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Berthierite

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Vlastějovice (Hammerstadt), Zruč nad Sázavou (Srutsch an der Sasau), Central Bohemia Region, Bohemia (Böhmen; Boehmen), Czech Republic
© Robert Vaňo

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Formula:
FeSb
 
2
S
 
4
System:OrthorhombicColour:Dark steel-grey, often ...
Lustre:MetallicHardness:2 - 3
Name:
For Pierre Berthier [July 3, 1782, Nemours, Seine-et-Marne, France – August 24, 1861 France], French chemist and mineralogist at the Ecole des Mines and he was Inspector of Mines during his career. He named a number of species including chamosite, franklinite, halloysite, and nontronite. He is well-know for his study of bauxite.
This page provides mineralogical data about Berthierite.

Classification of Berthierite

IMA status:Valid - first described prior to 1959 (pre-IMA) - "Grandfathered"
Strunz 8th edition ID:2/E.01-10
Nickel-Strunz 10th (pending) edition ID:2.HA.20

2 : SULFIDES and SULFOSALTS (sulfides, selenides, tellurides; arsenides, antimonides, bismuthides; sulfarsenites, sulfantimonites, sulfbismuthites, etc.)
H : Sulfosalts of SnS archetype
A : With Cu, Ag, Fe (without Pb)
Dana 7th edition ID:3.7.9.3
Dana 8th edition ID:3.7.9.3

3 : SULFOSALTS
7 : ø = 2
Hey's CIM Ref.:5.8.4

5 : Sulphosalts - Sulpharsenites and Sulphobismuthites (those containing Sn, Ge,or V are in Section 6)
8 : Sulpharsenites etc. of Mn, Fe, Co and Ni
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Type Occurrence of Berthierite

Type Locality:Chazelles-Haut (Chazelle), Mercoeur, Haute-Loire, Auvergne, France
Year of Discovery:1827

Occurrences of Berthierite

Geological Setting:Low temperature hydrothermal veins rich in antimony and deficient in sulfur

Physical Properties of Berthierite

Lustre:Metallic
Diaphaneity (Transparency):Opaque
Colour:Dark steel-grey, often with iridescent tarnish.
Streak:Dark brownish-grey.
Hardness (Mohs):2 - 3
Hardness Data:Measured
Tenacity:Brittle
Cleavage:Poor/Indistinct
Indistinct prismatic.
Density (measured):4.64 g/cm3
Density (calculated):4.66 g/cm3

Crystallography of Berthierite

Crystal System:Orthorhombic
Class (H-M):mmm (2/m 2/m 2/m) - Dipyramidal
Cell Parameters:a = 11.44Å, b = 14.12Å, c = 3.76Å
Ratio:a:b:c = 0.81 : 1 : 0.266
Unit Cell Volume:V 607.36 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Z:4
Morphology:Prismatic on, and striated parallel to [001]. Prismatic to fibrous massive, plumose, radial; granular.
Comment:sp. gr. Pnam
X-Ray Powder Diffraction:
d-spacingIntensity
3.663 (92)
3.628 (51)
3.181 (77)
2.999 (52)
2.862 (78)
2.621 (93)
2.601 (100)
Comments:Synthetic.

Optical Data of Berthierite

Type:Anisotropic
Anisotropism:Very strong
Reflectivity:
400nmR1=32.6%R2= 46.2%
420nmR1=32.2%R2= 45.9%
440nmR1=31.8%R2= 45.5%
460nmR1=31.2%R2= 45.0%
480nmR1=30.7%R2= 44.4%
500nmR1=30.4%R2= 43.8%
520nmR1=30.2%R2= 43.1%
540nmR1=30.3%R2= 42.5%
560nmR1=30.4%R2= 41.9%
580nmR1=30.8%R2= 41.4%
600nmR1=31.1%R2= 40.8%
620nmR1=31.4%R2= 40.3%
640nmR1=31.4%R2= 39.9%
660nmR1=31.4%R2= 39.4%
680nmR1=31.4%R2= 38.9%
700nmR1=31.3%R2= 38.4%


Graph shows reflectance levels at different wavelengths (in nm). Peak reflectance is 46.2%.
R1 shown in black, R2 shown in red
Colour in reflected light:Grey
Pleochroism:Visible
Comments:Markedly pleochroic.

Chemical Properties of Berthierite

Formula:
FeSb
 
2
S
 
4
Essential elements:Fe, S, Sb
All elements listed in formula:Fe, S, Sb
Analytical Data:Herja, Romania.
Fe (13.43)
Mn (trace)
Sb (56.06)
S (29.46)
insol. (0.33)
Total (99.28)
Empirical Formula:
Fe
 
1.05
Sb
 
2.01
S
 
4.00
Common Impurities:Mn,Cu,Pb,Ag

Relationship of Berthierite to other Species

Common Associates:
StibniteQuartzPyriteBaryte
Related Minerals - Nickel-Strunz Grouping):

- +
2.HA.05Chalcostibite
CuSbS
 
2
2.HA.05Emplectite
CuBiS
 
2
2.HA.10Miargyrite
AgSbS
 
2
2.HA.20Garavellite
FeSbBiS
 
4
2.HA.20Clerite
MnSb
 
2
S
 
4
2.HA.25Aramayoite
Ag(Sb,Bi)S
 
2
2.HA.25Baumstarkite
AgSbS
 
2
Related Minerals - Hey's Index Grouping:

- +
5.8.1Samsonite
Ag
 
4
MnSb
 
2
S
 
6
5.8.2Uchucchacuaite
AgMnPb
 
3
Sb
 
5
S
 
12
5.8.3Benavidesite
Pb
 
4
(Mn,Fe)Sb
 
6
S
 
14
5.8.5Jamesonite
Pb
 
4
FeSb
 
6
S
 
14
5.8.6Parajamesonite
5.8.7Garavellite
FeSbBiS
 
4
5.8.8Izoklakeite
Pb
 
27
(Cu,Fe,Ag)
 
2
(Sb,Bi)
 
19
S
 
57
5.8.9Miharaite
Cu
 
4
FePbBiS
 
6
5.8.10Sakharovaite
5.8.11Arsenohauchecornite
Ni
 
18
Bi
 
3
AsS
 
16
5.8.12Tučekite
Ni
 
9
Sb
 
2
S
 
8
5.8.13Bismutohauchecornite
Ni
 
9
Bi
 
2
S
 
8
5.8.14Parkerite
Ni
 
3
Bi
 
2
S
 
2
5.8.15Hauchecornite
Ni
 
9
Bi(Sb,Bi)S
 
8
5.8.16Tellurohauchecornite
Ni
 
9
Bi(Te,Bi)S
 
8
5.8.17Lapieite
NiCuSbS
 
3
5.8.18Mückeite
NiCu(Bi,Sb)S
 
3
5.8.19Vozhminite
(Ni,Co)
 
4
(As,Sb)S
 
2
Related Minerals - Dana Grouping):

- +
3.7.9.1Galenobismutite
PbBi
 
2
S
 
4

Other Names for Berthierite

Synonyms:
Anglarite (of Nordenskiöld)ChazelliteMartourite
Other Languages:
German:Berthierit
Eisenantimonglanz
Martourit
Russian:Бертьерит
Simplified Chinese:辉铁锑矿
Spanish:Berthierita
Martourita

Other Information

Special Storage/
Display Requirements from:
Vlastějovice,..., Central Bohemia Region, Bohemia, Czech Republic---
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 Berthierite

Reference List:

- +
Berthier (1827), Ann. chim. phys.: 35: 351 (as Haidingerite).

Berthier (1827), Ann. Phys.: 11: 478 (as Haidingerite).

Haidinger (1827), Edinburgh Journal of Science: 7: 353.

Groth (1874): 16: 80 (as Eisenantimonglanz).

Ungemach (1906), Bull. soc. min.: 29: 266.

Doelter (1926): 4(1): 586.

Stillwell (1926), Mineralogical Magazine: 21: 83.

Krenner (1928), Centralblatt für Mineralogie: 265.

Zsivny and Zomboro (1934), Mineralogical Magazine: 23: 566.

Buerger (1936), American Mineralogist: 21: 442.

Buerger (1936), American Mineralogist: 21: 205.

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: 481-482.

American Mineralogist (1955): 40: 226-238.

Barton, P.B., Jr. (1971): The Fe–Sb–S system. Econ. Geol., 66, 121–132.

Lemoine, P., D. Carr´e, and F. Robert (1991): Structure du sulfure de fer et
d’antimoine, FeSb2S4 (berthi´erite). Acta Cryst., C47, 938–940.

Internet Links for Berthierite

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  • Raman and XRD data at RRUFF project
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