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Gachingite

A valid IMA mineral species
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Formula:
Au(Te1-xSex)
0.2 ≈ x ≤ 0.5
Specific Gravity:
10.47 (Calculated)
Crystal System:
Orthorhombic
Name:
Named for the Gaching ore occurrence of the Maletoyvayam epithermal deposit, Kamchatka, Russia, the type locality.
Known synthetic analogue. Chemically somewhat similar to maletoyvayamite and 'Unnamed (Au-Telluride-Selenide)'.

One of the very few minerals (as of 2021) with e-type slide plane in the structure.


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Unique IdentifiersHide

Mindat ID:
55532
Long-form identifier:
mindat:1:1:55532:0

IMA Classification of GachingiteHide

IMA status:
Approved
IMA Formula:
Au(Te1-xSex) 0.2 ≈ x ≤ 0.5
First published:
2022

Classification of GachingiteHide

Strunz-mindat (2026):
2.CB.

2 : SULFIDES and SULFOSALTS (sulfides, selenides, tellurides; arsenides, antimonides, bismuthides; sulfarsenites, sulfantimonites, sulfbismuthites, etc.)
C : Metal Sulfides, M: S = 1: 1 (and similar)
B : With Zn, Fe, Cu, Ag, etc.

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

Physical Properties of GachingiteHide

Density:
10.47 g/cm3 (Calculated)

Optical Data of GachingiteHide

Anisotropism:
Strong, blue to dark blue to brown
Bireflectance:
Bluish-grey to deep grey
Reflectivity:
WavelengthR1 (%)R2 (%)
470nm39.9% 40.3%
546nm41.6% 43.3%
589nm42.0% 43.7%
650nm43.0% 44.0%


Graph shows reflectance levels at different wavelengths (in nm). Peak reflectance is 44.0%.
R1 shown in black, R2 shown in red
Colour in reflected light:
Grey with a bluish tint

Chemistry of GachingiteHide

Mindat Formula:
Au(Te1-xSex)

0.2 ≈ x ≤ 0.5
Elements listed:
Au, Se, Te - search for minerals with similar chemistry

Crystallography of GachingiteHide

Crystal System:
Orthorhombic
Class (H-M):
mmm(2/m2/m2/m) - Dipyramidal
Cell Parameters:
a = 7.5379 Å, b = 5.7415 Å, c = 8.8985 Å
Ratio:
a:b:c = 1.313 : 1 : 1.55
Unit Cell V:
385.12 ų
Z:
8
Comment:
Space group is Cmce

X-Ray Powder DiffractionHide

Powder Diffraction Data:
d-spacingIntensity
4.462 Å(41)
3.194 Å(27)
2.884 Å(74)
2.878 Å(69)
2.734 Å(100)
2.231 Å(28)
2.215 Å(43)
1.813 Å(62)
Locality:
Gaching occurrence, Maletoyvayam ore field, Karaginsky District, Koryak Okrug, Kamchatka Krai, Russia

Type Occurrence of GachingiteHide

Type Locality:
ⓘ Gaching occurrence, Maletoyvayam ore field, Karaginsky District, Koryak Okrug, Kamchatka Krai, Russia
General Appearance of Type Material:
Individual droplet-like grains of sizes from 2 to 10 μm included in native gold.
Place of Conservation of Type Material:
mineralogical collections of the Central Siberian Geological Museum (CSGM), V.S. Sobolev Institute of Geology and Mineralogy, Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Science, prosp. Akad. Koptyuga 3, 630090 Novosibirsk, Russia, catalogue number V-10/1
Associated Minerals at Type Locality:
CalaveriteNative GoldMaletoyvayamiteWatanabeite

