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Yiyangite

Valid as an unnamed mineral

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Formula:

Au₃Hg

Colour:

yellow

Lustre:

Metallic

Crystal System:

Hexagonal

Name:

For the discovery locality in Yiyang City of Hunan Province, China.

First Recorded Locality:

ⓘ Zi river placer (Zijiang placer), Heshan District, Yiyang, Hunan, China

One of several gold amalgams reported so far.

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Unique IdentifiersHide

Mindat ID:

42213

Long-form identifier:

mindat:1:1:42213:8

GUID
(UUID V4):

9c618a37-a847-4a36-8787-1850036199ca

IMA Classification of YiyangiteHide

IMA status notes:

Unnamed (probably valid)

Approval history:

Unnamed, but probably valid.

Classification of YiyangiteHide

Strunz-mindat (2024):

1.AD.20c

1 : ELEMENTS (Metals and intermetallic alloys; metalloids and nonmetals; carbides, silicides, nitrides, phosphides)
A : Metals and Intermetallic Alloys
D : Mercury-amalgam family

Physical Properties of YiyangiteHide

Lustre:

Metallic

Transparency:

Opaque

Colour:

yellow

Hardness:

VHN₅₀=35.3 kg/mm² - Vickers

Optical Data of YiyangiteHide

Anisotropism:

weak

Bireflectance:

weak

Reflectivity:

Wavelength	R
430nm	29.5%
480nm	44.8%
530nm	56.8%
590nm	67.1%
660nm	70.7%
700nm	67.2%

Graph shows reflectance levels at different wavelengths (in nm). Top of box is 100%. Peak reflectance is 70.7%.

Colour in reflected light:

yellow-white

Pleochroism:

Weak

Chemistry of YiyangiteHide

Mindat Formula:

Au₃Hg

Elements listed:

Au, Hg - search for minerals with similar chemistry

Crystallography of YiyangiteHide

Crystal System:

Hexagonal

Cell Parameters:

a = 2.19 Å, c = 4.815 Å

Ratio:

a:c = 1 : 2.199

Unit Cell V:

20.00 Å³ (Calculated from Unit Cell)

First Recorded Occurrence of YiyangiteHide

First Recorded Locality:

ⓘ Zi river placer (Zijiang placer), Heshan District, Yiyang, Hunan, China

Geological Setting of First Recorded Material:

Alluvial placer deposit.

Synonyms of YiyangiteHide

Gold Amalgam (in part)

Other Language Names for YiyangiteHide

Simplified Chinese:益阳矿

Related Minerals - Strunz-mindat Grouping Hide

1.AD.	Aurihydrargyrumite	Au₆Hg₅	Hex. 6/mmm (6/m 2/m 2/m) : P6₃/mcm
1.AD.05	Mercury	Hg	Trig. 3m (3 2/m) : R3m
1.AD.10	Belendorffite	Cu₇Hg₆	Trig. 3m : R3m
1.AD.10	Kolymite	Cu₇Hg₆	Iso.
1.AD.15c	Eugenite	Ag₁₁Hg₂	Iso. 4 3m : I4 3m
1.AD.15b	Luanheite	Ag₃Hg	Hex.
1.AD.15d	Moschellandsbergite	Ag₂Hg₃	Iso. m3m (4/m 3 2/m)
1.AD.15a	Paraschachnerite	Ag₃Hg₂	Orth.
1.AD.15a	Schachnerite	Ag_1.1Hg_0.9	Hex. 6/mmm (6/m 2/m 2/m) : P6₃/mmc
1.AD.20a	Weishanite	(Au,Ag,Hg)	Hex. 6/mmm (6/m 2/m 2/m) : P6₃/mmc
1.AD.20b	Goldamalgam (of Chen et al.)	(Au,Ag)Hg	Iso. m3m (4/m 3 2/m) : Im3m
1.AD.25	Potarite	PdHg	Tet. 4/mmm (4/m 2/m 2/m) : P4/mmm
1.AD.30	Leadamalgam	Pb_0.7Hg_0.3	Tet. 4/mmm (4/m 2/m 2/m) : I4/mmm
1.AD.35	Shosanbetsuite	Ag₃Sn	Orth. mmm (2/m 2/m 2/m) : Pmmn
1.AD.40	Unnamed (Au2Hg)	Au₂Hg	Hex. 6/mmm (6/m 2/m 2/m) : P6₃/mcm

Other InformationHide

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 YiyangiteHide

mindat.org URL:

https://www.mindat.org/min-42213.html
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References for YiyangiteHide

Reference List:

Shuzhang Tian (1989): Discovery and study of gold-mercury series minerals, lead-gold-tellurium-bismuth minerals and maldonite. Gold Geology 8(1), 78-83 (in Chinese with English abstract).

Enkui Cao (1991): The discovery and research of yiyangite in the Hanjiang river. Geology of Shaanxi 9(1), 88-92 (in Chinese with English abstract).

Shaofeng Huang (2011): Mineralogical characteristics of gold-mercury minerals in the Davao gold placer of Mindanao islands, Phillippines, and its prospecting significance. Geology and Exploration 47(5), 935-942 (in Chinese with English abstract).

Localities for YiyangiteHide

This map shows a selection of localities that have latitude and longitude coordinates recorded. Click on the

symbol to view information about a locality. The

symbol next to localities in the list can be used to jump to that position on the map.

Locality ListHide

- 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.


China (FRL)
Hunan Yiyang Heshan District ⓘ Zi river placer (Zijiang placer) (FRL)	Shuzhang Tian (1989)
Shaanxi Hanzhong Mian County ⓘ Han river placers (Hanjiang placers)	Enkui Cao (1991)

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