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Rathite

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Big Photo

Lengenbach Quarry, Im Feld (Imfeld; Feld; Fäld), Binn Valley, Wallis (Valais), Switzerland
© Rob Lavinsky

Show Rathite Photos (12)



Formula:
Pb
 
8
Pb
 
4-x
(Tl
 
2
As
 
2
)
 
x
(Ag
 
2
As
 
2
)As
 
16
S
 
40
System:MonoclinicColour:Silver to lead-gray, ...
Hardness:3
Name:
Named after Gerhard vom Rath (1830-1888), Professor of Mineralogy, Bonn, Germany.


Berlepsch et al. (2002) note that Ag substitution is probably essential in the structure and makes the mineral different from dufrénoysite.

Classification of Rathite

IMA status:Valid - first described prior to 1959 (pre-IMA) - "Grandfathered"
Strunz 8th edition ID:2/E.25-20
Nickel-Strunz 10th (pending) edition ID:2.HC.05d

2 : SULFIDES and SULFOSALTS (sulfides, selenides, tellurides; arsenides, antimonides, bismuthides; sulfarsenites, sulfantimonites, sulfbismuthites, etc.)
H : Sulfosalts of SnS archetype
C : With only Pb
Dana 8th edition ID:3.7.12.1

3 : SULFOSALTS
7 : ø = 2
Hey's CIM Ref.:5.7.47

5 : Sulphosalts - Sulpharsenites and Sulphobismuthites (those containing Sn, Ge,or V are in Section 6)
7 : Sulpharsenites etc. of Pb and other metals
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Type Occurrence of Rathite

Type Locality:Lengenbach Quarry, Im Feld (Imfeld; Feld; Fäld), Binn Valley, Wallis (Valais), Switzerland

Physical Properties of Rathite

Lustre:Metallic
Diaphaneity (Transparency):Opaque
Colour:Silver to lead-gray, tarnishes iridescent
Streak:Chocolate-brown
Hardness (Mohs):3
Cleavage:Perfect
{100} perfect.
Parting:On {010}.
Fracture:Conchoidal
Density (measured):5.33 - 5.41 g/cm3
Density (calculated):5.31 g/cm3

Crystallography of Rathite

Crystal System:Monoclinic
Class (H-M):2/m - Prismatic
Morphology:Prismatic to short prismatic and striated [001]
Twinning:On {100} producing polysynthetic pseudo-orthorhombic crystals; also on {3¯01}. Exhibits polysynthetic twin lamellae of irregular thickness.

Optical Data of Rathite

Type:Anisotropic
Anisotropism:Strong
Colour in reflected light:White
Internal Reflections:Deep red
Pleochroism:Strong

Chemical Properties of Rathite

Formula:
Pb
 
8
Pb
 
4-x
(Tl
 
2
As
 
2
)
 
x
(Ag
 
2
As
 
2
)As
 
16
S
 
40
Idealised Formula:
(Pb,Tl)
 
3
As
 
5
S
 
10
Essential elements:Ag, As, Pb, S, Tl
All elements listed in formula:Ag, As, Pb, S, Tl

Relationship of Rathite to other Species

Related Minerals - Nickel-Strunz Grouping):

- +
2.HC.05bBaumhauerite-2a
Pb
 
11
Ag(As,Sb)
 
18
S
 
36
2.HC.05bBaumhauerite
Pb
 
3
As
 
4
S
 
9
2.HC.05eChabournéite
Tl
 
21-x
Pb
 
2x
(Sb,As)
 
91-x
S
 
147
 (x = 0-17.5)
2.HC.05dDufrénoysite
Pb
 
2
As
 
2
S
 
5
2.HC.05aGuettardite
Pb(Sb,As)
 
2
S
 
4
2.HC.05cLiveingite
Pb
 
9
As
 
13
S
 
28
2.HC.05fParapierrotite
Tl(Sb,As)
 
5
S
 
8
2.HC.05fPierrotite
Tl
 
2
Sb
 
6
As
 
4
S
 
16
2.HC.05aSartorite
PbAs
 
2
S
 
4
2.HC.05aTwinnite
Pb(Sb,As)
 