Other Language Names for GachingiteHide

German:Gachingit

Related Minerals - Strunz-mindat GroupingHide

2.CB.RichardsiteZn2CuGaS4Tet. 42m : I42m
2.CB.OkruginiteCu2SnSe3Mon. m : Bb
2.CB.HanswilkeiteKFeS2Mon. 2/m : B2/b
2.CB.AuroselenideAuSeMon. 2/m : B2/m
2.CB.Ruizhongite(Ag2◻)Pb3Ge2S8Iso. 43m : I43d
2.CB.AgmantiniteAg2MnSnS4Orth.
2.CB.TolstykhiteAu3S4Te6Tric. 1 : P1
2.CB.05aHawleyiteCdSIso. 43m : F43m
2.CB.05'UM1998-15-S:CuFeZn'Cu2Fe3Zn5S10
2.CB.05aColoradoiteHgTeIso. 43m : F43m
2.CB.05aMetacinnabarHgSIso. 43m : F43m
2.CB.05aTiemanniteHgSeIso. 43m : F43m
2.CB.05aSphaleriteZnSIso. 43m : F43m
2.CB.05bSakuraiite(Cu,Zn,Fe)3(In,Sn)S4 Iso.
2.CB.05cPolhemusite(Zn,Hg)STet.
2.CB.05aRudashevskyite(Fe,Zn)SIso. 43m : F43m
2.CB.05aStilleiteZnSeIso. 43m : F43m
2.CB.05aIshiharaite(Cu,Ga,Fe,In,Zn)SIso. 43m : F43m
2.CB.07a'Unnamed (Cu-Mn-Sn Sulphide)'Cu2MnSnS4
2.CB.07aShenzhuangiteNiFeS2Tet. 42m : I42d
2.CB.10bTalnakhiteCu9(Fe,Ni)8S16Iso. 43m : I43m
2.CB.10bHaycockiteCu4Fe5S8Orth. 222
2.CB.10aLenaiteAgFeS2Tet. 42m : I42d
2.CB.10aGalliteCuGaS2Tet. 42m : I42d
2.CB.10aRoquesiteCuInS2Tet. 42m : I42d
2.CB.10aEskeborniteCuFeSe2Tet. 42m : P42c
2.CB.10a'UM1984-30-S:CuFeSn'Cu2Fe2Sn3S7
2.CB.10cOmariniiteCu8Fe2ZnGe2S12Orth. 222 : I222
2.CB.10aChalcopyriteCuFeS2Tet. 42m : I42d
2.CB.10a'Unnamed (Cu-Zn-In Sulphide)'CuZn2InS4
2.CB.10bMooihoekiteCu9Fe9S16Tet. 42m : P42m
2.CB.10aLaforêtiteAgInS2Tet. 42m : I42d
2.CB.10bPutoraniteCu1.1Fe1.2S2Iso. m3m(4/m32/m) : Pn3m
2.CB.15aVelikiteCu2HgSnS4Tet. 4 : I4
2.CB.15c'UM2006-11-S:CuFeGeZn'Cu8(Fe,Zn)3Ge2S12 (?)
2.CB.15aHocartiteAg2(Fe2+,Zn)SnS4Tet. 42m : I42m
2.CB.15aKësteriteCu2ZnSnS4Tet. 4 : I4
2.CB.15aPirquitasiteAg2ZnSnS4Tet. 4 : I4
2.CB.15aStanniteCu2FeSnS4Tet. 42m : I42m
2.CB.15cStannoiditeCu+6Cu2+2(Fe2+,Zn)3Sn2S12Orth. 222 : I222
2.CB.15bMohiteCu2SnS3Mon.
2.CB.15aČernýiteCu2CdSnS4Tet. 42m : I42m
2.CB.15aIdaiteCu5FeS6Hex.
2.CB.15aFerrokësteriteCu2FeSnS4Tet. 4 : I4
2.CB.15aKuramiteCu3SnS4Tet. 42m : I42m
2.CB.17a v'Arsenic-bearing Renierite'Cu11GeAsFe4S16
2.CB.20MawsoniteCu6Fe2SnS8Tet. 42m : P4m2
2.CB.20ChatkaliteCu6FeSn2S8Tet. 42m : P4m2
2.CB.30'Frieseite'Ag2Fe5S8 (?)
