Vrbaite
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About Vrbaite
Formula:
Hg3Tl4As8Sb2S20
Colour:
Dark gray-black with bluish tint, dark red (thin fragment)
Lustre:
Metallic, Sub-Metallic
Hardness:
3½
Specific Gravity:
5.27 - 5.33
Crystal System:
Orthorhombic
Name:
Named after Karl B. Vrba (10 November 1845, Klatovy, Austrian Empire - 7 December 1922 Prague, Czechoslovakia), Professor of Mineralogy, Charles University, Prague (Czech Republic).
Type Locality:
This page provides mineralogical data about Vrbaite.
Classification of Vrbaite
Approved, 'Grandfathered' (first described prior to 1959)
2/E.13-40
2.HF.20
2 : SULFIDES and SULFOSALTS (sulfides, selenides, tellurides; arsenides, antimonides, bismuthides; sulfarsenites, sulfantimonites, sulfbismuthites, etc.)
H : Sulfosalts of SnS archetype
F : With SnS and PbS archetype structure units
2 : SULFIDES and SULFOSALTS (sulfides, selenides, tellurides; arsenides, antimonides, bismuthides; sulfarsenites, sulfantimonites, sulfbismuthites, etc.)
H : Sulfosalts of SnS archetype
F : With SnS and PbS archetype structure units
3.7.15.1
3 : SULFOSALTS
7 : ø = 2
3 : SULFOSALTS
7 : ø = 2
5.5.10
5 : Sulphosalts - Sulpharsenites and Sulphobismuthites (those containing Sn, Ge,or V are in Section 6)
5 : Sulpharsenites etc. of Tl
5 : Sulphosalts - Sulpharsenites and Sulphobismuthites (those containing Sn, Ge,or V are in Section 6)
5 : Sulpharsenites etc. of Tl
Physical Properties of Vrbaite
Metallic, Sub-Metallic
Transparency:
Opaque
Colour:
Dark gray-black with bluish tint, dark red (thin fragment)
Streak:
Pale yellow-red
Hardness:
3½ on Mohs scale
Tenacity:
Brittle
Cleavage:
Distinct/Good
On {010}.
On {010}.
Fracture:
Irregular/Uneven, Conchoidal
Density:
5.27 - 5.33 g/cm3 (Measured) 5.29 g/cm3 (Calculated)
Chemical Properties of Vrbaite
Formula:
Hg3Tl4As8Sb2S20
Crystallography of Vrbaite
Crystal System:
Orthorhombic
Class (H-M):
mmm (2/m 2/m 2/m) - Dipyramidal
Space Group:
Cmca
Cell Parameters:
a = 13.18 Å, b = 23.23 Å, c = 11.22 Å
Ratio:
a:b:c = 0.567 : 1 : 0.483
Unit Cell V:
3,435.24 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Morphology:
Small crystals, tabular {010} or pyramidal {111}. Occur in groups.
Crystal Structure
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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) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
0010725 | Vrbaite | Ohmasa M, Nowacki W (1971) The crystal structure of vrbaite, Hg3Tl4As8Sb2S20 Zeitschrift fur Kristallographie 134 360-380 | ![]() | 1971 | Allchar, Macedonia | 0 | 293 |
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Type Occurrence of Vrbaite
Synonyms of Vrbaite
Other Language Names for Vrbaite
Common Associates
Associated Minerals Based on Photo Data:
3 photos of Vrbaite associated with Metacinnabar | HgS |
1 photo of Vrbaite associated with Avicennite | Tl2O3 |
1 photo of Vrbaite associated with Parapierrotite | TlSb5S8 |
Related Minerals - Nickel-Strunz Grouping
2.HF.25a | Cylindrite | Pb3Sn4FeSb2S14 | Tric. 1 : P1 |
2.HF.25b | Franckeite | Fe2+(Pb,Sn2+)6Sn4+2Sb2S14 | Tric. 1 : P1 |
2.HF.25b | Incaite | (Pb,Ag)4Sn4FeSb2S15 | Mon. |
2.HF.25a | Lévyclaudite | Pb8Sn7Cu3(Bi,Sb)3S28 | Tric. 1 |
2.HF.25b | Potosíite | Pb6Sn3FeSb3S16 | Tric. |
2.HF.25b | Coiraite | (Pb,Sn)12.5Sn5FeAs3S28 | Mon. |
2.HF.25a | Abramovite | Pb2SnInBiS7 | Tric. 1 : P1 |
2.HF.30 | Lengenbachite | Ag4Cu2Pb18As12S39 | Tric. |
Related Minerals - Hey's Chemical Index of Minerals Grouping
5.5.1 | Lorándite | TlAsS2 | Mon. 2/m : P21/b |
5.5.2 | Ellisite | Tl3AsS3 | Trig. 3m : R3m |
5.5.3 | Imhofite | Tl5.8As15.4S26 | Mon. 2/m |
5.5.4 | Simonite | TlHgAs3S6 | Mon. 2/m |
5.5.6 | Christite | TlHgAsS3 | Mon. 2/m |
5.5.6 | Routhierite | Tl(Cu,Ag)(Hg,Zn)2(As,Sb)2S6 | Tet. 4 2m : I4 2m |
5.5.7 | Hutchinsonite | TlPbAs5S9 | Orth. mmm (2/m 2/m 2/m) : Pbca |
5.5.8 | Wallisite | (Cu,Ag)TlPbAs2S5 | Tric. |
5.5.9 | Bernardite | TlAs5S8 | Mon. 2/m : P21/b |
5.5.11 | Rebulite | Tl5Sb5As8S22 | Mon. 2/m : P21/b |
5.5.12 | Gillulyite | Tl2As7.5Sb0.3S13 | Mon. 2/m |
5.5.13 | Weissbergite | TlSbS2 | Tric. 1 : P1 |
5.5.14 | Rohaite | (Tl,Pb,K)2Cu8.7Sb2S4 | Orth. |
5.5.15 | Vaughanite | TlHgSb4S7 | Tric. |
5.5.16 | Chalcothallite | Tl2(Cu,Fe)6SbS4 | Tet. 4/mmm (4/m 2/m 2/m) : I4/mmm |
5.5.17 | Pierrotite | Tl2(Sb,As)10S16 | Orth. mm2 : Pna21 |
5.5.18 | Parapierrotite | TlSb5S8 | Mon. m |
5.5.19 | Criddleite | TlAg2Au3Sb10S10 | Mon. |
5.5.20 | Chabournéite | Tl4Pb2(Sb,As)20S34 | Tric. 1 : P1 |
Other Information
Health Risks:
Contains thallium, mercury and arsenic - always wash hands after handling. Avoid inhaling dust when handling or breaking. Never lick or ingest.
References for Vrbaite
Reference List:
Sort by Year (asc) | by Year (desc) | by Author (A-Z) | by Author (Z-A)
Jezek (1912), Ak. Böhmen, Roz.: 21.
Ježek, B. (1912) Vrbait, ein neues Thalliummineral von Allchar in Macedonien. Zeitschrift für Krystallographie und Mineralogie: 51: 365-378.
Křehlik (1912), Zs. Kr.: 51: 379.
Spencer, L.J. (1913) A (sixth) list of new mineral names. Mineralogical Magazine: 16: 352-378.
Frondel, Clifford (1941) Unit cell and space group of vrbaite (Tl(As,Sb)3S5), seligmannite (CuPbAsS3) and samsonite (Ag4MnSb2S6). American Mineralogist: 26: 25-28.
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: 484-485.
Caye, R., Picot, P., Pierrot, R., Permingeat, F. (1967) Nouvelles données sur la vrbaïte, sa teneur en mercure. Bulletin de la Société Française de Minéralogie et de Cristallographie: 90: 185-191.
Fleischer, M. (1968) New mineral names. American Mineralogist: 53: 348-351.
Ohmasa, M., Nowacki, W. (1971) The crystal structure of vrbaite, Hg3Tl4As8Sb2S20. Zeitschrift für Kristallographie: 134: 360-380.
Internet Links for Vrbaite
mindat.org URL:
https://www.mindat.org/min-4211.html
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Localities for Vrbaite
Locality List




All localities listed without proper references should be considered as questionable.
China | |
| Roth, P., Raber, T., Favreau, G. and Meisser, N. (2017): Thallium Sulfosalts from the Shimen As-Deposit, Hunan, China. Mineral Up 4(6): 8-22. |
Greenland | |
| Soerensen, H. (2001): The Ilimaussaq alkaline complex, South Greenland: status of mineralogical research with new results, Geology of Greenland Survey Bulletin 190, GEUS; Petersen, O.V. (2001): List of all minerals identified in the Ilímaussaq alkaline complex, South Greenland. Geology of Greenland Survey Bulletin. 190, 25-33 |
Japan | |
| Kagaya, B. (1962) Journal of the Mining College, Akita University, Series A, 2, #2, 60-88. |
North Macedonia (TL) | |
| Zeitschr. Kryst. Min. (1912) 51, 365-378; Rieck, B. (1993): Famous mineral localities: Allchar, Macedonia, Mineralogical Record, 24 (6), 437-449; Boevl, B., Bermanec, V., Serafimovski, T., Lepitkoval, S., & Mikulcic, S. (2001). Allchar Mineral Assemblage. Geologica Macedonica, Vol. 15-16, p. 1-23 (2001-2002) Suppl; Boev, I., Šorša, A., Tasev, G., Serafimovski, D., & Boev, B. (2017). Mineralogy and geochemistry of trace elements from Crven Dol–Alšar deposit (Republic of Macedonia). Geologica Macedonica, 31(1), 5-20. |
Christian Reweitzer; Pavićević, M. K. (1988). Lorandite from Allchar—A low energy solar neutrino dosimeter. Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment, 271(2), 287-296. | |
Ðorđević, T., Kolitsch, U., Drahota, P., Peřestá, M., Majzlan, J., Kiefer, S., Tasev, G., Serafimovski, T., Boev, I. and Boev, B. (2020): Mobility of Tl and Hg in the As-rich waste dumps of adit no. 25, former Allchar mine, North Macedonia. Goldschmidt Virtual 2020, June 21-26, 2020, Goldschmidt Abstracts, 2020, 606, https://goldschmidtabstracts.info/2020/606.pdf. | |
Russia | |
| |
Pekov, I. (1998) Minerals First discovered on the territory of the former Soviet Union 369p. Ocean Pictures, Moscow | |
USA | |
| King, N. R. (2014, October). THE MINERAL ASSEMBLAGE FROM LOOKOUT PASS AREA, SHEEPROCK MOUNTAINS, TOOELE CO., UTAH. In 2014 GSA Annual Meeting in Vancouver, British Columbia. |
Crven Dol, Allchar, Rožden, Kavadarci Municipality, North Macedonia