Pyrargyrite Mineral Data

Pyrargyrite Mineral Data +

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General Pyrargyrite Information

Chemical Formula:

Ag3SbS3

Composition:

Molecular Weight = 541.55 gm

Silver 59.75 % Ag

Antimony 22.48 % Sb

Sulfur 17.76 % S

______

100.00 %

Empirical Formula:

Ag₃SbS₃

Environment:

Primary late-stage, low temperature minearal and formed by secondary enrichment.

IMA Status:

Valid Species (Pre-IMA) 1831

Locality:

Fresnillo, Zacatecas, and Guanajuato, Mexico and other silver districts in the world. Link to MinDat.org Location Data.

Name Origin:

From the Greek, pyr and argyros, "fire-silver" in allusion to color and silver content.

Synonym:

Dark Red Silver Ore

ICSD 38389

PDF 21-1173

Ruby Silver Ore

Pyrargyrite Image

Images:

Pyrargyrite

Comments: Pyrargyrite with quartz.
Location: Fresnillo, Zacatecas, Mexico. Scale: 3 x 2.5 cm.
© Fabre Minerals

Pyrargyrite Crystallography

Axial Ratios:

a:c = 1:0.78926

Cell Dimensions:

a = 11.047, c = 8.719, Z = 6; V = 921.48 Den(Calc)= 5.86

Crystal System:

Trigonal - Ditrigonal PyramidalH-M Symbol (3m) Space Group: R 3c

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

By Intensity(I/I_o): 2.779(1), 2.566(0.9), 3.22(0.9),

Forms:

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Forms: [ 1 1 0] [ 1 0 2] [ 0 1 2]

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Crystal Structure:

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Engel P , Nowacki W , Neues Jahrbuch fur Mineralogie, Monatshefte , 1966 (1966) p.181-184, Die verfeinerung der kristallstruktur von proustit, Ag3AsS3 und pyrargyrit, Ag3SbS3

Physical Properties of Pyrargyrite

Cleavage:

[1011] Poor

Color:

Deep red, Red gray.

Density:

5.85

Diaphaniety:

Opaque to translucent

Fracture:

Brittle - Conchoidal - Very brittle fracture producing small, conchoidal fragments.

Habit:

Crystalline - Poor - Occurs primarily as crudely formed crystals.

Habit:

Massive - Uniformly indistinguishable crystals forming large masses.

Habit:

Prismatic - Crystals Shaped like Slender Prisms (e.g. tourmaline).

Hardness:

2.5 - Finger Nail

Luminescence:

None.

Luster:

Sub Metallic

Streak:

cherry red

Optical Properties of Pyrargyrite

Dichroism (e):

dark red.

Dichroism (w):

darker red.

Optical Data:

Uniaxial (-), e=2.881, w=3.084, bire=0.2030.

RL Anisotrophism:

Strong, in yellow-white and gray-blue.

Reflectivity

**Standardized Intensity (100%) Reflection Spectra of Pyrargyrite in Air**
λ	R₁	R₂	∑ R₁(λ)	∑ R₂(λ)
400 nm	35.00	41.00
420 nm	34.80	40.80
440 nm	34.60	40.60
460 nm	34.00	40.20
480 nm	32.80	39.50
500 nm	31.00	37.40
520 nm	29.60	35.40
540 nm	28.20	34.00
560 nm	27.20	32.70
580 nm	26.40	31.70
600 nm	25.60	30.90
620 nm	25.00	30.20
640 nm	24.40	29.60
660 nm	23.80	29.00
680 nm	23.40	28.50
700 nm	22.90	28.10

**Calculated Relative Intensity Colors of Pyrargyrite in Air**
Relative Intensity	0%	40%	80%	100%	120%	160%	200%	240%	280%	320%	340%
R₁
R₂

Calculated Properties of Pyrargyrite

Electron Density:

r_electron=5.19 gm/cc
note: r_Pyrargyrite=5.86 gm/cc.

Fermion Index

Fermion Index = 0.00133
Boson Index = 0.99867

Photoelectric:

PE_Pyrargyrite= 229.29 barns/electron
U=PE_Pyrargyrite x r_electron=1,190.91 barns/cc.

Radioactivity:

GRapi = 0 (Gamma Ray American Petroleum Institute Units)

Pyrargyrite is Not Radioactive

Pyrargyrite Classification

Dana Class:

3.4.1.2 (3)Sulfides - Sulfosalts

(3.4)where z/y > 3 - (A+)i (A++)j [By Cz], A=metals, B=semi-metals, C=non-metals

(3.4.1)Dana Group

3.4.1.1 Proustite Ag3AsS3 R 3c 3 2/m

3.4.1.2 Pyrargyrite Ag3SbS3 R 3c 3m

Strunz Class:

II/E.07-20 II - Sulfides and sulphosalts

II/E - Sulfosalts (S : As,Sb,Bi = x) Sulfosalts with predominant Silver, x = 6.0 - 1.6

II/E.07 - Proustite - Samsonite series

II/E.07-10 Proustite Ag3AsS3 R 3c 3 2/m

II/E.07-20 Pyrargyrite Ag3SbS3 R 3c 3m

II/E.07-30 Xanthoconite Ag3AsS3 A2/a 2/m

II/E.07-40 Pyrostilpnite Ag3SbS3 P 2₁/c 2/m

II/E.07-50 Samsonite Ag4MnSb2S6 P 2/n 2/m

II/E.07-60 Quadratite! Ag(Cd,Pb)AsS3 I 4/amd 4/m 2/m 2/m

Other Pyrargyrite Information

References:

NAME( ODonoghue90) PHYS. PROP.(Enc. of Minerals,2nd ed.,1990) OPTIC PROP.(AntBidBlaNic1)

See Also:

Links to other databases for Pyrargyrite :
1 - Am. Min. Crystal Structure Database
2 - Amethyst Galleries' Mineral Gallery
3 - Athena
4 - EUROmin Project
5 - Ecole des Mines de Paris
6 - Google Images
7 - Google Scholar
8 - Handbook of Mineralogy (MinSocAm)
9 - Handbook of Mineralogy (UofA)
10 - HyperPhysics
11 - MinDAT
12 - MinMax(Deutsch)
13 - MinMax(English)
14 - Mineralienatlas (Deutsch)
15 - QUT Mineral Atlas
16 - Ruff.Info
17 - WWW-MINCRYST

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Pyrargyrite

Ag3SbS3
Dana No: 3.4.1.2 Strunz No: II/E.07-20
Locality:

Notes: