Alabandite

Molinello Mine, Graveglia Valley, Ne, Genova Province, Liguria, Italy
© R. Bracco

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Formula:

System:

Isometric

Colour:

Iron black, brown, ...

Hardness:

3½ - 4

Name:

The name is derived from its supposed discovery locality at Alabanda, Aïdin, Turkey.

Galena Group

Classification of Alabandite

IMA status:

Valid - first described prior to 1959 (pre-IMA) - "Grandfathered"

Strunz 8th edition ID:

2/C.15-30

Nickel-Strunz 10th (pending) edition ID:

2.CD.10

2 : SULFIDES and SULFOSALTS (sulfides, selenides, tellurides; arsenides, antimonides, bismuthides; sulfarsenites, sulfantimonites, sulfbismuthites, etc.)
C : Metal Sulfides, M: S = 1: 1 (and similar)
D : With Sn, Pb, Hg, etc.

Dana 8th edition ID:

2.8.1.4

2 : SULFIDES
8 : A_mX_p, with m:p = 1:1

Hey's CIM Ref.:

3.8.12

3 : Sulphides, Selenides, Tellurides, Arsenides and Bismuthides (except the arsenides, antimonides and bismuthides of Cu, Ag and Au, which are included in Section 1)
8 : Sulphides etc. of Cr, Mo, W an Mn

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Type Occurrence of Alabandite

Type Locality:

Sacarîmb (Sãcãrâmb; Szekerembe; Nagyág), Hunedoara Co., Romania

Year of Discovery:

1832

Physical Properties of Alabandite

Lustre:

Sub-Metallic

Diaphaneity (Transparency):

Opaque

Colour:

Iron black, brown, greyish black, green; dull brown (tarnished)

Streak:

dark green, brown

Hardness (Mohs):

3½ - 4

Cleavage:

Perfect

Crystallography of Alabandite

Crystal System:

Isometric

Cell Parameters:

a = 5.22Å

Unit Cell Volume:

V 142.24 Å³ (Calculated from Unit Cell)

Optical Data of Alabandite

Type:

Isotropic

Chemical Properties of Alabandite

Formula:

Essential elements:

Mn, S

All elements listed in formula:

Mn, S

Common Impurities:

Fe,Mg,Co

Relationship of Alabandite to other Species

2.CD.05

Herzenbergite

(Sn,Pb)SnS

2.CD.05

Teallite

(Pb,Sn)SnS

2.CD.10

Altaite

PbTe

2.CD.10

Clausthalite

PbSe

2.CD.10

Galena

PbS

2.CD.10

Niningerite

(Mg,Fe

,Mn

2.CD.10

Oldhamite

(Ca,Mg)S

2.CD.10

Keilite

(Fe

,Mg)S

2.CD.15a

Cinnabar

HgS

2.CD.15b

Hypercinnabar

HgS

3.8.1

Brezinaite

3.8.2

Caswellsilverite

NaCrS

3.8.3

Kalininite

ZnCr

3.8.4

Daubréelite

3.8.5

Heideite

(Fe,Cr)

1.15

(Ti,Fe)

3.8.6

Molybdenite

MoS

3.8.7

Molybdenite-3R

MoS

3.8.8

Jordisite

MoS

3.8.9

Drysdallite

Mo(Se,S)

3.8.10

Tungstenite

3.8.13

Hauerite

MnS

3.8.14

Manganoshadlunite

(Mn,Pb,Cd)(Cu,Fe)

Other Names for Alabandite

Synonyms:

Alabandine

Alabandite (of Beudant)

Glance-blende

Other Languages:

German:	Alabandin Alabandit Blumenbachit Braunsteinblende Braunsteinkies Manganblende Manganglanz Schwarze Blende Schwarzerz
Japanese:	閃マンガン鉱
Russian:	Алабандин
Spanish:	Alabandita

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 Alabandite

Reference List:

Klaproth, M.H. (1802): Chemische Untersuchung des Siebenbürgischen Schwarzerzes, Beiträge zur chemischen Kenntniss der Mineralkörper, Dritter Band, Rottmann Berlin, 35-43

Hewett, D.F. & O.N. Rove (1930), Occurrence and relations of alabandite, Economic Geology: 25: 36-56.

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, 834pp.: 207-208.

Abbolito E. (1960) Proprietà ottiche a luce riflessa dell'hauerite e dell'alabandite. Periodico di Mineralogia – Roma pp. 1-8.

American Mineralogist (1971): 56: 1269.