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Mckinstryite

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Big Photo

Clara Mine, Rankach valley, Oberwolfach, Wolfach, Black Forest, Baden-Württemberg, Germany
© Stephan Wolfsried

Show Mckinstryite Photos (7)



Formula:
Ag
 
5-x
Cu
 
3+x
S
 
4
x ≈ 0-0.28
System:OrthorhombicColour:Steel gray
Hardness:1½ - 2½
Name:For Hugh Exton McKinstry (1896-1961), Professor of Geology, Harvard University.


Low-temperature sulphide, often associated with the chemically related stromeyerite and jalpaite.
Formula previously given in a simplified way as (Ag,Cu)2S, now revised to ~Ag5Cu3S4 on the basis of a crystal structure solution (Kolitsch, 2010).

Classification of Mckinstryite

IMA status:Approved
Strunz 8th edition ID:2/B.06-20
Nickel-Strunz 10th (pending) edition ID:2.BA.40

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 edition ID:2.4.5.1

2 : SULFIDES
4 : AmBnXp, with (m+n):p = 2:1
Hey's CIM Ref.:3.2.11

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
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Type Occurrence of Mckinstryite

Type Locality:Foster Mine, Coleman Township, Cobalt area, Cobalt-Gowganda region, Timiskaming District, Ontario, Canada
Year of Discovery:1966

Occurrences of Mckinstryite

Geological Setting:Low temperature hydrothermal deposits

Physical Properties of Mckinstryite

Lustre:Metallic
Diaphaneity (Transparency):Opaque
Colour:Steel gray
Comment:Tarnishes to dark gray to black
Streak:Dark steel-gray
Hardness (Mohs):1½ - 2½
Hardness (Vickers):VHN25=43 - 45 kg/mm2
Cleavage:Poor/Indistinct
One poor direction.
Fracture:Sub-Conchoidal
Density (measured):6.61 g/cm3
Density (calculated):6.57 g/cm3

Crystallography of Mckinstryite

Crystal System:Orthorhombic
Class (H-M):mmm (2/m 2/m 2/m) - Dipyramidal
Space Group:Pnma {P21/n 21/m 21/a}
Cell Parameters:a = 14.043Å, b = 7.803Å, c = 15.677Å
Ratio:a:b:c = 1.8 : 1 : 2.009
Unit Cell Volume:V 1,717.85 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Z:8
Morphology:Granular aggregates.
Comment:Cell data for type material.

Optical Data of Mckinstryite

Type:Anisotropic
Anisotropism:Strong in gray, pale grayish blue and light tan.
Colour in reflected light:Light grayish white

Chemical Properties of Mckinstryite

Formula:
Ag
 
5-x
Cu
 
3+x
S
 
4


x ≈ 0-0.28
Essential elements:Ag, Cu, S
All elements listed in formula:Ag, Cu, S

Relationship of Mckinstryite to other Species

Related Minerals - Nickel-Strunz Grouping):

- +
2.BA.05Chalcocite
Cu
 
2
S
2.BA.05Djurleite
Cu
 
31
S
 
16
2.BA.05Geerite
Cu
 
8
S
 
5
2.BA.05Roxbyite
Cu
 
9
S
 
5
2.BA.10Anilite
Cu
 
7
S
 
4
2.BA.10Digenite
Cu
 
9
S
 
5
2.BA.15Bornite
Cu
 
5
FeS
 
4
2.BA.20Bellidoite
Cu
 
2
Se
2.BA.20Berzelianite
Cu
 
2
Se
2.BA.25Athabascaite
Cu
 
5
Se
 
4
2.BA.25Umangite
Cu
 
3
Se
 
2
2.BA.30Rickardite
Cu
 
7
Te
 
5
2.BA.30Weissite
Cu
 
2-x
Te
2.BA.35Acanthite
Ag
 
2
S
2.BA.40Stromeyerite
AgCuS
2.BA.40dUM2003-13-S:AgAuCu
Ag
 
6
AuCu
 
2
S
 
5
2.BA.45Jalpaite
Ag
 
3
CuS
 
2
2.BA.45Selenojalpaite
Ag
 
3
CuSe
 
2
2.BA.50Eucairite
AgCuSe
2.BA.55Aguilarite
Ag
 
4
SeS
2.BA.55Naumannite
Ag
 
2
Se
2.BA.60Cervelleite
Ag
 
4
TeS
2.BA.60Hessite
Ag
 
2
Te
2.BA.60Chenguodaite
Ag
 
9
Fe
3+
 
Te
 
2
S
 
4
2.BA.65Henryite
Ag
 
3
Cu
 
4
Te
 
4
2.BA.65Stützite
Ag
 
5-x
Te
 
3
, x = 0.24-0.36
2.BA.70Argyrodite
Ag
 
8
GeS
 
6
2.BA.70Canfieldite
Ag
 
8
(Sn,Ge)(S,Te)
 
