Vrbaite Mineral Data

General Vrbaite Information

Chemical Formula:

Tl4Hg3Sb2As8S20

Composition:

Molecular Weight = 2,903.50 gm

Thallium 28.16 % Tl

Mercury 20.73 % Hg

Antimony 8.39 % Sb

Arsenic 20.64 % As

Sulfur 22.09 % S

______

100.00 %

Empirical Formula:

Tl₄Hg₃Sb₂As₈S₂₀

Environment:

Intergrown with realgar and orpiment.

IMA Status:

Valid Species (Pre-IMA) 1912

Locality:

Allchar, near Rozsdan, northwest of Salonika, Macedonia, Greece. Link to MinDat.org Location Data.

Name Origin:

Named for Karl Vrba (1845-1922), Czech mineralogist.

Name Pronunciation:

Vrbaite

Synonym:

ICSD 15240

PDF 20-1264

Vrbaite Image

Images:

Vrbaite Realgar

Comments: Black grain of vrbaite in red realgar matrix.
Location: Allchar, Roszdan, FYR Macedonia. Scale: Picture size 1.7 mm.
© Thomas Witzke / Abraxas-Verlag

Vrbaite Crystallography

Axial Ratios:

a:b:c =0.5676:1:0.483

Cell Dimensions:

a = 13.189, b = 23.235, c = 11.223, Z = 2; V = 3,439.25 Den(Calc)= 2.80

Crystal System:

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

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

By Intensity(I/I_o): 4.04(1), 2.57(0.8), 3.33(0.8),

Forms:

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Forms: ( 0 1 0) ( 3 3 1) ( 1 1 2) ( 1 1 1) ( 1 0 0)

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Crystal Structure:

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Ohmasa M , Nowacki W , Zeitschrift fur Kristallographie , 134 (1971) p.360-380, The crystal structure of vrbaite, Hg3Tl4As8Sb2S20, Locality: Allchar, Macedonia

Physical Properties of Vrbaite

Cleavage:

{010} Good

Color:

Gray black, Dark red.

Density:

5.3 - 2.3, Average = 3.8

Diaphaneity:

Opaque to subtranslucent

Fracture:

Brittle - Uneven - Very brittle fracture producing uneven fragments.

Habit:

Microscopic Crystals - Crystals visible only with microscopes.

Habit:

Pyramidal - Crystals are shaped like pyramids.

Habit:

Tabular - Form dimensions are thin in one direction.

Hardness:

3.5 - Copper Penny

Luster:

Metallic

Streak:

light red

Optical Properties of Vrbaite

Optical Data:

Biaxial (+), b=2.72

RL Color:

Bluish white with red internal reflections, dark red in translucent thin splinters.

Reflectivity

**Standardized Intensity (100%) Reflection Spectra of Vrbaite in Air**
λ	R₁	R₂	∑ R₁(λ)	∑ R₂(λ)
400 nm	45.80	48.60
420 nm	42.00	44.60
440 nm	38.20	40.60
460 nm	35.70	38.20
480 nm	33.80	36.70
500 nm	32.20	35.30
520 nm	30.80	34.00
540 nm	29.60	32.50
560 nm	28.60	31.10
580 nm	28.00	30.00
600 nm	27.60	29.20
620 nm	27.30	28.80
640 nm	27.10	28.80
660 nm	26.80	28.60
680 nm	26.60	28.40
700 nm	26.40	28.00

**Calculated Relative Intensity Colors of Vrbaite in Air**
Relative Intensity	0%	40%	80%	100%	120%	160%	200%	240%	280%	310%
R₁
R₂

Calculated Properties of Vrbaite

Electron Density:

Bulk Density (Electron Density)=2.41 gm/cc
note: Specific Gravity of Vrbaite =2.80 gm/cc.

Fermion Index:

Fermion Index = 0.06
Boson Index = 0.94

Photoelectric:

PE_Vrbaite= 867.15 barns/electron
U=PE_Vrbaite x rElectron Density=2,090.60 barns/cc.

Radioactivity:

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

Vrbaite Classification

Dana Class:

03.07.15.01 (03)Sulfides - Sulfosalts

(03.07)where z/y = 2 - (A+)i (A++)j [By Cz], A=metals, B=semi-metals, C=non-metals

(03.07.15)Dana Group

03.07.15.01 Vrbaite Tl4Hg3Sb2As8S20 C mca 2/m 2/m 2/m

Strunz Class:

02.HF.20 02 - SULFIDES and SULFOSALTS (sulfides, selenides, tellurides; arsenides, antimonides, bismuthides; sulfarsenites, sulf

02.H - Sulfosalts of SnS Archetype

02.HF -With SnS and PbS archetype structure units

02.HF.20 Vrbaite Tl4Hg3Sb2As8S20 C mca 2/m 2/m 2/m

Other Vrbaite Information

References:

NAME( Ford32) PHYS. PROP.(Enc. of Minerals,2nd ed.,1990) OPTIC PROP.(AntBidBlaNic1)

See Also:

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

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

Vrbaite

Tl4Hg3Sb2As8S20
Dana No: 03.07.15.01 Strunz No: 02.HF.20
Locality:

Notes: