Argentite Mineral Data

General Argentite Information

Chemical Formula:

Ag2S

Composition:

Molecular Weight = 247.80 gm

Silver 87.06 % Ag

Sulfur 12.94 % S

______

100.00 %

Empirical Formula:

Ag₂S

Environment:

Low temperature ore veins.

IMA Status:

Not Approved IMA

Locality:

Mexico, Saxony, Great Britain and Kongsberg, Norway are notable localities. Link to MinDat.org Location Data.

Name Origin:

After the Latin, argentum, meaning "silver". From the Greek, akanta, meaning "arrow." Argentite is stable above 179 C. Acanthite is stable below 179 C.

Name Pronunciation:

Argentite + Pronunciation

Synonym:

ICSD 9586

PDF 4-774

Silver Glance

Argentite Image

Images:

Argentite Acanthite

Comments: Dark metallic acanthite crystals up to 3 mm. Most of the crystals are a cubic habit, so the acanthite is pseudomorphing the original argentite.
Location: San Juan de Rayas Mine (Rayas Mine), Guanajuato, Mun. de Guanajuato, Guanajuato, Mexico. Scale: 18x12x12 mm.
© John Betts - Fine Minerals

Argentite Crystallography

Cell Dimensions:

a = 4.89, Z = 2; V = 116.93 Den(Calc)= 7.04

Crystal System:

Isometric - HexoctahedralH-M Symbol (4/m 3 2/m) Space Group: I m3m

$Help on X Ray Diffraction:$ X Ray Diffraction:

By Intensity(I/I_o): 1.819(1), 2.24(1), 3.17(1),

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Forms: ( 1 1 1) ( 0 1 1) ( 1 0 0) ( 1 1 2)

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Physical Properties of Argentite

Cleavage:

{001} Poor, {110} Poor

Color:

Black, Lead gray.

Density:

7.2 - 7.4, Average = 7.3

Diaphaneity:

Opaque

Fracture:

Sectile - Curved shavings or scrapings produced by a knife blade, (e.g. graphite).

Habit:

Arborescent - "Tree like" growths of branched systems (e.g. silver).

Habit:

Blocky - Crystal shape tends to be equant (e.g. feldspars).

Habit:

Skeletal - Crystals form crude outlines with missing faces.

Hardness:

2-2.5 - Gypsum-Finger Nail

Luminescence:

Non-fluorescent.

Luster:

Metallic

Magnetism:

Nonmagnetic

Streak:

black

Calculated Properties of Argentite

Electron Density:

Bulk Density (Electron Density)=6.25 gm/cc
note: Specific Gravity of Argentite =7.04 gm/cc.

Fermion Index:

Fermion Index = 0.0009705112
Boson Index = 0.9990294888

Photoelectric:

PE_Argentite= 224.26 barns/electron
U=PE_Argentite x rElectron Density=1,401.66 barns/cc.

Radioactivity:

GRapi = 0 (Gamma Ray American Petroleum Institute Units)
Argentite is Not Radioactive

Argentite Classification

Dana Class:

02.00.00.00 (02)Sulfide Minerals

(02.00)Without Dana Classification Numbers

(02.00.00)Chalcocite Group

02.00.00.00 Argentite* Ag2S I m3m 4/m 3 2/m

02.00.00.00 Bayankhanite? Cu6HgS4 Unk Hex

02.00.00.00 Bismutoplagionite* 5PbS.4Bi2S3 Unk Ortho

02.00.00.00 Bravoite? (Fe,Ni,Co)S2 P a3 2/m 3

02.00.00.00 Colimaite K3VS4 P nma 2/m 2/m 2/m

02.00.00.00 Dayingite* CuCoPtS4 F m3m 4/m 3 2/m

02.00.00.00 Dilithium* Li2Te P 222 2 2 2

02.00.00.00 Dzhezkazganite* (Pb,Cu,Rh)S2(?) P a3? 2/m 3

02.00.00.00 Ferdisilicite* FeSi2 P 4/mmm 4/m 2/m 2/m

02.00.00.00 Fersilicite* FeSi P 2₁3 2 3

02.00.00.00 Horobetsuite* (Bi,Sb)2S3 Pbnm 2/m 2/m 2/m

02.00.00.00 Horomanite Fe6Ni3S8 P 4/mmm 4mm

02.00.00.00 Imgreite? NiTe P 6₃/mmc 6/m 2/m 2/m

02.00.00.00 Iridisite* (Ir,Cu,Rh,Ni,Pt)S2 Unk Cubic

02.00.00.00 Isochalcopyrite? Cu8Fe9S16 Unk Cubic

02.00.00.00 Jaipurite* CoS P 6₃/mmc 6/m 2/m 2/m

02.00.00.00 Kitaibelite? Ag10PbBi30S51 Mono ? Mono

02.00.00.00 Kurilite? (Ag,Au)2(Te,Se,S) P m3n,P 4₃n Cubic

02.00.00.00 Plumosite* Pb2Sb2S5 Mono

02.00.00.00 Protojoseite* Bi4TeS2(?) R 3m 3 2/m

02.00.00.00 Samaniite Cu2Fe5Ni2S8 P 4₁/mmm 4mm

02.00.00.00 Stibioenargite* Cu3(Sb,As)S4 Unk Ortho

02.00.00.00 Sztrokayite* Bi3TeS2 Trig ? Trig

02.00.00.00 Volfsonite* Cu10CuFeFe2Sn3S16 P 4₂m-,P 42₁2 Tetra

Strunz Class:

02.BA.30a 02 - SULFIDES and SULFOSALTS (sulfides, selenides, tellurides; arsenides, antimonides, bismuthides; sulfarsenites, sulf

02.B - Metal Sulfides, M:S > 1:1 (mainly 2:1)

02.BA -With Cu, Ag, Au

02.BA.30a Acanthite Ag2S P 2₁/n 2/m

02.BA.30a Argentite* Ag2S I m3m 4/m 3 2/m

Other Argentite Information

References:

NAME( Duda&Rejl90) PHYS. PROP.(Enc. of Minerals,2nd ed.,1990)

See Also:

Links to other databases for Argentite :
1 - Am. Min. Crystal Structure Database
2 - Amethyst Galleries' Mineral Gallery
3 - Athena
4 - GeoScienceWorld
5 - Glendale Community College
6 - Google Images
7 - Google Scholar
8 - MinDAT
9 - Mineralienatlas (Deutsch)
10 - Online Mineral Museum
11 - QUT Mineral Atlas
12 - Ruff.Info
13 - Scandinavian mineral gallery
14 - WWW-MINCRYST

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Ask about Argentite here :
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Print or Cut-and-Paste your Argentite Specimen Label here :

Argentite

Ag2S
Dana No: 02.00.00.00 Strunz No: 02.BA.30a
Locality:

Notes: