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Pearceite

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Mollie Gibson Mine (Molly Gibson Mine), Aspen, Aspen District (Roaring Fork District), Pitkin Co., Colorado, USA
© Peter Haas

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Formula:
[(Ag,Cu)
 
6
(As,Sb)
 
2
S
 
7
][Ag
 
9
CuS
 
4
]
System:TrigonalColour:black with dark red ...
Lustre:Hardness:2½ - 3
Member of:Pearceite Group
Name:After Dr. Richard Pearce (1837-1927) chemist and metallurgist, Denver, Colorado, USA.


Pearceite Group, Pearceite-Polybasite series.

Originally pearceite was thought to be an arsenic analogue of polybasite.
"Arsenpolybasite" was, however, found to represent two different polytypes of pearceite, pearceite-T2ac and pearceite-M2a2b2c.

Pearceite forms a series with polybasite-Tac (formerly "antimonpearceite"), which is a polytype of polybasite.

The old name pearceite will be replaced by pearceite-Tac, antimonpearceite by polybasite-Tac, arsenpolybasite-221 by pearceite-T2ac, and arsenpolybasite-222 by pearceite-M2a2b2c (Bindi et al. 2007).

Classification of Pearceite

IMA status:Valid - first described prior to 1959 (pre-IMA) - "Grandfathered"
Strunz 8th edition ID:2/E.05-20
Nickel-Strunz 10th (pending) edition ID:2.GB.15

2 : SULFIDES and SULFOSALTS (sulfides, selenides, tellurides; arsenides, antimonides, bismuthides; sulfarsenites, sulfantimonites, sulfbismuthites, etc.)
G : Sulfarsenites, sulfantimonites, sulfbismuthites
B : Neso-sulfarsenites, etc. with additional S
Dana 8th edition ID:3.1.8.1

3 : SULFOSALTS
1 : ø > 4
Hey's CIM Ref.:5.2.5

5 : Sulphosalts - Sulpharsenites and Sulphobismuthites (those containing Sn, Ge,or V are in Section 6)
2 : Sulpharsenites etc. of Ag
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Type Occurrence of Pearceite

Type Locality:Mollie Gibson Mine (Molly Gibson Mine), Aspen, Aspen District (Roaring Fork District), Pitkin Co., Colorado, USA
Year of Discovery:1896

Physical Properties of Pearceite

Colour:black with dark red internal reflections
Streak:black
Hardness (Mohs):2½ - 3

Crystallography of Pearceite

Crystal System:Trigonal
Class (H-M):3m (3 2/m) - Hexagonal Scalenohedral
Space Group:P3m1 {P3 2/m 1}
Cell Parameters:a = 7.3876Å, c = 11.8882Å
Ratio:a:c = 1 : 1.609
Unit Cell Volume:V 561.89 ų
Z:1
Crystal Atlas:
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Pearceite - Tabular {001}

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Optical Data of Pearceite

Type:Biaxial
RI values: nα = 2.700
Maximum Birefringence:δ = 2.700

Chart shows birefringence interference colour range (at 30µm thickness) and does not take into account mineral colouration.
Surface Relief:Moderate
Dispersion:relatively strong

Chemical Properties of Pearceite

Formula:
[(Ag,Cu)
 
6
(As,Sb)
 
2
S
 
7
][Ag
 
9
CuS
 
4
]
Essential elements:Ag, As, Cu, S
All elements listed in formula:Ag, As, Cu, S, Sb
Common Impurities:Zn,Fe,Sb

Relationship of Pearceite to other Species

Series:Forms a series with Polybasite (see here)
Member of:Pearceite Group
Other Members of Group:

- +
Cupropolybasite
[Cu
 
6
Sb
 
2
S
 
7
][Ag
 
9
CuS
 
4
]
Polybasite
[(Ag,Cu)
 
6
(Sb,As)
 
2
S
 
7
][Ag
 
9
CuS
 
4
]
Selenopolybasite
[(Ag,Cu)
 
6
(Sb,As)
 
2
(S,Se)
 
7
][Ag
 
9
Cu(S,Se)
 
2
Se
 
2
]
Related Minerals - Nickel-Strunz Grouping):

- +
2.GB.05Argentotennantite
(Ag,Cu)
 
10
(Zn,Fe)
 
2
(As,Sb)
 
4
S
 
13
2.GB.05Freibergite
(Ag
 
4+2x
Cu
 
2-2x
)[(Cu, Ag)
 
4
(Fe, Zn)
 
2
]Sb
 
4
S
 
12
S
 
1-x
 (0 < x < 1)
2.GB.05Giraudite
(Cu,Zn,Ag)
 
12
(As,Sb)
 
4
(Se,S)
 
13
2.GB.05Goldfieldite
Cu
 
12
(Te,Sb,As)
 
4
S
 
13
2.GB.05Hakite
(Cu,Hg,Ag)
 
12
Sb
 
4
(Se,S)
 
13
2.GB.05Tennantite
(Cu,Ag,Fe,Zn)
 
12
As
 
4
S
 
13
2.GB.05Tetrahedrite
(Cu,Fe,Ag,Zn)
 
12
Sb
 
4
S
 
13
2.GB.10Selenostephanite
Ag
 
5
Sb(Se,S)
 
4
2.GB.10Stephanite
Ag
 
5
SbS
 
4
2.GB.15Polybasite
[(Ag,Cu)
 
6
(Sb,As)
 
