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Tolstykhite

A valid IMA mineral species
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Formula:
Au3S4Te6
Colour:
Bluish-gray
Lustre:
Metallic
Specific Gravity:
7.347 (Calculated)
Crystal System:
Triclinic
Name:
Named in honor of Nadezhda Dmitrievna Tolstykh (Надежда Дмитриевна Толстых) (b. 7 October 1954), Russian mineralogist with the Sobolev Institute of Geology and Mineralogy, for her contributions to the mineralogy of gold and platinum-group elements and the study of ore deposits. She has coathured the description of several new minerals. The name is pronounced tol sty khait.
The S analogue of maletoyvayamite. Chemically similar to 'Unnamed (Au-Telluride Sulphide)'.


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Unique IdentifiersHide

Mindat ID:
56038
Long-form identifier:
mindat:1:1:56038:6

IMA Classification of TolstykhiteHide

IMA status:
Approved
Approval year:
2022
First published:
2023

Classification of TolstykhiteHide

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

Physical Properties of TolstykhiteHide

Lustre:
Metallic
Transparency:
Opaque
Colour:
Bluish-gray
Streak:
Gray
Tenacity:
Brittle
Cleavage:
Distinct/Good
Good on {010}and {001}.
Parting:
None.
Fracture:
Irregular/Uneven
Density:
7.347 g/cm3 (Calculated)

Optical Data of TolstykhiteHide

Anisotropism:
Weak; bluish to brownish rotation tints.
Bireflectance:
None.
Reflectivity:
WavelengthR1 (%)R2 (%)
470nm32.6%34.3%
546nm32.4%34.1%
589nm32.6%34.5%
650nm33.0%35.0%


Graph shows reflectance levels at different wavelengths (in nm). Peak reflectance is 35.0%.
R1 shown in black, R2 shown in red
Colour in reflected light:
Gray with a bluish shade.
Internal Reflections:
None.
Pleochroism:
Not Visible

Chemistry of TolstykhiteHide

Mindat Formula:
Au3S4Te6
Element Weights:
Element% weight
Te51.564 %
S8.638 %

Calculated from ideal end-member formula.
Te
S
Elements listed:
Au, S, Te - search for minerals with similar chemistry

Crystallography of TolstykhiteHide

Crystal System:
Triclinic
Class (H-M):
1 - Pinacoidal
Space Group:
P1
Cell Parameters:
a = 8.977(5) Å, b = 9.023(2) Å, c = 9.342(6) Å
α = 94.03(3)°, β = 110.03(3)°, γ = 104.27(4)°
Ratio:
a:b:c = 0.995 : 1 : 1.035
Unit Cell V:
678.97 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Z:
2

X-Ray Powder DiffractionHide

Powder Diffraction Data:
d-spacingIntensity
8.59 Å(18)
2.90 Å(100)
2.66 Å(6)
2.23 Å(13)
2.14 Å(9)
2.03 Å(9)
1.89 Å(21)
1.72 Å(7)
Locality:
Gaching occurrence, Maletoyvayam ore field, Karaginsky District, Koryak Okrug, Kamchatka Krai, Russia
Comments:
Maletoyvayam ore field, Russia. Data from the type description.

Type Occurrence of TolstykhiteHide

Type Locality:
ⓘ Gaching occurrence, Maletoyvayam ore field, Karaginsky District, Koryak Okrug, Kamchatka Krai, Russia
General Appearance of Type Material:
Individual anhedral grains up to 0.05 mm or as intergrowths with native Se, native Te and tripuhyite.
Place of Conservation of Type Material:
Fersman Mineralogical Museum, Russian Academy of Sciences, Leninskiy Prospekt 18-2, Moscow 119071, Russia, registration number 5795/1.
Geological Setting of Type Material:
High-sulfide epithermal deposit.
Associated Minerals at Type Locality:
BaryteCalaverite'Famatinite-Luzonite Series'FischesseriteGalena
Native GoldIlmeniteMagnetiteMaletoyvayamitePyrite
QuartzRutileNative SeleniumStibiogoldfielditeNative Tellurium
Tennantite-(Cu)Tetrahedrite-(Zn)Tripuhyite

Synonyms of TolstykhiteHide

Other Language Names for TolstykhiteHide

Relationship of Tolstykhite to other SpeciesHide

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.GachingiteAu(Te1-xSex)Orth. mmm(2/m2/m2/m)
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 TolstykhiteHide

References for TolstykhiteHide

Localities for TolstykhiteHide

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.
Russia
 
  • Kamchatka Krai
    • Koryak Okrug
      • Karaginsky District
Shapovalova et al. (2025)
Miyawaki et al. (2022) +3 other references
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