Empressite
A valid IMA mineral species - grandfathered
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About Empressite
Formula:
AgTe
Colour:
light bronze
Lustre:
Metallic
Hardness:
3 - 3½
Specific Gravity:
7.61
Crystal System:
Orthorhombic
Name:
For the type locality, the Empress Josephine Mine, Colorado.
Unique Identifiers
Mindat ID:
1379
Long-form identifier:
mindat:1:1:1379:2
GUID
(UUID V4):
(UUID V4):
753d5ed5-1ef7-4298-b3fa-9ba910bb76bc
IMA Classification of Empressite
Approved, 'Grandfathered' (first described prior to 1959)
First published:
1914
Classification of Empressite
2.CB.80
2 : SULFIDES and SULFOSALTS (sulfides, selenides, tellurides; arsenides, antimonides, bismuthides; sulfarsenites, sulfantimonites, sulfbismuthites, etc.)
C : Metal Sulfides, M: S = 1: 1 (and similar)
B : With Zn, Fe, Cu, Ag, etc.
2 : SULFIDES and SULFOSALTS (sulfides, selenides, tellurides; arsenides, antimonides, bismuthides; sulfarsenites, sulfantimonites, sulfbismuthites, etc.)
C : Metal Sulfides, M: S = 1: 1 (and similar)
B : With Zn, Fe, Cu, Ag, etc.
2.8.25.
2 : SULFIDES
8 : AmXp, with m:p = 1:1
2 : SULFIDES
8 : AmXp, with m:p = 1:1
3.2.6
3 : Sulphides, Selenides, Tellurides, Arsenides and Bismuthides (except the arsenides, antimonides and bismuthides of Cu, Ag and Au, which are included in Section 1)
2 : Sulphides etc. of Ag
3 : Sulphides, Selenides, Tellurides, Arsenides and Bismuthides (except the arsenides, antimonides and bismuthides of Cu, Ag and Au, which are included in Section 1)
2 : Sulphides etc. of Ag
Mineral Symbols
As of 2021 there are now IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols (abbreviations) for each mineral species, useful for tables and diagrams.
Symbol | Source | Reference |
---|---|---|
Eps | IMA–CNMNC | Warr, L.N. (2021). IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols. Mineralogical Magazine, 85(3), 291-320. doi:10.1180/mgm.2021.43 |
Physical Properties of Empressite
Metallic
Transparency:
Opaque
Colour:
light bronze
Comment:
Tarnishes darker bronze
Streak:
grey-black to black
Hardness:
3 - 3½ on Mohs scale
Hardness:
VHN25=135 - 151 kg/mm2 - Vickers
Tenacity:
Brittle
Cleavage:
None Observed
Fracture:
Irregular/Uneven, Sub-Conchoidal
Density:
7.61 g/cm3 (Measured) 7.61 g/cm3 (Calculated)
Optical Data of Empressite
Anisotropism:
Strong - gray to yellowish white to grayish blue
Bireflectance:
moderate to strong
Reflectivity:
Wavelength | R1 | R2 |
---|---|---|
400nm | 36.6% | 42.8% |
440nm | 37.5% | 45.8% |
480nm | 38.1% | 49.6% |
520nm | 39.3% | 51.9% |
560nm | 40.0% | 52.8% |
600nm | 40.0% | 52.9% |
640nm | 39.8% | 53.5% |
680nm | 39.5% | 53.9% |
700nm | 39.4% | 54.0% |
Graph shows reflectance levels at different wavelengths (in nm). Top of box is 100%. Peak reflectance is 54.0%.
R1 shown in black, R2 shown in red
Colour in reflected light:
greyish white
Pleochroism:
Strong
Comments:
gray to yellowish white to grayish blue
Chemistry of Empressite
Mindat Formula:
AgTe
Elements listed:
Common Impurities:
Pb,Cu,Fe,S
Crystallography of Empressite
Crystal System:
Orthorhombic
Class (H-M):
mmm (2/m 2/m 2/m) - Dipyramidal
Cell Parameters:
a = 8.90 Å, b = 20.07 Å, c = 4.62 Å
Ratio:
a:b:c = 0.443 : 1 : 0.23
Unit Cell V:
825.24 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Z:
16
Morphology:
Compact granular masses, rarely in crystals
Comment:
Space Group: Pmnb.
Crystal Structure
Load
Unit Cell | Unit Cell Packed
2x2x2 | 3x3x3 | 4x4x4
Unit Cell | Unit Cell Packed
2x2x2 | 3x3x3 | 4x4x4
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CIF File Best | x | y | z | a | b | c
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Data courtesy of the American Mineralogist Crystal Structure Database. Click on an AMCSD ID to view structure
ID | Species | Reference | Link | Year | Locality | Pressure (GPa) | Temp (K) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
0003585 | Empressite | Bindi L, Spry P G, Cipriani C (2004) Empressite, AgTe, from the Empress-Josephine Mine, Colorado, USA: Composition, physical properties, and determination of the crystal structure American Mineralogist 89 1043-1047 | 2004 | 0 | 293 |
CIF Raw Data - click here to close
X-Ray Powder Diffraction
Powder Diffraction Data:
d-spacing | Intensity |
---|---|
2.70 Å | (100) |
2.23 Å | (80) |
3.81 Å | (60) |
3.33 Å | (60) |
3.18 Å | (50) |
2.14 Å | (50) |
2.04 Å | (50) |
Geological Environment
Paragenetic Mode(s):
Paragenetic Mode | Earliest Age (Ga) |
---|---|
High-𝑇 alteration and/or metamorphism | |
33 : Minerals deposited by hydrothermal metal-rich fluids (see also [#12]) |
Geological Setting:
Low temperature, gold poor, hydrothermal veins
Type Occurrence of Empressite
General Appearance of Type Material:
compact, granular masses
Place of Conservation of Type Material:
1) University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado, 1649.
2) Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, 106761.
3) National Museum of Natural History (Smithsonian), Washington, D.C., USA, R7243, 117368.
2) Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, 106761.
3) National Museum of Natural History (Smithsonian), Washington, D.C., USA, R7243, 117368.
Associated Minerals at Type Locality:
Reference:
Bradley, W.M. (1914) Empressite, a new silver-tellurium mineral from Colorado. American Journal of Science: 38: 163-165.
Other Language Names for Empressite
Common Associates
Associated Minerals Based on Photo Data:
5 photos of Empressite associated with Silver | Ag |
5 photos of Empressite associated with Rodalquilarite | Fe2(TeO2OH)3(TeO3)Cl |
4 photos of Empressite associated with Tellurium | Te |
4 photos of Empressite associated with Tellurite | TeO2 |
2 photos of Empressite associated with Altaite | PbTe |
2 photos of Empressite associated with Jarosite | KFe3+3(SO4)2(OH)6 |
1 photo of Empressite associated with Emmonsite | Fe3+2(TeO3)3 · 2H2O |
1 photo of Empressite associated with Pyrite | FeS2 |
1 photo of Empressite associated with Chlorargyrite | AgCl |
1 photo of Empressite associated with Rickardite | Cu7Te5 |
Related Minerals - Strunz-mindat Grouping
2.CB. | Agmantinite | Ag2MnSnS4 |
2.CB. | Richardsite | Zn2CuGaS4 |
2.CB. | Gachingite | Au(Te1-xSex) |
2.CB. | Tolstykhite | Au3S4Te6 |
2.CB. | Hanswilkeite | KFeS2 |
2.CB. | Auroselenide | AuSe |
2.CB. | Ruizhongite | (Ag2◻)Pb3Ge2S8 |
2.CB. | Okruginite | Cu2SnSe3 |
2.CB.05a | Coloradoite | HgTe |
2.CB.05a | Hawleyite | CdS |
2.CB.05a | Metacinnabar | HgS |
2.CB.05c | Polhemusite | (Zn,Hg)S |
2.CB.05b | Sakuraiite | (Cu,Zn,Fe)3(In,Sn)S4 |
2.CB.05a | Sphalerite | ZnS |
2.CB.05a | Stilleite | ZnSe |
2.CB.05a | Tiemannite | HgSe |
2.CB.05 | UM1998-15-S:CuFeZn | Cu2Fe3Zn5S10 |
2.CB.05a | Rudashevskyite | (Fe,Zn)S |
2.CB.05a | Ishiharaite | (Cu,Ga,Fe,In,Zn)S |
2.CB.07a | Shenzhuangite | NiFeS2 |
2.CB.07a | Unnamed (Cu-Mn-Sn Sulpide) | Cu2MnSnS4 |
2.CB.10a | Chalcopyrite | CuFeS2 |
2.CB.10a | Eskebornite | CuFeSe2 |
2.CB.10a | Gallite | CuGaS2 |
2.CB.10b | Haycockite | Cu4Fe5S8 |
2.CB.10a | Lenaite | AgFeS2 |
2.CB.10b | Mooihoekite | Cu9Fe9S16 |
2.CB.10b | Putoranite | Cu1.1Fe1.2S2 |
2.CB.10a | Roquesite | CuInS2 |
2.CB.10b | Talnakhite | Cu9(Fe,Ni)8S16 |
2.CB.10a | Laforêtite | AgInS2 |
2.CB.10a | Unnamed (Cu-Zn-In Sulphide) | CuZn2InS4 |
2.CB.10a | UM1984-30-S:CuFeSn | Cu2Fe2Sn3S7 |
2.CB.10c | Omariniite | Cu8Fe2ZnGe2S12 |
2.CB.15a | Černýite | Cu2(Cd,Zn,Fe)SnS4 |
2.CB.15a | Ferrokësterite | Cu2FeSnS4 |
2.CB.15a | Hocartite | Ag2(Fe2+,Zn)SnS4 |
2.CB.15a | Idaite | Cu5FeS6 |
2.CB.15a | Kësterite | Cu2ZnSnS4 |
2.CB.15a | Kuramite | Cu3SnS4 |
2.CB.15b | Mohite | Cu2SnS3 |
2.CB.15a | Pirquitasite | Ag2ZnSnS4 |
2.CB.15a | Stannite | Cu2FeSnS4 |
2.CB.15c | Stannoidite | Cu+6Cu2+2(Fe2+,Zn)3Sn2S12 |
2.CB.15a | Velikite | Cu2HgSnS4 |
2.CB.15c | UM2006-11-S:CuFeGeZn | Cu8(Fe,Zn)3Ge2S12 (?) |
2.CB.17a v | Arsenic-bearing Renierite | Cu11GeAsFe4S16 |
2.CB.20 | Chatkalite | Cu6FeSn2S8 |
2.CB.20 | Mawsonite | Cu6Fe2SnS8 |
2.CB.30 | Argyropyrite | near Ag2Fe7S11 |
2.CB.30 | Colusite | Cu13VAs3S16 |
2.CB.30 | Germanite | Cu13Fe2Ge2S16 |
2.CB.30 | Germanocolusite | Cu26V2(Ge,As)6S32 |
2.CB.30 | Nekrasovite | Cu26V2(Sn,As,Sb)6S32 |
2.CB.30 | Stibiocolusite | Cu13V(Sb,Sn,As)3S16 |
2.CB.30 | Ovamboite | Cu20(Fe,Cu,Zn)6W2Ge6S32 |
2.CB.30 | Maikainite | Cu20(Fe,Cu)6Mo2Ge6S32 |
2.CB.30 | Frieseite | Ag2Fe5S8 (?) |
2.CB.35a | Hemusite | Cu6SnMoS8 |
2.CB.35a | Kiddcreekite | Cu6SnWS8 |
2.CB.35a | Polkovicite | (Fe,Pb)3(Ge,Fe)1-xS4 |
2.CB.35a | Renierite | (Cu1+,Zn)11Fe4(Ge4+,As5+)2S16 |
2.CB.35a | Vinciennite | Cu+7Cu2+3Fe2+2Fe3+2Sn(As,Sb)S16 |
2.CB.35a | Morozeviczite | (Pb,Fe)3Ge1-xS4 |
2.CB.35b | Catamarcaite | Cu6GeWS8 |
2.CB.40 | Lautite | CuAsS |
2.CB.42 | Lingbaoite | AgTe3 |
2.CB.45 | Cadmoselite | CdSe |
2.CB.45 | Greenockite | CdS |
2.CB.45 | Wurtzite | (Zn,Fe)S |
2.CB.45 | Rambergite | MnS |
2.CB.45 | Buseckite | (Fe,Zn,Mn)S |
2.CB.45 | Maletoyvayamite | Au3Se4Te6 |
2.CB.47 | Murchisite | Cr5S6 |
2.CB.50 | Zincselenide | ZnSe |
2.CB.50 | Wassonite | TiS |
2.CB.52 | Dzhezkazganite | ReMoCu2PbS6 ? |
2.CB.55a | Cubanite | CuFe2S3 |
2.CB.55b | Isocubanite | CuFe2S3 |
2.CB.60 | Picotpaulite | TlFe2S3 |
2.CB.60 | Raguinite | TlFeS2 |
2.CB.65 | Argentopyrite | AgFe2S3 |
2.CB.65 | Sternbergite | AgFe2S3 |
2.CB.70 | Sulvanite | Cu3VS4 |
2.CB.75 | Vulcanite | CuTe |
2.CB.85 | Muthmannite | AuAgTe2 |
Other Information
Health Risks:
No information on health risks for this material has been entered into the database. You should always treat mineral specimens with care.
Internet Links for Empressite
mindat.org URL:
https://www.mindat.org/min-1379.html
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References for Empressite
Reference List:
Thompson, R. M. (1949) The telluride minerals and their occurrence in Canada. American Mineralogist, 34 (5-6) 341-382
Thompson, R. M., Peacock, M. A., Rowland, J. F., Berry, L. G. (1951) Empressite and "stuetzite". American Mineralogist, 36 (5-6) 458-470
Honea, Russell M. (1964) Empressite and stuetzite redefined. American Mineralogist, 49 (3-4) 325-338
Cabri, L . J. (1965) Discussion of "Empressite and stuetzite redefined" by R. M. Honea. American Mineralogist, 50 (5-6) 795-801
Cabri, Louis J. (1965) Phase relations in the Au-Ag-Te systems and their mineralogical significance. Economic Geology, 60 (8) 1569-1606 doi:10.2113/gsecongeo.60.8.1569
Criddle, A. J., Stanley, C. J. (1993) Data file. In Quantitative Data File for Ore Minerals. Springer Netherlands. p.1-635. doi:10.1007/978-94-011-1486-8_1p.154
Localities for Empressite
Locality List
- This locality has map coordinates listed.
- This locality has estimated coordinates.
ⓘ - Click for references and further information on this occurrence.
? - Indicates mineral may be doubtful at this locality.
- Good crystals or important locality for species.
- World class for species or very significant.
(TL) - Type Locality for a valid mineral species.
(FRL) - First Recorded Locality for everything else (eg varieties).
Struck out - Mineral was erroneously reported from this locality.
Faded * - Never found at this locality but inferred to have existed at some point in the past (e.g. from pseudomorphs).
All localities listed without proper references should be considered as questionable.
All localities listed without proper references should be considered as questionable.
Armenia | |
| Kovalenker et al. (1990) |
Kovalenker et al. (2006) | |
Australia | |
| Griessmann (2011) |
Austria | |
| S.Schwabl (2016) +1 other reference |
| Auer (2019) |
Bulgaria | |
| Cioacă et al. (2018) |
| K. Bogdanov et al. (2005) |
Canada | |
| British Columbia Geological Survey +1 other reference |
| Roberts (2017) |
| Ames et al. (TGI) +1 other reference |
| Ames et al. (2003) |
| Péntek et al. (2013) |
| Mcdonald et al. (2015) |
China | |
| Yingfu Zhao and Zengyao Lu (2004) |
| Zhai et al. (2014) +3 other references |
| Chang et al. (2022) |
| American Mineralogist 89 +1 other reference |
| Huanchun Duan and Shirong Zhu (1997) |
Fiji | |
| Clarke et al. (2023) |
| Ahmad et al. (1987) +1 other reference |
Finland | |
| Mutanen (1997) |
| Fröhlich et al. (2021) |
Greece | |
| Voudouris et al. (2018) |
| McFall et al. (2016) |
| Repstock (2011) +1 other reference |
Japan | |
| Takasu (1965) +1 other reference |
Mexico | |
| Marcus Origleri |
Norway | |
| Cook (1996) |
Poland | |
| Nejbert K. 2008: Mineralogy of ... |
Romania | |
| Ciobanu et al. (2007) +3 other references |
| www.minerals-of-the-carpathians |
Russia | |
| Maslennikov et al. (2013) |
Michurin et al. (2024) | |
| Vinokurov et al. (2010) +2 other references |
| Vikent’eva et al. (2022) +1 other reference |
| Maslennikov et al. (2013) |
| Чернявский et al. (2013) |
| Maslennikov et al. (2013) |
| Eremin et al. (2023) |
South Korea | |
| Econ Geol (1990) |
| Choi et al. (2005) |
| Choi et al. (2005) |
Spain | |
| Navarro et al. (2009) |
Sweden | |
| Bonev et al. (2005) +1 other reference |
Switzerland | |
| Stalder et al. (1998) |
Turkey | |
| Oyman (2010) |
USA | |
| Williams (1980) +1 other reference |
| Eckel et al. (1997) |
Thompson (1949) | |
Eckel et al. (1997) | |
| In the collection of Brent Thorne. |
| Eckel et al. (1997) |
| American Mineralogist (1930) +1 other reference |
Eckel et al. (1997) | |
| Lasmanis (1995) |
| Olson (2016) |
Uzbekistan | |
| Anthony et al. (1990) +4 other references |
Zimbabwe | |
| Oberthür et al. (2003) |
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Empress Josephine Mine, Bonanza, Bonanza Mining District, Saguache County, Colorado, USA