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Stephanite

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Husky Mine, Elsa, Galena Hill, Mayo Mining District, Yukon Territory, Canada
© RWMW

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Formula:
Ag
 
5
SbS
 
4
System:OrthorhombicColour:Lead gray or black
Lustre:MetallicHardness:2 - 2½
Name:Named after the Austrian Mining Director / engineer, Archduke Stephan (1817-1867).
This page provides mineralogical data about Stephanite.

Classification of Stephanite

IMA status:Valid - first described prior to 1959 (pre-IMA) - "Grandfathered"
Strunz 8th edition ID:2/E.06-10
Nickel-Strunz 10th (pending) edition ID:2.GB.10

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:3.2.4.1

3 : SULFOSALTS
2 : ø = 4
Hey's CIM Ref.:5.2.11

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 Stephanite

Type Locality:Freiberg District, Erzgebirge, Saxony, Germany
Year of Discovery:1845

Occurrences of Stephanite

Geological Setting:Late stage mineral in hydrothermal silver deposits.

Physical Properties of Stephanite

Lustre:Metallic
Diaphaneity (Transparency):Opaque
Colour:Lead gray or black
Streak:Iron Black
Hardness (Mohs):2 - 2½
Tenacity:Brittle
Cleavage:Imperfect/Fair
[010] Imperfect, [021] Poor
Fracture:Sub-Conchoidal
Density (measured):6.26 g/cm3
Density (calculated):6.28 g/cm3

Crystallography of Stephanite

Crystal System:Orthorhombic
Class (H-M):mm2 - Pyramidal
Space Group:Cmc21
Cell Parameters:a = 7.837(3) Å, b = 12.467(6) Å, c = 8.538(2) Å
Ratio:a:b:c = 0.629 : 1 : 0.685
Unit Cell Volume:V 834.20 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Z:4
Morphology:Crystals short prismatic to tabular
Twinning:On {110} Less common on {130}{100}{010}
Crystal Atlas:
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Stephanite no.10 - Goldschmidt (1913-1926)
Stephanite no.82 - Goldschmidt (1913-1926)

About Crystal Atlas

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X-Ray Powder Diffraction:
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Radiation - Copper Kα
Data Set:
Horizontal Axis: ° to ° Vertical Axis: % Source Data: Filtered Data: Peaks:
Data courtesy of RRUFF project at University of Arizona, used with permission.

Optical Data of Stephanite

Type:Anisotropic
Anisotropism:Strong
Colour in reflected light:white-grey
Pleochroism:Weak
Comments:white to pink-white

Chemical Properties of Stephanite

Formula:
Ag
 
5
SbS
 
4
Essential elements:Ag, S, Sb
All elements listed in formula:Ag, S, Sb
Common Impurities:As,Cu,Fe

Relationship of Stephanite to other Species

Related Minerals - Nickel-Strunz Grouping):
2.GB.05Argentotennantite
(Ag,Cu)
 
10
(Zn,Fe)
 
2
(As,Sb)
 
4
S
 
13
2.GB.05Freibergite
(Ag,Cu,Fe)
 
12
(Sb,As)
 
4
S
 
13
2.GB.05Galkhaite
(Cs,Tl)(Hg,Cu,Zn)
 
6
(As,Sb)
 
4
S
 
12
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.15Pearceite
(Ag,Cu)
 
16
(As,Sb)
 
2
S
 
11
2.GB.15Polybasite
(Ag,Cu)
 
16
(Sb,As)
 
2
S
 
11
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.15IMA2008-004
[Cu
 
6
Sb
 
2
S
 
7
][Ag
 
9
CuS
 
4
]
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
5.2.5Pearceite
(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
5.2.12Polybasite
(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 Stephanite

Synonyms:
Argento mineralisatum nigrumGoldschmidtineMelane-glanceMelanglancePsaturose
RöschwächsSchwarzgülden (of Wallerius)
French names:
Argent fragileArgent noirArgent sulfuré fragile
German names:
AntimonsilberglanzMelanglanzPrismatischer MelanglanzSchwarzgültigerzSchwarzsilberglanz
Sprödes Silberglanzerz (of Emmerling)StephanitTigererz
Italian names:
Stefanite
Latin names:
Argentum mineralisatum nigrum
Russian names:
Стефанит
Spanish names:
EstefanitaPlata agriaRosicler negroStephanita
Swedish names:
Svartgylden

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.
Industrial Uses:Silver ore

References for Stephanite

Reference List:Murdoch, Joseph (1942), Crystallographic notes, cristobalite, stephanite, natrolite: American Mineralogist: 27: 500-506.

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: 358-360.

Ribar B., Nowacki W. (1970), Acta Crystallographica (1970), B26, 201.

Internet Links for Stephanite

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    Localities for Stephanite

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