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Alacránite

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Wilmsdorfer Schacht, Possendorf, Dresden, Saxony, Germany
© Thomas Witzke

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Formula:
As
 
8
S
 
9
System:MonoclinicColour:Orange-Yellow
Lustre:AdamantineHardness:1½
Name:Named after its discovery locality in Chile.


Different from (unnamed) natural beta-As4S4.

Classification of Alacránite

IMA status:Approved 1985
Strunz 8th edition ID:2/F.02-50
Nickel-Strunz 10th (pending) edition ID:2.FA.20

2 : SULFIDES and SULFOSALTS (sulfides, selenides, tellurides; arsenides, antimonides, bismuthides; sulfarsenites, sulfantimonites, sulfbismuthites, etc.)
F : Sulfides of arsenic, alkalies; sulfides with halide, oxide, hydroxide, H2O
A : With As, (Sb), S
Dana 8th edition ID:2.8.22.4

2 : SULFIDES
8 : AmXp, with m:p = 1:1
Hey's CIM Ref.:3.7.6

3 : Sulphides, Selenides, Tellurides, Arsenides and Bismuthides (except the arsenides, antimonides and bismuthides of Cu, Ag and Au, which are included in Section 1)
7 : Sulphides etc. of V, As, Sb and Bi
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Type Occurrence of Alacránite

Co-type Localities:Alacrán Mine, Alacrán, Pampa Larga district, Tierra Amarilla, Copiapó Province, Atacama Region, Chile
Uzon Caldera, Kamchatka Oblast', Far-Eastern Region, Russia
Year of Discovery:1986

Physical Properties of Alacránite

Lustre:Adamantine
Colour:Orange-Yellow
Streak:Orange-Yellow
Hardness (Mohs):1½
Cleavage:Poor/Indistinct

Crystallography of Alacránite

Crystal System:Monoclinic
Class (H-M):2/m - Prismatic
Space Group:P2/b (P1 1 2/b) [P2/c] {P1 2/c 1}{P2/a}
Cell Parameters:a = 9.942Å, b = 9.601Å, c = 9.178Å
β = 101.94°
Ratio:a:b:c = 1.036 : 1 : 0.956
Unit Cell Volume:V 857.1 ų

Optical Data of Alacránite

Type:Biaxial (+)
RI values: nα = 2.390 nγ = 2.520
Maximum Birefringence:δ = 0.130

Chart shows birefringence interference colour range (at 30µm thickness) and does not take into account mineral colouration.
Surface Relief:Moderate
Dispersion:r < v

Chemical Properties of Alacránite

Formula:
As
 
8
S
 
9
Essential elements:As, S
All elements listed in formula:As, S

Relationship of Alacránite to other Species

Related Minerals - Nickel-Strunz Grouping):
2.FA.05Duranusite
As
 
4
S
2.FA.10Dimorphite
As
 
4
S
 
3
2.FA.15Pararealgar
As
 
4
S
 
4
2.FA.15Realgar
As
 
4
S
 
4
2.FA.25Uzonite
As
 
4
S
 
5
2.FA.30Laphamite
As
 
2
(S,Se)
 
3
2.FA.30Orpiment
As
 
2
S
 
3
2.FA.35Getchellite
AsSbS
 
3
2.FA.40Wakabayashilite
[(As,Sb)
 
6
S
 
9
][As
 
4
S
 
5
]
Related Minerals - Hey's Index Grouping:
3.7.1Patrónite
VS
 
4
3.7.2Duranusite
As
 
4
S
3.7.3Dimorphite
As
 
4
S
 
3
3.7.4Realgar
As
 
4
S
 
4
3.7.5Pararealgar
As
 
4
S
 
4
3.7.7Uzonite
As
 
4
S
 
5
3.7.8Orpiment
As
 
2
S
 
3
3.7.9Jeromite
3.7.10Laphamite
As
 
2
(S,Se)
 
3
3.7.11Getchellite
AsSbS
 
3
3.7.12Wakabayashilite
[(As,Sb)
 
6
S
 
9
][As
 
4
S
 
5
]
3.7.13Pääkkönenite
Sb
 
2
AsS
 
2
3.7.14Stibnite
Sb
 
2
S
 
3
3.7.15Metastibnite
Sb
 
2
S
 
3
3.7.16Tellurantimony
Sb
 
2
Te
 
3
3.7.17Bismuthinite
Bi
 
2
S
 
3
3.7.18Nevskite
Bi(Se,S)
3.7.19Guanajuatite
Bi
 
2
(Se,S)
 
3
3.7.21Ikunolite
Bi
 
4
(S,Se)
 
3
3.7.22Laitakarite
Bi
 
4
Se
 
2
S
3.7.23Poubaite
PbBi
 
2
(Se,Te,S)
 
4
3.7.24Tellurobismuthite
Bi
 
2
Te
 
3
3.7.25Součekite
PbCuBi(S,Se)
 
3
3.7.26Tsumoite
BiTe
3.7.27Pilsenite
Bi
 
4
Te
 
3
3.7.28Hedleyite
Bi
 
7
Te
 
3
3.7.29Tetradymite
Bi
 
2
Te
 
2
S
3.7.30Joséite
Bi
 
4
TeS
 
2
3.7.31Joséite-B
Bi
 
4
Te
 
2
S
3.7.32Ingodite
Bi
 
2
TeS
3.7.33Sulphotsumoite
Bi
 
3
Te
 
2
S
3.7.34Kawazulite
Bi
 
2
Te
 
2
Se
3.7.36Skippenite
Bi
 
2
TeSe
 
2
3.7.37Kochkarite
PbBi
 
4
Te
 
7
3.7.38Rucklidgeite
(Bi,Pb)
 
3
Te
 
4
3.7.39Aleksite
PbBi
 
2
Te
 
2
S
 
2
3.7.40Junoite
Cu
 
2
Pb
 
3
Bi
 
8
(S,Se)
 
16

Other Names for Alacránite

Synonyms:
IMA1985-033
German names:
Alacranit
Russian names:
Алакранит
Spanish names:
Alacranita

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 Alacránite

Reference List:American Mineralogist (1988): 73: 189.

Burns, P.C., and J.B. Percival(2001) Alacranite, As4S4: A New Occurrence, New Formula, and Determination of the Crystal Structure. Canadian Mineralogist: 39: 809-818.

Bonazzi, P., Bindi, L., Popova, V., Pratesi, G. & Menchetti, S. (2003): Alacranite, As8S9: Structural study of the holotype and re-assignment of the original chemical formula. American Mineralogist: 88: 1796-1800.

Mineralogical Record 39: 132.

Internet Links for Alacránite

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    Localities for Alacránite

    (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.
    Bulgaria
     
    • Haskovo Oblast (Khaskovo Oblast)
      • Rhodope Mts
    		Acad. Bulg. Sci. 53(4): 67-70. (2000)
    Chile
     
    • Atacama Region
      • Copiapó Province
        • Tierra Amarilla
          • Pampa Larga district
            • Alacrán
    		[Clark, 1993 - "Hey's Mineral Index, 3rd Edition"]
    Czech Republic
     
    • Bohemia (Böhmen; Boehmen)
      • Hradec Králové Region
        • Trutnov (Trautenau)
          • Radvanice
    		Žáček, V., Ondruš, P.: Mineralogy of recently formed sublimates from Kateřina colliery in Radvanice, Eastern Bohemia, Czech Republic. Bulletin of the Czech geological survey, 1998, vol. 73, no. 2, s. 289-302.
    Germany
     
    • Baden-Württemberg
      • Black Forest
        • Alpirsbach
          • Reinerzau District
    		K. Walenta: "Die Mineralien des Schwarzwaldes", Weise (Munich), 1992
        • Schenkenzell
          • Wittichen
            • Böckelsbach valley
    		Walenta: "Die Mineralien des Schwarzwaldes", Weise (Munich), 1992
            • Burgfelsen
    		No reference listed
            • Heubach Valley
    		No reference listed
    • North Rhine-Westphalia
      • Siegerland
        • Eisern
    		Wittern: "Mineralfundorte in Deutschland", 2001
    • Saxony
      • Dresden
        • Hänichen
    		Thalheim, K.; Reichel, W. & Witzke, T. (1991): Die Minerale des Döhlener Beckens.- Schriften des Staatlichen Museums für Mineralogie und Geologie zu Dresden, Nr. 3
        • Possendorf
    • Thuringia
      • Gera
        • Ronneburg U deposit
    		T. Witzke & F. Rüger: Lapis 1998(7/8), 26-64
    Japan
     
    • Honshu Island
      • Kanto region
        • Gunma Prefecture
    		The Mineral Species of Japan (5th ed) Matsubara
    Papua New Guinea
     
    • New Ireland Province
      • Lihir Island area
    		Can Min 39 (3), 2001, 809-818
    Russia
     
    • Far-Eastern Region
      • Kamchatka Oblast'
    		ZVMO,(1986) 115, 360-368; Bonazzi, P., Bindi, L., Popova, V., Pratesi, G. & Menchetti, S. (2003): Alacranite, As8S9: Structural study of the holotype and re-assignment of the original chemical formula. American Mineralogist 88, 1796-1800.
    Mineral and/or Locality
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