6
2.BA.70Putzite
(Cu
 
4.7
Ag
 
3.3
)GeS
 
6
2.BA.75Fischesserite
Ag
 
3
AuSe
 
2
2.BA.75Penzhinite
(Ag,Cu)
 
4
Au(S,Se)
 
4
2.BA.75Petrovskaite
AuAg(S,Se)
2.BA.75Petzite
Ag
 
3
AuTe
 
2
2.BA.75Uytenbogaardtite
Ag
 
3
AuS
 
2
2.BA.80Bezsmertnovite
(Au,Ag)
 
4
Cu(Te,Pb)
2.BA.80Bilibinskite
PbCuAu
 
3
Te
 
2
2.BA.80Bogdanovite
(Au,Te,Pb)
 
3
(Cu,Fe)
Related Minerals - Hey's Index Grouping:

- +
3.2.1Acanthite
Ag
 
2
S
3.2.3Naumannite
Ag
 
2
Se
3.2.4Aguilarite
Ag
 
4
SeS
3.2.5Hessite
Ag
 
2
Te
3.2.6Empressite
AgTe
3.2.7Stützite
Ag
 
5-x
Te
 
3
, x = 0.24-0.36
3.2.8Cervelleite
Ag
 
4
TeS
3.2.9Dervillite
Ag
 
2
AsS
 
2
3.2.10Stromeyerite
AgCuS
3.2.12Jalpaite
Ag
 
3
CuS
 
2
3.2.13Eucairite
AgCuSe
3.2.14Cameronite
AgCu
 
7
Te
 
10
3.2.15Henryite
Ag
 
3
Cu
 
4
Te
 
4
3.2.16Sternbergite
AgFe
 
2
S
 
3
3.2.17Argentopyrite
AgFe
 
2
S
 
3
3.2.18Geffroyite
(Cu,Fe,Ag)
 
9
(Se,S)
 
8
3.2.19Argentopentlandite
Ag(Fe,Ni)
 
8
S
 
8

Other Names for Mckinstryite

Synonyms:
IMA1966-012Mackinstryite
Other Languages:
German:Mckinstryit
Simplified Chinese:马硫铜银矿
Spanish:Mckinstryita
Traditional Chinese:馬硫銅銀礦

Other Information

Thermal Behaviour:Stable below 94.4 degrees C.
Health Warning:No information on health risks for this material has been entered into the database. You should always treat mineral specimens with care.

References for Mckinstryite

Reference List:

- +
Djurle, S. (1958): X-ray study of the Ag-Cu-S system. Acta Chemica Scandinavica, 12, 1427-1436.

Skinner, B.J. (1966): The system Cu-Ag-S. Economic Geology, 61, 1-26.

Skinner, B.J., Jambor, J.L. and Ross, M. (1966) Mckinstryite, a new copper-silver sulfide. Economic Geology, 61, 1383-1389.

American Mineralogist (1967): 52: 1253.

Robinson, B.W. and Morton, R.D. (1971): Mckinstryite from the Echo Bay Mine, N.W.T., Canada. Economic Geology, 66, 342-347.

Yarenskaya, M. A.; Kostogonov, V. G.; Muratov, E. M.; Slyusarev, A. P. (1975): First find of mackinstryite in the USSR. Zapiski Vsesoyuznogo Mineralogicheskogo Obshchestva 104, 62-65 (in Russian).

Pekov, I.V. and Karpenko, V.Yu. (1996) Unusual stromeyerite-mckinstryite pseudomorphs after dyscrasite in the Sarbai deposit of northern Kazakhstan. Vestnik Moskovskogo Universiteta, Seriya 4: Geologiya, (6), 45-50 (in Russian).

Schmidt, J.A. and Sagua, A.E. (1999) The chemical diffusion coefficient of silver in Ag1.2Cu0.8S (-phase) determined by the potentiometric method. Anales de la Asociacion Quimica Argentina, 87, 111-120.

Kolitsch, U. (2010): The crystal structure and compositional range of mckinstryite. Mineral. Mag. 74, 73-84.

Internet Links for Mckinstryite

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  • Raman and XRD data at RRUFF project
  • American Mineralogist Crystal Structure Database
  • Mckinstryite details from Handbook of Mineralogy (PDF)
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    • Localities for Mckinstryite

    The map shows a selection of localities that have latitude and longitude coordinates recorded. Click on the symbol to view information about a locality. The symbol next to localities in the list can be used to jump to that position on the map.
    Hide Locality List
    (TL) indicates type locality. ? indicates mineral may be doubtful at this locality. All other localities listed without reference should be considered as uncertain and unproven until references can be found.
    Australia
     
    • New South Wales
      • Yancowinna Co.
    		Birch BH Book
    Austria
     
    • Salzburg
      • Saalfelden
        • Leogang
          • Hütten
            • Schwarzleograben
    		R. Exel: Die Mineralien und Erzlagerstätten Österreichs (1993)
    Bolivia
     
    • Potosí Department
      • Chayanta Province
    		Dr. Werner Paar analyses
    Bulgaria
     
    • Vratsa (Vratza) Oblast
      • Balkan Mts (Stara-Planina Mts)
    		Atanasov, V. and Lavrentiev, Yu. (1973) New occurrence of mackinstryite. Spisanie na Bulgarskoto Geologichesko Druzhestvo, 34, 309-320 (in Bulgarian).; Anthony, Bideaux, Bladh, Nichols: "Handbook of Mineralogy", Vol. 1, 1990
    Canada
     
    • Northwest Territories
      • Mackenzie District
        • Great Bear Lake
    		Rod Tyson, The Port Radium District, Northwest Territories, Canada Mineralogical Record (1989) vol.20. #3, pp 201-208 .
    Robinson, B. W. and Morton, R. D. (1971): Mckinstryite from the Echo Bay Mine, N.W.T., Canada. Economic Geology 66, 342-347.
    • Ontario
      • Timiskaming District
        • Cobalt-Gowganda region
          • Cobalt area
            • Coleman Township
    		Econ.Geol.(1966) 61, 1383-1387; Dana 7:I:343.
    Chile
     
    • Atacama Region
      • Copiapó Province
        • Pabellón
          • Sierra Jardín
    		Econ Geol (1987) 82:546-570
    China
     
    • Jilin Province (Manchuria; Dongbei Region)
      • Siping Prefecture
        • Lishu Co.
    		Dong Zhensheng et al. (1996). In: Tu Guangzhi, Ed.: Low Temperature Geochemistry, Science Press (Beijing), 32-42; Shouzhong Feng and Miao Feng (2000): Journal of Precious Metallic Geology 9(1)
    • Shandong Province
      • Jiaodong Peninsula (Jiaodong Gold Province)
        • Yantai Prefecture
          • Zhaoyuan Co.
    		Xiang-Ping Gu, Makoto Watanabe, Kenichi Hoshino, and Yasuhiro Shibata (2003): European Journal of Mineralogy 15(1), 147-155.
    • Shanxi Province
      • Datong Prefecture
        • Lingqiu Co.
    		Xiumei Xiao (1992): Geology and Prospecting 28(10), 13-17; Jin Chen and Yuelin Tang (1993): Geology and Prospecting 29(11), 16-22, 28; Shaozhi Zhou (1999): Geology and Prospecting 35(3), 6-8, 23; Shuchen Li and Lixia Zhou (2008): Geology and Prospecting 44(3), 18-21
    Czech Republic
     
    • Bohemia (Böhmen; Boehmen)
      • Central Bohemia Region
        • Příbram
          • Vrančice
    		[Lapis 1995, 12, p.13-24]
    Šulcová, V. and Kašpar, P. (1986) Mckinstryite and jalpaite from the Pošepny vein at Vrančice near Přibram, Czechoslovakia. Časopis pro Mineralogii a Geologii, 31, 183-184 (in Czech).
    Egypt
     
    • Red Sea Governorate
      • Eastern Desert
        • Um Samiuki
    		Canadian Mineralogist Feb. 1999
    Germany
     
    • Baden-Württemberg
      • Black Forest
        • Wolfach
          • Oberwolfach
            • Rankach valley
    		U. Kolitsch, J. Gröbner, F. Brandstätter and R. Bayerl (2010): Neufunde aus der Grube Clara im mittleren Schwarzwald (IV): Calcioandyrobertsit, Cotunnit, Gerhardtit, Khaidarkanit, Lukrahnit, Mckinstryit, Moolooit, Rhabdophan-(La), Rouait und Uricit. Lapis 35 (9), 22-27; 62 (in German).
    Indonesia
     