2
S
 
4
2.HC.05dVeenite
Pb
 
2
(Sb,As)
 
2
S
 
5
2.HC.05gMarumoite
Pb
 
32
As
 
40
S
 
92
2.HC.05eDalnegroite
(Tl
 
4
Pb
 
2
)(As
 
12
Sb
 
8
)S
 
34
2.HC.10aFülöppite
Pb
 
3
Sb
 
8
S
 
15
2.HC.10cHeteromorphite
Pb
 
7
Sb
 
8
S
 
19
2.HC.10bPlagionite
Pb
 
5
Sb
 
8
S
 
17
2.HC.10dRayite
Pb
 
8
(Ag,Tl)
 
2
Sb
 
8
S
 
21
2.HC.10dSemseyite
Pb
 
9
Sb
 
8
S
 
21
2.HC.15Boulangerite
Pb
 
5
Sb
 
4
S
 
11
2.HC.15Falkmanite
Pb
 
5.4
Sb
 
3.6
S
 
11
2.HC.15Plumosite
2.HC.20Robinsonite
Pb
 
4
Sb
 
6
S
 
13
2.HC.25Moëloite
Pb
 
6
Sb
 
6
S
 
14
(S
 
3
)
2.HC.30Dadsonite
Pb
 
23
Sb
 
25
S
 
60
Cl
2.HC.35Owyheeite
Ag
 
3+x
Pb
 
10-2x
Sb
 
11+x
S
 
28
, -0.13 < x > +0.20
2.HC.35Zoubekite
AgPb
 
4
Sb
 
4
S
 
10
2.HC.40Parasterryite
Ag
 
4
Pb
 
20
Sb
 
14
As
 
10
S
 
58
Related Minerals - Hey's Index Grouping:

- +
5.7.1Seligmannite
PbCuAsS
 
3
5.7.2Bournonite
PbCuSbS
 
3
5.7.3Meneghinite
Pb
 
13
CuSb
 
7
S
 
24
5.7.4Gladite
PbCuBi
 
5
S
 
9
5.7.5Lindströmite
Pb
 
3
Cu
 
3
Bi
 
7
S
 
15
5.7.6Krupkaite
PbCuBi
 
3
S
 
6
5.7.7Hammarite
Pb
 
2
Cu
 
2
Bi
 
4
S
 
9
5.7.8Friedrichite
Pb
 
5
Cu
 
5
Bi
 
7
S
 
18
5.7.9Aikinite
PbCuBiS
 
3
5.7.10Nuffieldite
Pb
 
2
Cu(Pb,Bi)Bi
 
2
S
 
7
5.7.11Jaskólskiite
Pb
 
2+x
Cu
 
x
(Sb,Bi)
 
2-x
S
 
6
 (x = 0.2)
5.7.12Tintinaite
Pb
 
22
Cu
 
4
(Sb,Bi)
 
30
S
 
69
5.7.13Kobellite
Pb
 
22
Cu
 
4
(Bi,Sb)
 
30
S
 
69
5.7.14Proudite
CuPb
 
7.5
Bi
 
9.33
(S,Se)
 
22
5.7.15Nordströmite
CuPb
 
3
Bi
 
7
(Se
 
4
S
 
10
)
5.7.16Watkinsonite
Cu
 
2
PbBi
 
4
(Se,S,Te)
 
8
5.7.17Pekoite
PbCuBi
 
11
(S,Se)
 
