Arzakite
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Formula:
Hg2+3S2(Br,Cl)2
Colour:
Colorless to yellow
Lustre:
Adamantine, Vitreous
Hardness:
2 - 2½
Specific Gravity:
7.64 (Calculated)
Crystal System:
Monoclinic
Name:
For the type locality
Forms a series with lavrentievite.
Originally reported from Arzak Hg occurrence (Arzakskoye), Uyuk Range, Pii-Khem District, Tuva Republic, Eastern-Siberian Region, Russia.
Originally reported from Arzak Hg occurrence (Arzakskoye), Uyuk Range, Pii-Khem District, Tuva Republic, Eastern-Siberian Region, Russia.
Classification of Arzakite
Notes:
Unnamed (probably valid)
Approval History:
Unnamed, but probably valid.
2/F.14-50
2.FC.15a
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
C : With Cl, Br, I (halide-sulfides)
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
C : With Cl, Br, I (halide-sulfides)
10.3.4.2
10 : OXYHALIDES AND HYDROXYHALIDES
3 : A3(O,OH)2Xq
10 : OXYHALIDES AND HYDROXYHALIDES
3 : A3(O,OH)2Xq
6.5.2
6 : Sulphosalts - Sulphostannates, Sulphogermanates,Sulpharsenates, Sulphantimonates, Sulphovanadates and Sulphohalides
5 : Sulphohalides
6 : Sulphosalts - Sulphostannates, Sulphogermanates,Sulpharsenates, Sulphantimonates, Sulphovanadates and Sulphohalides
5 : Sulphohalides
Physical Properties of Arzakite
Adamantine, Vitreous
Transparency:
Transparent
Colour:
Colorless to yellow
Comment:
Pale bog-brown, reddish brown, deepening on exposure to light
Streak:
Greyish yellow
Hardness:
2 - 2½ on Mohs scale
Hardness:
VHN100=82 - 103 - Vickers
Tenacity:
Brittle
Cleavage:
Perfect
Perfect in two directions parallel to elongation.
Perfect in two directions parallel to elongation.
Density:
7.64 g/cm3 (Calculated)
Optical Data of Arzakite
Type:
Anisotropic
Bireflectance:
Very weak, greyish white to grey
Reflectivity:
546nm | R1=16.5% | R2= 17.0% |
590nm | R1=15.2% | R2= 16.7% |
620nm | R1=14.8% | R2= 16.0% |
656nm | R1=14.5% | R2= 16.0% |
Graph shows reflectance levels at different wavelengths (in nm). Top of box is 100%. Peak reflectance is 17.0%.
R1 shown in black, R2 shown in red
Colour in reflected light:
Grey
Internal Reflections:
Pale yellow to pale brown
Pleochroism:
Weak
Comments:
Greyish to yellowish brown in thin section
Chemical Properties of Arzakite
Formula:
Hg2+3S2(Br,Cl)2
Elements listed:
Crystallography of Arzakite
Crystal System:
Monoclinic
Cell Parameters:
a = 8.99(4) Å, b = 5.24(1) Å, c = 18.45(8) Å
β = 92.28(15)°
β = 92.28(15)°
Ratio:
a:b:c = 1.716 : 1 : 3.521
Unit Cell V:
868.45 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Z:
5
Morphology:
Complex intergrowths
Comment:
Possibly triclinic
X-Ray Powder Diffraction
Powder Diffraction Data:
d-spacing | Intensity |
---|---|
5.05 Å | (3) |
3.99 Å | (4) |
3.41 Å | (5) |
3.02 Å | (6) |
2.63 Å | (10) |
2.313 Å | (4) |
1.594 Å | (4) |
Comments:
Arzak deposit, Russia.
