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Aguilarite

A valid IMA mineral species - grandfathered

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Photos of Aguilarite (33)Discuss Aguilarite

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Aguilarite

San Carlos Mine, La Luz, Guanajuato Municipality, Guanajuato, Mexico

Aguilarite, etc.

La Sirena Mine, Guanajuato, Guanajuato Municipality, Guanajuato, Mexico

Aguilarite

La Sirena Mine, Guanajuato, Guanajuato Municipality, Guanajuato, Mexico

Aguilarite

San Carlos Mine, La Luz, Guanajuato Municipality, Guanajuato, Mexico

Aguilarite, etc.

La Sirena Mine, Guanajuato, Guanajuato Municipality, Guanajuato, Mexico

Aguilarite

La Sirena Mine, Guanajuato, Guanajuato Municipality, Guanajuato, Mexico

Aguilarite

San Carlos Mine, La Luz, Guanajuato Municipality, Guanajuato, Mexico

Aguilarite, etc.

La Sirena Mine, Guanajuato, Guanajuato Municipality, Guanajuato, Mexico

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About AguilariteHide

Formula:

Ag₄SeS

Colour:

Bright lead-gray on fresh surfaces

Lustre:

Metallic

Hardness:

2½

Specific Gravity:

7.40 - 7.53

Crystal System:

Monoclinic

Member of:

Acanthite Group

Name:

Named after Señor P. Aguilar, Superintendent of the San Carlos Mine, Mexico, the type locality.

Type Locality:

ⓘ San Carlos Mine, La Luz, Guanajuato Municipality, Guanajuato, Mexico

Isostructural with:

Acanthite

There appear to be two solid solution series in the system: a monoclinic ‘acanthite-like’ series (from Ag₂S-Ag₂S_0.4Se_0.6), and an orthorhombic ‘naumannite-like’ series (from Ag₂S_0.3Se_0.7-Ag₂Se) (Bindi & Pingitore, 2013; Seryotkin et al., 2015).

Compare 'UM1979-11-S:AgAsAuSe', 'UM1979-12-S:AgAsAuSe', and 'UM1979-13-S:AgAsAuSe'.

Unique IdentifiersHide

Mindat ID:

Long-form identifier:

mindat:1:1:59:4

Similar NamesHide

Aglaurite

A variety of Orthoclase

K(AlSi₃O₈)

IMA Classification of AguilariteHide

IMA status:

Approved, 'Grandfathered' (first described prior to 1959)

IMA Formula:

Ag¹⁺₄Se^2-S^2-

First published:

1891

Classification of AguilariteHide

Strunz-mindat (2026):

2.BA.55

2 : SULFIDES and SULFOSALTS (sulfides, selenides, tellurides; arsenides, antimonides, bismuthides; sulfarsenites, sulfantimonites, sulfbismuthites, etc.)
B : Metal Sulfides, M: S > 1: 1 (mainly 2: 1)
A : With Cu, Ag, Au

Dana 8th ed.:

2.4.1.3

2 : SULFIDES
4 : A_mB_nX_p, with (m+n):p = 2:1

Hey's CIM Ref.:

3.2.4

3 : Sulphides, Selenides, Tellurides, Arsenides and Bismuthides (except the arsenides, antimonides and bismuthides of Cu, Ag and Au, which are included in Section 1)
2 : Sulphides etc. of Ag

Mineral SymbolsHide

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

Symbol	Source	Reference for Standard
Agu	IMA–CNMNC	Warr, L.N. (2021). IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols. Mineralogical Magazine, 85(3), 291-320. doi:10.1180/mgm.2021.43

Physical Properties of AguilariteHide

Lustre:

Metallic

Transparency:

Opaque

Colour:

Bright lead-gray on fresh surfaces

Comment:

Dull iron black after exposure to air.