2
S
 
7
][Ag
 
9
CuS
 
4
]
2.GB.15UM2003-14-S:AgBiFeTe
Ag
 
16
FeBiTe
 
3
S
 
8
2.GB.15Selenopolybasite
[(Ag,Cu)
 
6
(Sb,As)
 
2
(S,Se)
 
7
][Ag
 
9
Cu(S,Se)
 
2
Se
 
2
]
2.GB.15Cupropearceite
[Cu
 
6
As
 
2
S
 
7
][Ag
 
9
CuS
 
4
]
2.GB.15Cupropolybasite
[Cu
 
6
Sb
 
2
S
 
7
][Ag
 
9
CuS
 
4
]
2.GB.15UM1979-17-S:BiCuFe
Cu
 
18
Fe
 
4
BiS
 
16
2.GB.20Galkhaite
(Cs,Tl)(Hg,Cu,Zn)
 
6
(As,Sb)
 
4
S
 
12
Related Minerals - Hey's Index Grouping:

- +
5.2.1Smithite
AgAsS
 
2
5.2.2Trechmannite
AgAsS
 
2
5.2.3Proustite
Ag
 
3
AsS
 
3
5.2.4Xanthoconite
Ag
 
3
AsS
 
3
5.2.6Pearceite-T2ac
5.2.7Argentotennantite
(Ag,Cu)
 
10
(Zn,Fe)
 
2
(As,Sb)
 
4
S
 
13
5.2.8Miargyrite
AgSbS
 
2
5.2.9Pyrargyrite
Ag
 
3
SbS
 
3
5.2.10Pyrostilpnite
Ag
 
3
SbS
 
3
5.2.11Stephanite
Ag
 
5
SbS
 
4
5.2.12Polybasite
[(Ag,Cu)
 
6
(Sb,As)
 
2
S
 
7
][Ag
 
9
CuS
 
4
]
5.2.13Billingsleyite
Ag
 
7
AsS
 
6
5.2.14Polybasite-Tac
5.2.15Freibergite
(Ag
 
4+2x
Cu
 
2-2x
)[(Cu, Ag)
 
4
(Fe, Zn)
 
2
]Sb
 
4
S
 
12
S
 
1-x
 (0 < x < 1)
5.2.16Aramayoite
Ag(Sb,Bi)S
 
2
5.2.17Matildite
AgBiS
 
2
5.2.18Schapbachite
AgBiS
 
2
5.2.19Pavonite
(Ag,Cu)(Bi,Pb)
 
3
S
 
5
5.2.20Arcubisite
Ag
 
6
CuBiS
 
4
5.2.21Bohdanowiczite
AgBiSe
 
2
5.2.22Selenostephanite
Ag
 
5
Sb(Se,S)
 
4
5.2.23Benleonardite
Ag
 
8
(Sb,As)Te
 
2
S
 
3
5.2.24Volynskite
AgBiTe
 
2

Other Names for Pearceite

Other Languages:
German:Pearceit
Russian:Пирсеит
Simplified Chinese:硫砷铜银矿
砷硫铜银矿
Spanish:Pearceita

Polytypes for Pearceite

Polytypes:
Pearceite-M2a2b2cPearceite-T2acPearceite-Tac

Other Information

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 Pearceite

Reference List:

- +
Rose (1833), Ann. Phys.: 28: 158.

Rammelsberg (1875): 123.

Pearce and Penfield (1892), American Journal of Science: 44: 17.

Penfield (1896), American Journal of Science: 2: 17.

Gaudin and McGlashan (1938): 33: 153.

Palache, Charles, Harry Berman & Clifford Frondel (1944), The System of Mineralogy of James Dwight Dana and Edward Salisbury Dana Yale University 1837-1892, Volume I: Elements, Sulfides, Sulfosalts, Oxides. John Wiley and Sons, Inc., New York. 7th edition, revised and enlarged: 353-355.

Rep. Tohoku University (1983): 15: 3.

Harlov, D.E. (1999): Thermochemistry of Ag-Cu exchange equilibria between proustite, sinnerite, and pearceite; constraints on Ag-Cu and As-Sb mixing in pyrargyrite-proustite. European Journal of Mineralogy, 11, 709-719.

Bindi, L., M. Evain and S. Menchetti (2006): Temperature dependence of the silver distribution in the crystal structure of natural pearceite, (Ag,Cu)16(As,Sb)2S11. Acta Crystallographica B62, 212-219.

Bindi, Luca, Michel Evain, Paul G. Spry, and Silvio Menchett (2007): The pearceite-polybasite group of minerals: Crystal chemistry and new nomenclature rules. American Mineralogist, 92, 918-925.

Welberry, T. R. & Pasciak, M. (2011): Monte Carlo and molecular dynamics simulation of disorder in the Ag+ fast ion conductors pearceite and polybasite. Metallurgical and Materials Transactions A42, 6-13.

Internet Links for Pearceite

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    • Localities for Pearceite

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    Copyright © Jolyon Ralph and Ida Chau 1993-2011. Site Map. Locality, mineral & photograph data are the copyright of the individuals who submitted them. Further information contact the Site hosted & developed by Jolyon Ralph. Mindat.org is an online information resource dedicated to providing free mineralogical information to all. Mindat relies on the contributions of hundreds of members and supporters. Mindat does not offer minerals for sale. If you would like to add information to improve the quality of our database, then click here to register.
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    Locality Updated: Lettenmairhöhle, Kremsmünster, Wels, Upper Austria, AustriaFrom Peter Neschen, 13th Feb 2012 08:39:28