Other Language Names for Arzakite
Relationship of Arzakite to other Species
Forms a series with:
Related Minerals - Nickel-Strunz Grouping
2.FC. | Demicheleite-(I) | BiSI | Orth. mmm (2/m 2/m 2/m) : Pnma |
2.FC.05 | Djerfisherite | K6(Fe,Cu,Ni)25S26Cl | Iso. m3m (4/m 3 2/m) : Pm3m |
2.FC.05 | Thalfenisite | Tl6(Fe,Ni,Cu)25S26Cl | |
2.FC.05 | Owensite | (Ba,Pb)6(Cu,Fe,Ni)25S27 | Iso. m3m (4/m 3 2/m) : Pm3m |
2.FC.10 | Bartonite | K6Fe20S26S | Tet. 4/mmm (4/m 2/m 2/m) : I4/mmm |
2.FC.10 | Chlorbartonite | K6Fe24S26(Cl,S) | Tet. 4/mmm (4/m 2/m 2/m) : I4/mmm |
2.FC.15a | Corderoite | Hg2+3S2Cl2 | Iso. m3 (2/m 3) |
2.FC.15c | Grechishchevite | Hg2+3S2(Br,Cl,I)2 | Tet. |
2.FC.15a | Lavrentievite | Hg2+3S2(Cl,Br)2 | Mon. |
2.FC.15d | Radtkeite | Hg2+3S2ICl | Mon. 2/m : B2/m |
2.FC.15b | Kenhsuite | Hg2+3S2Cl2 | Orth. |
2.FC.20a | Capgaronnite | AgHgClS | Orth. |
2.FC.20c | Perroudite | Hg5Ag4S5(I,Br)2Cl2 | Orth. 2 2 2 : P21 21 2 |
2.FC.20b | Iltisite | HgAgSCl | Hex. |
2.FC.25 | Demicheleite-(Br) | BiSBr | Orth. mmm (2/m 2/m 2/m) : Pnma |
2.FC.25 | Demicheleite-(Cl) | BiSCl | Orth. mmm (2/m 2/m 2/m) : Pnma |
Related Minerals - Dana Grouping (8th Ed.)
10.3.4.1 | Lavrentievite | Hg2+3S2(Cl,Br)2 | Mon. |
Related Minerals - Hey's Chemical Index of Minerals Grouping
6.5.1 | Corderoite | Hg2+3S2Cl2 | Iso. m3 (2/m 3) |
6.5.3 | Lavrentievite | Hg2+3S2(Cl,Br)2 | Mon. |
6.5.4 | Grechishchevite | Hg2+3S2(Br,Cl,I)2 | Tet. |
6.5.5 | Radtkeite | Hg2+3S2ICl | Mon. 2/m : B2/m |
6.5.6 | Capgaronnite | AgHgClS | Orth. |
6.5.7 | Perroudite | Hg5Ag4S5(I,Br)2Cl2 | Orth. 2 2 2 : P21 21 2 |
6.5.8 | Ardaite | Pb19Sb13S35Cl7 | Mon. |
6.5.9 | Dadsonite | Pb23Sb25S60Cl | Tric. 1 : P1 |
6.5.10 | Radhakrishnaite | PbTe3(Cl,S)2 | Tet. |
6.5.11 | Djerfisherite | K6(Fe,Cu,Ni)25S26Cl | Iso. m3m (4/m 3 2/m) : Pm3m |
6.5.12 | Thalfenisite | Tl6(Fe,Ni,Cu)25S26Cl |
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.
References for Arzakite
Reference List:
Sort by Year (asc) | by Year (desc) | by Author (A-Z) | by Author (Z-A)
Vasil'ev, V.I., Pal'chik, N.A., Grechishchev, O.K. (1984): Lavrentievite and arzakite, new natural sulfohalogenides of mercury. Geologiya i Geofizika, 7, 54-63 (in Russian).
American Mineralogist, 70, 873-874 (abs).
Vasil'ev, V.I., Lavrent'ev, Y.G. and Pal'chik, N.A. (1986): New data on arzakite and lavrentievite. Doklady Akademii Nauk SSSR, 290, 948–951 (in Russian).
Internet Links for Arzakite
mindat.org URL:
https://www.mindat.org/min-380.html
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Please feel free to link to this page.
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Localities for Arzakite
Locality List




All localities listed without proper references should be considered as questionable.
Russia | |
| Мороз Т.Н., Горяйнов С.В., Похиленко Н.П., Подгорных Н.М., Нишанбаев Т.П. Спектры комбинационного рассеяния света метеорита Челябинск // Метеорит Челябинск - год на Земле. 2014. c. 589-597 (in Rus.). |
| Vasilev, V.I., Palchik, N.A., Grechishchev, O.K. (1984): Geologiya i Geofizika, 7, 54-63.; Pekov, I. (1998) Minerals First discovered on the territory of the former Soviet Union 369p. Ocean Pictures, Moscow; Pervukhina, N. V., Vasil’ev, V. I., Borisov, S. V., Magarill, S. A., & Naumov, D. Y. (2003). The crystal structure of a polymorph of Hg2+ 3S2Br1. 0Cl0. 5I0. 5. The Canadian Mineralogist, 41(6), 1445-1453. |
| Pervukhina, N. V., Vasil’ev, V. I., Borisov, S. V., Magarill, S. A., & Naumov, D. Y. (2003). The crystal structure of a polymorph of Hg2+ 3S2Br1. 0Cl0. 5I0. 5. The Canadian Mineralogist, 41(6), 1445-1453. |