Streak:

Grey-black

Hardness:

2½ on Mohs scale

Tenacity:

Sectile

Cleavage:

None Observed

Fracture:

Hackly

Density:

7.40 - 7.53 g/cm³ (Measured) 7.65 g/cm³ (Calculated)

Optical Data of AguilariteHide

Anisotropism:

very weak

Reflectivity:

Wavelength	R₁ (%)	R₂ (%)
400nm	34.8%	35.1%
420nm	34.7%	35.2%
440nm	34.6%	35.2%
460nm	34.7%	35.3%
480nm	34.8%	35.3%
500nm	34.8%	35.4%
520nm	34.6%	35.6%
540nm	34.1%	35.5%
560nm	33.5%	35.2%
580nm	32.8%	34.6%
600nm	32.1%	33.8%
620nm	31.5%	33.9%
640nm	31.0%	32.4%
660nm	30.6%	31.8%
680nm	30.2%	31.4%
700nm	30.0%	31.0%

Graph shows reflectance levels at different wavelengths (in nm). Peak reflectance is 35.6%.
R₁ shown in black, R₂ shown in red

Chemistry of AguilariteHide

Mindat Formula:

Ag₄SeS

Element Weights:

Element	% weight
Ag	79.535 %
Se	14.555 %
S	5.911 %

Calculated from ideal end-member formula.

Elements listed:

Ag, S, Se - search for minerals with similar chemistry

Common Impurities:

Crystallography of AguilariteHide

Crystal System:

Monoclinic

Class (H-M):

2/m - Prismatic

Space Group:

P2₁/c

Setting:

P2₁/n

Cell Parameters:

a = 4.33 Å, b = 7.09 Å, c = 7.76 Å

Ratio:

a:b:c = 0.611 : 1 : 1.094

Unit Cell V:

0.00 Å³ (Calculated from Unit Cell)

Morphology:

In skeletal pseudododecahedral crystals, commonly elongated in the direction of a pseudocubic or pseudo-octahedral edge, to 3 cm; also massive and in intergrowths with acanthite or naumannite.

Comment:

Originally assumed to be orthorhombic, with a = 4.33, b = 7.09, c = 7.76 A.

Crystal StructureHide

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Data courtesy of the American Mineralogist Crystal Structure Database. Click on an AMCSD ID to view structure

ID	Species	Reference	Link	Year	Locality	Pressure (GPa)	Temp (K)
0019989	Aguilarite	Bindi L, Pingitore N E (2013) On the symmetry and crystal structure of aguilarite, Ag4SeS Mineralogical Magazine 77 21-31		2013	San Carlos mine, Guanajuato, Mexico	0	293

CIF Raw Data - click here to close

data_global
_chemical_name_mineral 'Aguilarite'
loop_
_publ_author_name
'Bindi L'
'Pingitore N E'
_journal_name_full 'Mineralogical Magazine'
_journal_volume 77 
_journal_year 2013
_journal_page_first 21
_journal_page_last 31
_publ_section_title
;
 On the symmetry and crystal structure of aguilarite, Ag4SeS
;
_database_code_amcsd 0019989
_chemical_compound_source 'San Carlos mine, Guanajuato, Mexico'
_chemical_formula_sum 'Ag2 (Se.49 S.42 Te.09)'
_cell_length_a 4.2478
_cell_length_b 6.9432
_cell_length_c 8.0042
_cell_angle_alpha 90
_cell_angle_beta 100.103
_cell_angle_gamma 90
_cell_volume 232.410
_exptl_crystal_density_diffrn      7.984
_symmetry_space_group_name_H-M 'P 1 21/n 1'
loop_
_space_group_symop_operation_xyz
  'x,y,z'
  '1/2+x,1/2-y,1/2+z'
  '1/2-x,1/2+y,1/2-z'
  '-x,-y,-z'
loop_
_atom_site_label
_atom_site_fract_x
_atom_site_fract_y
_atom_site_fract_z
_atom_site_occupancy
_atom_site_U_iso_or_equiv
Ag1   0.75442   0.01378   0.30116   1.00000   0.01762
Ag2   0.28840   0.31874   0.43144   1.00000   0.01803
Se   0.36030   0.24110   0.13054   0.49000   0.02162
S   0.36030   0.24110   0.13054   0.42000   0.02162
Te   0.36030   0.24110   0.13054   0.09000   0.02162
loop_
_atom_site_aniso_label
_atom_site_aniso_U_11
_atom_site_aniso_U_22
_atom_site_aniso_U_33
_atom_site_aniso_U_12
_atom_site_aniso_U_13
_atom_site_aniso_U_23
Ag1 0.01810 0.01774 0.01705 -0.00012 0.00318 0.00000
Ag2 0.01845 0.01826 0.01740 0.00002 0.00317 0.00019
Se 0.02150 0.02220 0.02112 -0.00033 0.00385 -0.00001
S 0.02150 0.02220 0.02112 -0.00033 0.00385 -0.00001
Te 0.02150 0.02220 0.02112 -0.00033 0.00385 -0.00001