18
5.7.18Petrovicite
Cu
 
3
HgPbBiSe
 
5
5.7.19Eclarite
(Cu,Fe)Pb
 
9
Bi
 
12
S
 
28
5.7.20Marrite
AgPbAsS
 
3
5.7.21Baumhauerite-2a
Pb
 
11
Ag(As,Sb)
 
18
S
 
36
5.7.22Andorite
PbAgSb
 
3
S
 
6
5.7.23Ramdohrite
(Cd,Mn,Fe)Ag
 
5.5
Pb
 
12
Sb
 
21.5
S
 
48
5.7.24Roshchinite
Ag
 
19
Pb
 
10
Sb
 
51
S
 
96
5.7.25Ourayite
Ag
 
3
Pb
 
4
Bi
 
5
S
 
13
5.7.26Eskimoite
Ag
 
7
Pb
 
10
Bi
 
15
S
 
36
5.7.27Fizélyite
Ag
 
5
Pb
 
14
Sb
 
21
S
 
48
5.7.28Owyheeite
Ag
 
3+x
Pb
 
10-2x
Sb
 
11+x
S
 
28
, -0.13 < x > +0.20
5.7.29Freieslebenite
AgPbSbS
 
3
5.7.30Diaphorite
Ag
 
3
Pb
 
2
Sb
 
3
S
 
8
5.7.31Sterryite
Ag
 
2
Pb
 
10
(Sb,As)
 
12
S
 
29
5.7.32Vikingite
Ag
 
5
Pb
 
8
Bi
 
13
S
 
30
5.7.33Zoubekite
AgPb
 
4
Sb
 
4
S
 
10
5.7.34Schirmerite
AgPb
 
2
Bi
 
3
S
 
7
5.7.36Gustavite
Ag
 
3
Pb
 
5
Bi
 
11
S
 
24
5.7.37Kitaibelite
Ag
 
10
PbBi
 
30
S
 
51
5.7.38Treasurite
Ag
 
7
Pb
 
6
Bi
 
15
S
 
32
5.7.39Benjaminite
(Ag,Cu)
 
3
(Bi,Pb)
 
7
S
 
12
5.7.40Lengenbachite
(Ag,Cu)
 
2
Pb
 
6
As
 
4
S
 
13
5.7.41Berryite
Pb
 
3
(Ag,Cu)
 
5
Bi
 
7
S
 
16
5.7.42Neyite
Ag
 
2
Cu
 
6
Pb
 
25
Bi
 
26
S
 
68
5.7.43Larosite
(Cu,Ag)
 
21
(Pb,Bi)
 
2
S
 
13
5.7.44Cupropavonite
AgCu
 
2
PbBi
 
5
S
 
10
5.7.45Padĕraite
Cu
 
5.9
Ag
 
1.3
Pb
 
1.6
Bi
 
11.2
S
 
22
5.7.46Rayite
Pb
 
8
(Ag,Tl)
 
2
Sb
 
8
S
 
21
5.7.48Hatchite
AgTlPbAs
 
2
S
 
5

Other Names for Rathite

Synonyms:
ArsenomelaneRathite-alphaRathite IWiltshireite
Other Languages:
German:Rathit
Rathit I
Russian:Ратит
Simplified Chinese:拉硫砷铊铅矿
Spanish:Rathita

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 Rathite

Reference List:

- +
von Waltershausen in Urlaub and Nason (1857), Ann. Phys.: 100: 540.

Baumhauer (1896), Zs. Kr.: 26: 593.

Solly (1911), Mineralogical Magazine: 16: 121.

Lewis (1912) Mineralogical Magazine: 16: 197.

Palache, Charles, Harry Berman & Clifford Frondel (1944), The System of Mineralogy of James Dwight Dana and Edward Salisbury Dana Yale University 1837-1892, Seventh edition, Volume I: 455-457.

Zeitschrift für Kristallographie: 122: 433-456.

Neues Jahrbuch für Mineralogie, Monatshefte (1974): 530.

Berlepsch et al. (2002): Zeitschrift für Kristallographie 217: 580-590.

Internet Links for Rathite

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    • Localities for Rathite

    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.
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    (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.
    Switzerland
     
    • Wallis (Valais)
      • Binn Valley
        • Binn
    		Cannon, R., Hensel, H. & Raber, T. (2008): Der Reckibach-Dolomit im Binntal, Schweiz: Mineralbestand und Neufunde. Lapis, 33 (3), 20-28; 50. (in German)
        • Im Feld (Imfeld; Feld; Fäld)
    		Zeits.Kryst.Min.(1896) 26, 593-602
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