths (in nm). Peak reflectance is 43.1%.
R1 shown in black, R2 shown in red
Colour in reflected light:
White
Internal Reflections:
None
Pleochroism:
Non-pleochroic

Chemistry of MeerschautiteHide

Mindat Formula:
(Ag,Cu)6Pb43-2xSb44+2xS112Ox (x ~0.5)

Ideal formula: (Ag,Cu)5.5Pb42.4(Sb,As)45.1S112O0.8
Elements listed:
Ag, Cu, O, Pb, S, Sb - search for minerals with similar chemistry
Common Impurities:
Cu,As,Se,Cl,(Tl)

Crystallography of MeerschautiteHide

Crystal System:
Monoclinic
Class (H-M):
2 - Sphenoidal
Space Group:
P21
Setting:
P21
Cell Parameters:
a = 8.2393(1) Å, b = 43.6015(13) Å, c = 28.3688(8) Å
γ = 94.128(2)°
Ratio:
a:b:c = 0.189 : 1 : 0.651
Unit Cell V:
10164.9 ų
Z:
2
Morphology:
Prisms striated along [100], to 0.7 x 0.1 mm.
Twinning:
Only observed by x-rays.

X-Ray Powder DiffractionHide

Geological EnvironmentHide

Paragenetic Mode(s):
Paragenetic ModeEarliest Age (Ga)
High-? alteration and/or metamorphism
33 : Minerals deposited by hydrothermal metal-rich fluids (see also [#12])

Type Occurrence of MeerschautiteHide

Type Locality:
ⓘ Pollone Mine, Valdicastello Carducci, Pietrasanta, Lucca Province, Tuscany, Italy
General Appearance of Type Material:
Prismatic crystals.
Place of Conservation of Type Material:
Type material is deposited in the collections of the Museo di Storia Naturale e del Territorio, Universita` di Pisa, Calci (Pisa), Italy, catalogue number 19649.
Geological Setting of Type Material:
Barite and pyrite orebody.
Associated Minerals at Type Locality:
BaryteBoulangeritePyriteQuartzSphalerite
Reference:
Biagioni, Cristian, Moëlo, Yves, Orlandi, Paolo, Stanley, Chris J. (2016) Lead-antimony sulfosalts from Tuscany (Italy) XVII. Meerschautite, (Ag,Cu)5.5Pb42.4(Sb,As)45.1S112O0.8, a new expanded derivative of owyheeite from the Pollone mine, Valdicastello Carducci: occurrence and crystal structure. Mineralogical Magazine, 80 (4) 675-690 doi:10.1180/minmag.2016.080.011

Synonyms of MeerschautiteHide

Other Language Names for MeerschautiteHide

Related Minerals - Strunz-mindat GroupingHide

2.HB.BarikaiteAg3Pb10(Sb8As11)S40Mon. 2/m : P21/c
2.HB.Carducciite(Ag2Sb2)Pb12(As,Sb)16S40Mon. 2/m : P21/c
2.HB.SardashtiteAg9Cu2.5Pb41Sb36.5As7S112Mon. 2/m : P21/c
2.HB.InterliveingiteAgPb18As25S56Mon. 2 : P21
2.HB.ReckibachiteAg2Pb12As14Sb4S40Mon. 2/m : P21/c
2.HB.05aSalzburgiteCu1.6Pb1.6Bi6.4S12Orth. mm2 : Pmc21
2.HB.05aHammariteCu2Pb2Bi4S9Orth.
2.HB.05cJaskĂłlskiiteCuxPb2+x(Sb,Bi)2-xS5 (x ~ 0.15)Orth. mmm(2/m2/m2/m) : Pnma
2.HB.05'UM1990-54-Se:BiCuPb'CuPb(Ni,Co)0.3Bi3Se6
2.HB.05aAikiniteCuPbBiS3Orth. mmm(2/m2/m2/m) : Pnma
2.HB.05aPekoiteCuPbBi11S18Orth. mm2
2.HB.05aFriedrichiteCu5Pb5Bi7S18Orth. mm2
2.HB.05bMeneghinitePb13CuSb7S24Orth. mmm(2/m2/m2/m) : Pnma
2.HB.05aPaariteCu1.7Pb1.7Bi6.3S12Orth. mmm(2/m2/m2/m) : Pbcn
2.HB.05aLindströmiteCu3Pb3Bi7S15Orth. mmm(2/m2/m2/m) : Pnma
2.HB.05aEmiliteCu10.7Pb10.7Bi21.3S48Orth. mm2 : Pmc21
2.HB.05aGladiteCuPbBi5S9Orth. mmm(2/m2/m2/m)
2.HB.05aKrupkaiteCuPbBi3S6Orth. mm2
2.HB.05'UM2000-46-S:BiCuPb'Cu0.33Pb0.33Bi7.67S12
2.HB.10bIzoklakeitePb27(Cu,Fe,Ag)2(Sb,Bi)19S57Orth. mmm(2/m2/m2/m) : Pnnm
2.HB.10cEclarite(Cu,Fe)Pb9Bi12S28Orth. mmm(2/m2/m2/m) : Pnma
2.HB.10aTintinaitePb22Cu4(Sb,Bi)30S69Orth. mmm(2/m2/m2/m) : Pnnm
2.HB.10bGiessenitePb27Cu2(Bi,Sb)19S57Mon. 2/m : P21/c
2.HB.10aKobellitePb22Cu4(Bi,Sb)30S69Orth. mmm(2/m2/m2/m) : Pnnm
2.HB.15JamesonitePb4FeSb6S14Mon. 2/m : P21/c
2.HB.15BenavidesitePb4MnSb6S14Mon. 2/m : P21/c
2.HB.20aNagyĂĄgite[Pb3(Pb,Sb)3S6](Au,Te)3Mon. 2/m : P21/m
2.HB.20bBuckhorniteAuPb2BiTe2S3Orth. mmm(2/m2/m2/m) : Pmmm
2.HB.20eLuxembourgiteAgCuPbBi4Se8Mon. 2/m : P21/m
2.HB.20bJaszczakite[Bi3S3][AuS2]Orth. mmm(2/m2/m2/m) : Pmmn
2.HB.20dBerryiteCu3Ag2Pb3Bi7S16Mon. 2/m : P21/m
2.HB.20eWatkinsoniteCu2PbBi4(Se,S,Te)8Mon. 2/m : P21/m
2.HB.20cMuseumite[Pb2(Pb,Sb)2S8][(Te,Au)2]Mon. 2
2.HB.20eLitochlebiteAg2PbBi4Se8Mon. 2/m : P21/m

Other InformationHide

Health Risks:
No information on health risks for this material has been entered into the database. You should always treat mineral specimens with care.

Internet Links for MeerschautiteHide

References for MeerschautiteHide

Localities for MeerschautiteHide

Showing 2 localities.

This map shows a selection of localities that have latitude and longitude coordinates recorded. Click on the symbol to view information about a locality. The symbol next to localities in the list can be used to jump to that position on the map.
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Locality ListHide

- This locality has map coordinates listed. - This locality has estimated coordinates. ⓘ - Click for references and further information on this occurrence. ? - Indicates mineral may be doubtful at this locality. - Good crystals or important locality for species. - World class for species or very significant. (TL) - Type Locality for a valid mineral species. (FRL) - First Recorded Locality for everything else (eg varieties). Struck out - Mineral was erroneously reported from this locality. Faded * - Never found at this locality but inferred to have existed at some point in the past (e.g. from pseudomorphs).

All localities listed without proper references should be considered as questionable.
Czech Republic
 
  • Central Bohemian Region
    • Pƙíbram District
      • HĂĄje
        • HĂĄje deposit
Dolníček et al. (2023)
Italy (TL)
 
  • Tuscany
    • Lucca Province
      • Pietrasanta
        • Valdicastello Carducci
Williams et al. (2013) +2 other references
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