X-Ray Powder DiffractionHide

Powder Diffraction Data:

d-spacing	Intensity
2.88 Å	(50)
2.67 Å	(20)
2.59 Å	(20)
2.43 Å	(100)
2.23 Å	(30)
1.73 Å	(30)
1.48 Å	(40)

Comments:

Guanajuato, Mexico (ICDD 27-620).

Geological EnvironmentHide

Paragenetic Mode(s):

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

Geological Setting:

An uncommon, relatively low-temperature, mineral in hydrothermal deposits rich in silver and selenium, but manifestly deficient in sulfur.

Type Occurrence of AguilariteHide

Type Locality:

ⓘ San Carlos Mine, La Luz, Guanajuato Municipality, Guanajuato, Mexico

General Appearance of Type Material:

Skeletal pseudo-dodecahedrons. Often lengthened along one of the crystallographic axes or in the direction of a pseudo-octahedral axis. Crystals to 6 x 10 mm and groups to 15 mm.

Place of Conservation of Type Material:

No designated type material.

Associated Minerals at Type Locality:

Calcite

Quartz

Other Language Names for AguilariteHide

Dutch:Aguilariet

French:Aguilarite

German:Aguilarit

Italian:Aguilarite

Latvian:Agvilarīts

Norwegian:Aguilaritt

Simplified Chinese:辉硒银矿

Spanish:Aguilarita

Relationship of Aguilarite to other SpeciesHide

Member of:

Acanthite Group

Other Members of Acanthite Group:

Acanthite	Ag₂S	Mon. 2/m : P2₁/m
Cervelleite	Ag₄TeS	Mon. 2/m : P2₁/c

Common AssociatesHide

Associations Based on Photo Data:

21 photos of Aguilarite associated with Quartz	SiO₂
12 photos of Aguilarite associated with 'Electrum'	(Au,Ag)
12 photos of Aguilarite associated with Naumannite	Ag₂Se
7 photos of Aguilarite associated with Galena	PbS
5 photos of Aguilarite associated with Pyrite	FeS₂
5 photos of Aguilarite associated with Chalcopyrite	CuFeS₂
4 photos of Aguilarite associated with Sphalerite	ZnS
2 photos of Aguilarite associated with Polybasite	[Ag₆Sb₂S₇][Ag₉CuS₄]
2 photos of Aguilarite associated with Native Gold	Au
2 photos of Aguilarite associated with Stephanite	Ag₅SbS₄