    • Jawa Island (Java Island)
      • Jawa Barat Province (West Java Province)
        • Bogor District
    		The Canadian Mineralogist Vol. 41, pp. 185-200 (2003); Syafrizal; Imai, A.; Motomura, Y.; Watanabe, K. (2005): Characteristics of gold mineralization at the Ciurug vein, Pongkor gold-silver deposit, West Java, Indonesia. Resource Geology 55, 225-238.
    Japan
     
    • Hokkaido
      • Ishikari Province
    		Economic Geology 93 (1998) 303-325.
    • Honshu Island
      • Chubu Region
        • Niigata Prefecture
          • Sado Island
    		Taguchi et al (1974) Koubutsugaku Zasshi, 11, 345-358.
      • Kinki Region
        • Hyogo Prefecture
          • Kawabe-gun
            • Inagawa
    		Imai, H. & Lee, M. S. (1972): Silver minerals from the xenothermal deposits in the western Kinki Metallogenetic Province, with special reference to silver minerals from the Tada Mine. Journal of the Faculty of Engineering, University of Tokyo, Series A: Annual Report, No. 10, 54-55 (in Japanese).
      • Tohoku Region
        • Akita Prefecture
          • Odate
    		Suji Ohno & Juichi Sato Ganko Vol. 90, 268-279 (1995) .
    Kazakhstan
     
    • Kostanay Province (Qostanay Oblysy; Kostanai Oblast')
    		Pekov, I.V. and Karpenko, V.Yu. (1996) Unusual stromeyerite-mckinstryite pseudomorphs after dyscrasite in the Sarbai deposit of northern Kazakhstan. Vestnik Moskovskogo Universiteta, Seriya 4: Geologiya, (6), 45-50 (in Russian).; [World of Stones 12:13]
    Pavel M. Kartashov data
    • Pavlodar Province (Pavlodar Oblysy; Pavlodarskaya Oblast')
    		Anthony, Bideaux, Bladh, Nichols: "Handbook of Mineralogy", Vol. 1, 1990
    Norway
     
    • Nord-Trøndelag
      • Grong
        • Godejorda
    		Bergstöl, S. & Vokes, F.M. (1974): Stromeyerite and mackinstryite from the Godejord polymetallic sulfide deposit, central Norwegian Caledonides. Mineralium Deposita 9, 325-337.; Neumann 1985, p. 16.
    • Nordland
      • Hemnes
        • Bleikvassli
    		Cook, N.J., Spry, P.G., and Vokes, F.M. (1998): Mineralium Deposita 34, 35-56.
    Slovakia
     
    • Banská Bystrica Region
      • Banská Štiavnica Co.
    Sweden
     
    • Gästrikland
      • Sandviken
    		GFF (1984) 106:4, 305-317
    • Västmanland
      • Hällefors
        • Grythyttan
    Turkey
     
    • Black Sea Region
      • Gümüşhane Province
    		Beih. z. Eur. J. Mineral 18 (2006) 28
    USA
     
    • Alaska
      • Juneau Borough
        • Admiralty District
    		Taylor, C.D., and Johnson, C.A., editors, 2010, Geology, geochemistry, and genesis of the Greens Creek massive sulfide deposit, Admiralty Island, southeastern Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 1763, 429 p., 7 plates on CD.
    • Arizona
      • Cochise Co.
        • Tombstone Hills
    		Anthony, J.W., et al (1995), Mineralogy of Arizona, 3rd.ed.: 291.
    • Colorado
      • Clear Creek Co.
        • Georgetown District
    		Minerals of Colorado (1997) Eckel, E. B.
          • Illinois Mine
    		Minerals of Colorado (1997) Eckels, E. B.; American Mineralogist: 53: 1530-1542
      • Mineral Co.
        • Creede District
    		Minerals of Colorado (1997) E.B. Eckels
    Minerals of Colorado (1997) E.B. Eckels
    • Nevada
      • Nye Co.
    		NBMG Spec. Pub. 31 Minerals of Nevada
    • New Mexico
      • Catron Co.
    		Northrop, 3rd rev. ed. (1996) Minerals of New Mexico
      • Grant Co.
    		[Rocks & Minerals Vol 68 March/April 1993 p96]
    [Rocks & Minerals Vol 68 March/April 1993 p96]
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