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Smithite

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

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Formula:
AgAsS
 
2
System:MonoclinicColour:Pale red; red-orange or ...
Hardness:1½ - 2
Name:Named after George Frederick Herbert Smith (b. 1872), crystallographer, British Museum of Natural History, London (England).
This page provides mineralogical data about Smithite.

Classification of Smithite

IMA status:Valid - first described prior to 1959 (pre-IMA) - "Grandfathered"
Strunz 8th edition ID:2/E.08-20
Nickel-Strunz 10th (pending) edition ID:2.GC.30

2 : SULFIDES and SULFOSALTS (sulfides, selenides, tellurides; arsenides, antimonides, bismuthides; sulfarsenites, sulfantimonites, sulfbismuthites, etc.)
G : Sulfarsenites, sulfantimonites, sulfbismuthites
C : Poly-sulfarsenites
Dana 8th edition ID:3.7.3.1

3 : SULFOSALTS
7 : ø = 2
Hey's CIM Ref.:5.2.1

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 Smithite

Type Locality:Lengenbach Quarry, Im Feld (Imfeld; Feld; Fäld), Binn Valley, Wallis (Valais), Switzerland
Year of Discovery:1905

Physical Properties of Smithite

Lustre:Adamantine
Diaphaneity (Transparency):Opaque
Colour:Pale red; red-orange or brownish orange on exposure to light
Streak:Vermillion
Hardness (Mohs):1½ - 2
Tenacity:Brittle
Cleavage:Perfect
{100} perfect
Fracture:Conchoidal
Density (measured):4.88 g/cm3

Crystallography of Smithite

Crystal System:Monoclinic
Class (H-M):2/m - Prismatic
Cell Parameters:a = 17.23Å, b = 7.78Å, c = 15.19Å
β = 101.2°
Ratio:a:b:c = 2.215 : 1 : 1.952
Unit Cell Volume:V 1,997.43 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Morphology:Equant; tabular {100}. Tabular crystals appear hexagonal due to strong zonal developments nearly 60° apart.
Crystal Atlas:
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Smithite - {100}, {101}, {001}, modified

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Optical Data of Smithite

Type:Biaxial (-)
Dispersion:marked to extreme

Chemical Properties of Smithite

Formula:
AgAsS
 
2
Essential elements:Ag, As, S
All elements listed in formula:Ag, As, S
Common Impurities:Sb

Relationship of Smithite to other Species

Related Minerals - Nickel-Strunz Grouping):
2.GC.05Hatchite
(PbTl)
 
2
AgAs
 
2
S
 
3
2.GC.05Wallisite
(Cu,Ag)TlPbAs
 
2
S
 
5
2.GC.10Sinnerite
Cu
 
6
As
 
4
S
 
9
2.GC.15Watanabeite
Cu
 
4
(As,Sb)
 
2
S
 
5
2.GC.20Simonite
TlHgAs
 
3
S
 
6
2.GC.25Quadratite
Ag(Cd,Pb)AsS
 
3
2.GC.35Trechmannite
AgAsS
 
2
2.GC.40Aleksite
PbBi
 
2
Te
 
2
S
 
2
2.GC.40Kochkarite
PbBi
 
4
Te
 
7
2.GC.40Poubaite
PbBi
 
2
(Se,Te,S)
 
4
2.GC.40Rucklidgeite
(Bi,Pb)
 
3
Te
 
4
2.GC.40Babkinite
Pb
 
2
Bi
 
2
(S,Se)
 
3
2.GC.40Saddlebackite
Pb
 
2
Bi
 
2
Te
 
2
S
 
3
2.GC.45Tvalchrelidzeite
Hg
 
3
SbAsS
 
3
2.GC.50Mutnovskite
Pb
 
4
As
 
2
S
 
6
ICl
Related Minerals - Hey's Index Grouping:
5.2.2Trechmannite
AgAsS
 
2
5.2.3Proustite
Ag
 
3
AsS
 
3
5.2.4Xanthoconite
Ag
 
3
AsS
 
3
5.2.5Pearceite
(Ag,Cu)
 
16
(As,Sb)
 
2
S
 
11
5.2.6Pearceite-T2ac
(Ag,Cu)
 
16
(As,Sb)
 
2
S
 
11
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)
 
16
(Sb,As)
 
2
S
 
11
5.2.13Billingsleyite
Ag
 
7
AsS
 
6
5.2.14Polybasite-Tac
(Ag,Cu)
 
16
(Sb,As)
 
2
S
 
11
5.2.15Freibergite
(Ag,Cu,Fe)
 
12
(Sb,As)
 
4
S
 
13
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 Smithite

Synonyms:
Arsenomiargyrite (of Jaeger and van Klooster)
German names:
Arsenmiargyrit (nach Jaeger und van Klooster)Smithit
Russian names:
Смитит
Spanish names:
Smithita

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 Smithite

Reference List:Solly (1905) Mineralogical Magazine: 14: 72-82.

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: 430-432.

Geological Society of America Memoir 85 (1962): 142.

Naturwissenschaften (1964): 51: 35.

Internet Links for Smithite

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    Localities for Smithite

    Hide Locality List
    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.
    Chile
     
    • Atacama Region
      • Copiapó Province
        • Tierra Amarilla
          • Pampa Larga district
            • Alacrán
    		maurizio dini
    France
     
    • Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur
      • Hautes-Alpes
        • Valgaudemar
          • Pelvoux Mt.
    		No reference listed
    Germany
     
    • Baden-Württemberg
      • Heidelberg
        • Wiesloch
    		Weiss: "Mineralfundstellen, Deutschland West", 1990
    • Hesse
      • Odenwald
        • Nieder-Ramstadt
          • Nieder-Beerbach
    		Weiss: "Mineralfundstellen, Deutschland West", Weise (Munich), 1990
    Ireland
     
    • Co. Tipperary
      • Silvermines District
    		Cornwall
    Poland
     
    • Podlaskie
      • Suwałki District
    		Kucha H. 1982: Haycockite and mooihoekite from titanomagnetite ore, Krzemianka, Poland. Mineralogia Polonica, vol. 13, no 2, 27-32.
    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)
    		Min.Mag.(1905) 14, 72-82 (p. 74)
    Mineral and/or Locality
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