Related Minerals - Strunz-mindat Grouping Hide

2.BA.	Makotoite	Ag₁₂(Cu₃Au)S₈	Trig. 3m(32/m) : R3c
2.BA.	Alburnite	Ag₈GeTe₂S₄	Iso.
2.BA.	Dzierżanowskite	CaCu₂S₂	Trig. 3m(32/m) : P3m1
2.BA.	Xuwenyuanite	Ag₉Fe³⁺Te₂S₄	Iso. 43m : F43m
2.BA.	'Orileyite'	(Fe,Cu)₂As
2.BA.	Juxingite	Bi₆Cu⁺₁₃₈Cu²⁺₂Fe³⁺₃₀S₁₂₅	Iso. 43m : F43m
2.BA.05	Djurleite	Cu₃₁S₁₆	Mon. 2/m : P2₁/c
2.BA.05	Geerite	Cu₈S₅	Trig. 3
2.BA.05	Roxbyite	Cu₅₈S₃₂	Tric. 1 : P1
2.BA.05	Chalcocite	Cu₂S	Mon. 2/m : P2₁/c
2.BA.10	Digenite	Cu₉S₅	Trig. 3m(32/m) : R3m
2.BA.10	Anilite	Cu₇S₄	Orth. mmm(2/m2/m2/m) : Pnma
2.BA.15	Bornite	Cu₅FeS₄	Orth. mmm(2/m2/m2/m) : Pbca
2.BA.20	Bellidoite	Cu₂Se	Tet. 4/m : P4₂/n
2.BA.20	Berzelianite	Cu_2-xSe (x ≈ 0.12)	Iso. m3m(4/m32/m) : Fm3m
2.BA.25	Athabascaite	Cu₅Se₄	Orth.
2.BA.25	Umangite	Cu₃Se₂	Tet. 42m : P42₁m
2.BA.30	Rickardite	Cu₇Te₅	Orth. mmm(2/m2/m2/m) : Pmmn
2.BA.30	Weissite	Cu_2-xTe	Hex. 6/mmm(6/m2/m2/m) : P6/mmm
2.BA.35	Acanthite	Ag₂S	Mon. 2/m : P2₁/m
2.BA.35	Spryite	Ag₈(As³⁺_0.5As⁵⁺_0.5)S₆	Orth. mm2 : Pna2₁
2.BA.40d	'UM2003-13-S:AgAuCu'	Ag₆AuCu₂S₅
2.BA.40	Mckinstryite	Ag_5-xCu_3+xS₄	Orth. mmm(2/m2/m2/m) : Pnma
2.BA.40	Stromeyerite	AgCuS	Orth. mmm(2/m2/m2/m)
2.BA.42	Honeaite	Au₃TlTe₂	Orth. mmm(2/m2/m2/m) : Pbcm
2.BA.45	Jalpaite	Ag₃CuS₂	Tet. 4/mmm(4/m2/m2/m) : I4₁/amd
2.BA.45	Selenojalpaite	Ag₃CuSe₂	Tet. 4/mmm(4/m2/m2/m) : I4₁/amd
2.BA.45	Kurilite	Ag₈Te₃Se	Trig. 3 : R3
2.BA.47	Spiridonovite	(Cu_1-xAg_x)₂Te	Trig. 3m(32/m) : P3c1
2.BA.50	Wuyanzhiite	Cu₂S	Tet. 422 : P4₃2₁2
2.BA.50	Eucairite	AgCuSe	Orth.
2.BA.52	'Argentite'	Ag₂S	Iso.
2.BA.55	Naumannite	Ag₂Se	Orth. 222 : P2₁2₁2₁
2.BA.60	Chenguodaite	Ag₉Fe³⁺Te₂S₄	Orth.
2.BA.60	Hessite	Ag₂Te	Mon. 2/m : P2₁/c
2.BA.60

Aguilarite

About AguilariteHide

Unique IdentifiersHide

Similar NamesHide

IMA Classification of AguilariteHide

Classification of AguilariteHide

Mineral SymbolsHide

Physical Properties of AguilariteHide

Optical Data of AguilariteHide

Chemistry of AguilariteHide

Crystallography of AguilariteHide

Crystal StructureHide

X-Ray Powder DiffractionHide

Geological EnvironmentHide

Type Occurrence of AguilariteHide

Other Language Names for AguilariteHide

Relationship of Aguilarite to other SpeciesHide

Common AssociatesHide

Related Minerals - Strunz-mindat GroupingHide

Related Minerals - Strunz-mindat Grouping Hide