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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 (1872-1953), 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

About Crystal Atlas

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The mindat.org Crystal Atlas allows you to view a selection of crystal drawings of real and idealised crystal forms for this mineral and, in certain cases, 3d rotating crystal objects. You need Java to see these. You can download Java for free - click here to download Java

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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
AgTlPbAs
 
2
S
 
5
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.40aAleksite
PbBi
 
2
Te
 
2
S
 
2
2.GC.40bKochkarite
PbBi
 
4
Te
 
7
2.GC.40cPoubaite
PbBi
 
2
(Se,Te,S)
 
4
2.GC.40cRucklidgeite
(Bi,Pb)
 
3
Te
 
4
2.GC.40eBabkinite
Pb
 
2
Bi
 
2
(S,Se)
 
3
2.GC.40dSaddlebackite
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)
 
6
(As,Sb)
 
2
S
 
7
][Ag
 
9
CuS
 
4
]
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 Smithite

Synonyms:
Arsenomiargyrite (of Jaeger and van Klooster)
Other Languages:
German:Arsenmiargyrit (nach Jaeger und van Klooster)
Smithit
Russian:Смитит
Spanish: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.
    (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.
    		American Mineralogist, Volume 68, pages 235-244, 1983
    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
    		Econ Geol (1984) 79:529-548
    Poland
     
    • Podlaskie
      • Suwałki District
        • Suwałki Massif
    		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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    Copyright © Jolyon Ralph and Ida Chau 1993-2009. 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. If you would like to add information to improve the quality of our database, then click here to register. Current server date and time: 6th Nov 2009 10:27:18