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Aikinite Micro and rare species collections.
PbCuBiS₃
A somewhat rare black copper mineral almost always present in small black prismatic to acicular crystals frequently enclosed in quartz or calcite. Some specimens have had the matrix worked away to show the aikinite crystals to better advantage. Crystals are striated parallel to the prism face and are know up to 3 cm are know. They also sometimes come in radiating masses.

AikiniteAustralia
Tasmania, Hampshire District, Kara Mines, Kara #1 Pit

These aikinite crystals have been partially etched out of calcite. At the Kara mine, aikinite deedles are quite common in calcite pods and veins in an andradite - magnetite - amphibole - scheelite skarn. The crystals are usually small, but sometimes up to about 10 mm long. Some minor molybdenite and green sphalerite is often associated.¹
1. Personal communication Ralph Bottrill 2009.


AikiniteGermanyLower Saxony, Harz Mts, Bad Lauterberg, Wolkenhügel Mine

We need someone who can tell us about the aikinite specimens from this locality.


AikiniteGermanySaxony, Erzgebirge, Schmiedeberg, Sadisdorf

We need someone to tell us about the aikinite specimens from this locality.


AikiniteNorwayBuskerud, Modum, Åmot, Glomsrudkollen Mine
Aikinite has been identified as silvery needles to 1 cm embedded in matrix from the contact metamorphic deposits of Konnerudkollen and Liertoppen near Drammen, Buskerud. Aikinite has also been identified from similar localities at Konnerudkollen and Liertoppen near Drammen in the same area.



AikiniteRussiaUral Mountains, Ekaterinburgskaya (Sverdlovskaya) Oblast', near Sverdlovsk, Berezovskii (Berezovskii Zavod), Berezovskoe Au Deposit (Berezovsk Mines)

“Crystals prismatic to acicular to 3 cm, striated…in exceptional sprays.”₁ This is the type locality.
1. Handbook of Mineralogy, Volume 1, Anthony, Bideaux, Bladh, Nichols, p 3.


AikiniteSwedenSmåland, Västervik, Gladhammar mines
Aggregates of Aikinite are common at the Gladhammar mine in Småland, Sweden and specimens are often seen in museums and private collections in Europe. The mineral has also been found in small amounts in other Swedish localities. Perhaps someone can help describe the aikinite from this locality better.



AikiniteUSANevada, Esmeralda County,. Sylvania Mountains
We “collected the aikinite in December of 1978. That was the first trip. I think we went there two more times afterwards…say between 1978 and 1980. We blasted to get the Aikinite. Crystals ranged from 0.25 mm x 2 cm freestanding to 1 cm x 8-9 cm embedded in quartz. The embedded crystals showed pretty cleanly when the quartz was broken. Altogether I would guess that we got 75 to 100 specimens ranging from t/n to 20 cm. there was also a little krupkaite which could only be identified by xray. Most of the analytical work was done by Gus Mumme in Australia in 1990.”1
1. Forest & Barbara Cureton, personal communication, 2003.


AikiniteUSANye County, Outlaw Mine
Aikinite was the main ore of the Outlaw Mine where it was found as massive vein material. Probably many good crystals were run through the mill.


AikiniteUSAUtahSalt Lake County, Wasatch Mts., Little Cottonwood District, Little Cottonwood Canyon, Dromedary Peak, South Hecla Mine.

We need someone to tell us about the aikinite specimens from this locality.


AikiniteUSAsVirginia, Loudoun County, Arcola, Chantilly Quarry
This lead, copper, bismuth sulfide is rare in good crystals but the best ones come from Virginia in seams in a Triassic diabase (trap-rock) quarry associated with prehnite and apophyllite. Sharp shiny black prismatic crystals to 3 mm were found by Norman Martin of Fairfax, Virginia.₁
1. Mineralogical Record, Vol.8 p61.



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