2.CB.30NekrasoviteCu26V2(Sn,As,Sb)6S32Iso. 43m : P43n
2.CB.30'Argyropyrite'near Ag2Fe7S11
2.CB.30MaikainiteCu20(Fe,Cu)6Mo2Ge6S32Iso. m3m(4/m32/m)
2.CB.30ColusiteCu13VAs3S16Iso. 43m : P43n
2.CB.30GermaniteCu13Fe2Ge2S16Iso. 43m : P43n
2.CB.30GermanocolusiteCu26V2(Ge,As)6S32Iso. 43m : P43m
2.CB.30StibiocolusiteCu13V(Sb,Sn,As)3S16Iso. 43m : P43m
2.CB.30Ovamboite Cu20(Fe,Cu,Zn)6W2Ge6S32Iso. 43m : P43n
2.CB.35aMorozeviczite(Pb,Fe)3Ge1-xS4Iso.
2.CB.35aRenierite(Cu+,Zn)11Fe4(Ge4+,As5+)2S16Tet. 42m : P42c
2.CB.35aHemusiteCu6SnMoS8Iso.
2.CB.35bCatamarcaiteCu6GeWS8Hex. 6mm : P63mc
2.CB.35aVincienniteCu+7Cu2+3Fe2+2Fe3+2Sn(As,Sb)S16Tet.
2.CB.35aKiddcreekiteCu6SnWS8Iso. 43m : F43m
2.CB.35aPolkovicite(Fe,Pb)3(Ge,Fe)1-xS4Iso.
2.CB.40LautiteCuAsSOrth. mmm(2/m2/m2/m) : Pnma
2.CB.42LingbaoiteAgTe3Trig. 3m : R3m
2.CB.45CadmoseliteCdSeHex. 6mm : P63mc
2.CB.45RambergiteMnSHex. 6mm : P63mc
2.CB.45Buseckite(Fe,Zn,Mn)SHex. 6mm : P63mc
2.CB.45MaletoyvayamiteAu3Se4Te6Tric. 1 : P1
2.CB.45GreenockiteCdSHex. 6mm : P63mc
2.CB.45Wurtzite(Zn,Fe)SHex. 6mm : P63mc
2.CB.47MurchisiteCr5S6Trig. 3m(32/m) : P31c
2.CB.50'Zincselenide'ZnSe
2.CB.50WassoniteTiSTrig. 3m(32/m) : R3m
2.CB.52'Dzhezkazganite'ReMoCu2PbS6 ?Trig. 3m : R3m
2.CB.55bIsocubaniteCuFe2S3Iso. m3m(4/m32/m) : Fm3m
2.CB.55aCubaniteCuFe2S3Orth. mmm(2/m2/m2/m)
2.CB.60RaguiniteTlFeS2Orth.
2.CB.60PicotpauliteTlFe2S3Orth. mmm(2/m2/m2/m) : Cmcm
2.CB.65ArgentopyriteAgFe2S3Mon. 2/m
2.CB.65SternbergiteAgFe2S3Orth. mmm(2/m2/m2/m)
2.CB.70SulvaniteCu3VS4Iso. 43m : P43m
2.CB.75VulcaniteCuTeOrth. mmm(2/m2/m2/m)
2.CB.80EmpressiteAgTeOrth. mmm(2/m2/m2/m)
2.CB.85MuthmanniteAuAgTe2Mon. 2/m : P2/c

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 GachingiteHide

References for GachingiteHide

Localities for GachingiteHide

Showing 5 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.
Russia
 
  • Kamchatka Krai
    • Koryak Okrug
      • Karaginsky District
Shapovalova et al. (2025)
Miyawaki et al. (2021) +2 other references
Стрельников; МВ; Ханин; ДА; Япаскурт; ВО; Бритвин; СН; Плетнёв; ПА; et al. (n.d.)
Strelnikov M. V. et al. (2025)
Pekov et al. (2026)
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