Argentopyrite Mineral Data

Argentopyrite Mineral Data +

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General Argentopyrite Information

Chemical Formula:

AgFe2S3

Composition:

Molecular Weight = 315.76 gm

Iron 35.37 % Fe

Silver 34.16 % Ag

Sulfur 30.47 % S

______

100.00 %

Empirical Formula:

AgFe³⁺₂S₃

Environment:

Occurs as crusts of euhedral crystals formed in hydrothermal veins.

IMA Status:

Valid Species (Pre-IMA) 1868

Locality:

From St. Andreasberg, Harz; Marienberg, Schneeberg, Johanngeorgenstadt, and Freiberg, Saxony; and at the Anton mine, Weiden, Black Forest, Germany. Link to MinDat.org Location Data.

Name Origin:

For its composition and physical similarity to pyrite.

Argentopyrite Image

Images:

Argentopyrite

Comments: Metallic, twinned argentopyrite grain on matrix.
Location: St. Andreasberg, Harz, Lower Saxony, Germany. Scale: Size Not Given.
© Lou Perloff / Photo Atlas of Minerals

Argentopyrite Crystallography

Axial Ratios:

a:b:c =0.5789:1:0.5623

Cell Dimensions:

a = 6.64, b = 11.47, c = 6.45, Z = 4; V = 491.24 Den(Calc)= 4.27

Crystal System:

Orthorhombic - DipyramidalH-M Symbol (2/m 2/m 2/m) Space Group: Pmmn

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

By Intensity(I/I_o): 3.318(1), 3.341(1), 1.808(0.7),

Physical Properties of Argentopyrite

Cleavage:

None

Color:

Blue, Bronze brown, Green, Yellow, White.

Density:

4.25

Diaphaniety:

Opaque

Fracture:

Brittle - Uneven - Very brittle fracture producing uneven fragments.

Hardness:

3.5-4 - Copper Penny-Fluorite

Luster:

Metallic

Optical Properties of Argentopyrite

RL Anisotrophism:

Strong, deep blue to pale blue-gray.

RL Color:

White, bright gray.

Reflectivity

**Standardized Intensity (100%) Reflection Spectra of Argentopyrite in Air**
λ	R₁	R₂	∑ R₁(λ)	∑ R₂(λ)
400 nm	20.80	29.10
420 nm	22.10	30.00
440 nm	23.40	30.90
460 nm	24.50	31.80
480 nm	25.30	32.50
500 nm	26.00	33.30
520 nm	26.30	34.00
540 nm	26.80	34.70
560 nm	27.30	35.30
580 nm	28.00	35.80
600 nm	28.60	36.40
620 nm	29.30	36.80
640 nm	30.00	37.20
660 nm	30.80	37.40
680 nm	31.40	37.60
700 nm	32.00	37.80

**Calculated Relative Intensity Colors of Argentopyrite in Air**
Relative Intensity	0%	40%	80%	100%	120%	160%	200%	240%	280%	320%	360%	380%
R₁
R₂

Calculated Properties of Argentopyrite

Electron Density:

r_electron=3.98 gm/cc
note: r_{Argentopyrite}=4.27 gm/cc.

Fermion Index

Fermion Index = 0.00978
Boson Index = 0.99022

Photoelectric:

PE_{Argentopyrite}= 96.36 barns/electron
U=PE_{Argentopyrite} x r_electron= 383.09 barns/cc.

Radioactivity:

GRapi = 0 (Gamma Ray American Petroleum Institute Units)

Argentopyrite is Not Radioactive

Argentopyrite Classification

Dana Class:

2.9.13.2 (2)Sulfides - Including Selenides and Tellurides

(2.9)where Am Bn Xp, with (m+n):p=1:1

(2.9.13)Dana Group

2.9.13.1 Cubanite CuFe2S3 Pcmn 2/m 2/m 2/m

2.9.13.2 Argentopyrite AgFe2S3 Pmmn 2/m 2/m 2/m

2.9.13.3 Isocubanite CuFe2S3 F m3m 4/m 3 2/m

Strunz Class:

II/C.14-40 II - Sulfides and sulphosalts

II/C - Sulfides with metal: sulfur, selenium and tellurium = 1:1

II/C.14 - Cubanite series

II/C.14-10 Enargite Cu3AsS4 Pnm21 mm2

II/C.14-15 Stibioenargite* Cu3(Sb,As)S4 Unk Ortho

II/C.14-20 Cubanite CuFe2S3 Pcmn 2/m 2/m 2/m

II/C.14-30 Sternbergite AgFe2S3 C mma 2/m 2/m 2/m

II/C.14-40 Argentopyrite AgFe2S3 Pmmn 2/m 2/m 2/m

Other Argentopyrite Information

References:

NAME( AntBidBlaNic1) PHYS. PROP.(Enc. of Minerals,2nd ed.,1990) OPTIC PROP.(AntBidBlaNic1)

See Also:

Links to other databases for Argentopyrite :
1 -Am. Min. Crystal Structure Database 2 -Athena 3 - Crocoite.com Mineral Locations 4 - EUROmin Project 5 -Google Images 6 -Google Scholar 7 -Handbook of Mineralogy (UofA) 8 -MinDAT 9 -MinMax(Deutsch) 10 -MinMax(English) 11 -Mineralienatlas (Deutsch) 12 -QUT Mineral Atlas 13 - WWW-MINCRYST 14 -École des Mines de Paris

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Print or Cut-and-Paste your Argentopyrite Specimen Label here :

Argentopyrite

AgFe2S3
Dana No: 2.9.13.2 Strunz No: II/C.14-40
Locality:

Notes: