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Balkanite

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Balkanite

Manhattan District, Toquima Range, Nye Co., Nevada, USA
Balkanite

Manhattan District, Toquima Range, Nye Co., Nevada, USA
Balkanite

Manhattan District, Toquima Range, Nye Co., Nevada, USA
Balkanite

Manhattan District, Toquima Range, Nye Co., Nevada, USA
Balkanite

Manhattan District, Toquima Range, Nye Co., Nevada, USA
Balkanite

Manhattan District, Toquima Range, Nye Co., Nevada, USA
Formula:
Ag5Cu9HgS8
System:
Monoclinic
Colour:
Steel Grey
Lustre:
Metallic
Hardness:
3½
Name:
For the medieval and popular name of the Stara Planina (Balkan Mountains), the type locality.
Compare danielsite.

Balkanite's structure is not layered, but may be desribed by (1) alternation (along a) of Cu-rich and Ag-rich layers or (2) as the one based on two alternating atomic (010) layers: [Cu4Ag3HgS4]+ and [Cu5Ag2S4]−, or (3) alternation of two polyhedral layers: [Cu7Ag3S4]2+ and [Cu2Ag2HgS4]2−. Coordination of Hg is linear, Ag - tetrahedral or a distorted octahedral, and that of Cu - linear or planar triangular.


Classification of Balkanite

IMA status:
Approved
Strunz 8th ed.:
2/B.09-20
Nickel-Strunz 10th (pending) ed.:
2.BD.15

2 : SULFIDES and SULFOSALTS (sulfides, selenides, tellurides; arsenides, antimonides, bismuthides; sulfarsenites, sulfantimonites, sulfbismuthites, etc.)
B : Metal Sulfides, M: S > 1: 1 (mainly 2: 1)
D : With Hg, Tl
Dana 8th ed.:
2.16.7.1

2 : SULFIDES
16 : Miscellaneous
Hey's CIM Ref.:
3.5.6

3 : Sulphides, Selenides, Tellurides, Arsenides and Bismuthides (except the arsenides, antimonides and bismuthides of Cu, Ag and Au, which are included in Section 1)
5 : Sulphides etc. of Hg and Tl

Physical Properties of Balkanite

Lustre:
Metallic
Diaphaneity (Transparency):
Opaque
Colour:
Steel Grey
Hardness (Mohs):
3½
Hardness (Vickers):
VHN100=79.4 - 91.6 kg/mm2
Density:
6.318 g/cm3 (Measured)    6.421 g/cm3 (Calculated)
Comment:
Measured on synthetic material

Optical Data of Balkanite

Type:
Anisotropic
Anisotropism:
Strong
Reflectivity:
440nmR1=35.4%R2= 30.6%
460nmR1=35.6%R2= 31.0%
480nmR1=35.4%R2= 31.0%
500nmR1=35.0%R2= 30.2%
520nmR1=34.0%R2= 28.9%
540nmR1=34.0%R2= 28.0%
560nmR1=33.4%R2= 27.2%
580nmR1=32.8%R2= 26.5%
600nmR1=32.4%R2= 26.0%
620nmR1=32.1%R2= 25.6%
640nmR1=31.8%R2= 25.1%
660nmR1=31.5%R2= 24.9%

Reflectance graph
Graph shows reflectance levels at different wavelengths (in nm). Top of box is 100%. Peak reflectance is 35.6%.
R1 shown in black, R2 shown in red
Colour in reflected light:
White-grey

Chemical Properties of Balkanite

IMA Formula:
Ag5Cu9HgS8
Mindat.org Formula:
Cu9Ag5HgS8

alternatively (Cu9−xMe2+x)Ag5−xHgS8 (x = 0.3) (from Biagioni & Bindi 2016)
Elements listed in formula:
Ag, Cu, Hg, S - search for minerals with similar chemistry
Analytical Data:
Sedmochislenitsi deposit, Bulgaria; by electron microprobe. Empirical formula taken from the most recent structure refinement is: Cu9.00Ag4.73Hg1.00S8 (Biagioni & Bindi, 2016)
Cu (37.4)
Ag (33.1)
Hg (14.0)
S (17.2)
Total (101.7)

Crystallography of Balkanite

Crystal System:
Monoclinic
Class (H-M):
2/m - Prismatic
Space Group:
P2/m
Space Group Setting:
P2/m
Cell Parameters:
a = 9.5539(11) Å, b = 3.9150(4) Å, c = 10.6424(12) Å
β = 90.047(9)°
Ratio:
a:b:c = 2.44 : 1 : 2.718
Unit Cell Volume:
V 398.06 ų
Morphology:
Rod like prismatic crystals.
Twinning:
Lamellar in several directions
Comment:
sp. gr. P222, Pmm2 or Pmmm
X-Ray Powder Diffraction Data:
d-spacingIntensity
3.09 (7)
2.98 (10)
2.61 (8)
2.55 (10)
2.45 (8)
1.985 (8)
1.955 (9)
Comments:
Sedmochislenitsi deposit, Bulgaria.

Type Occurrence of Balkanite

Type Locality:
Sedmochislenitsi Mine (Sedmocislenici Mine), Balkan Mts (Stara Planina), Vratsa Oblast (Vratza), Bulgaria
Place of Conservation of Type Material:
Mineralogical Museum of the Higher Institute of Mining and Geology, 619; Museum of the University of Sofia “Kliment Ohridsky”, Sofia, 1351; National Museum of Natural History, Sofia, Bulgaria, 2339.
Geological Setting of Type Material:
High grade copper ores in stratiform deposit.
Empirical Formula:
Cu8.78Ag4.58Hg1.04S8.00

Relationship of Balkanite to other Species

Common Associates:
Aragonite
Baryte
Bismuth
Bornite
Calcite
Chalcocite
Chalcopyrite
Cinnabar
Digenite
Djurleite
Mckinstryite
Pyrite
Rammelsbergite
Silver
Stromeyerite
Tennantite
Wittichenite
Related Minerals - Nickel-Strunz Grouping):
2.BD.UM2004-33-S:AgCuHgSe(Ag,Cu)8Hg3(S,Se)7
2.BD.05ImiteriteAg2HgS2
2.BD.10GortdrumiteCu18FeHg6S16
2.BD.15Danielsite(Cu,Ag)14HgS8
2.BD.20DonharrisiteNi8Hg3S9
2.BD.25CarliniteTl2S
2.BD.30BukoviteCu4Tl2Se4
2.BD.30MurunskiteK2(Cu,Fe)4S4
2.BD.30Thalcusite(Cu,Fe)4Tl2S4
2.BD.35Rohaite(Tl,Pb,K)2Cu8.7Sb2S4
2.BD.40Chalcothallite(Cu,Fe,Ag)6.3(Tl,K)2SbS4
2.BD.45SabatieriteCu6TlSe4
2.BD.50CrookesiteCu7TlSe4
2.BD.55BrodtkorbiteCu2HgSe2
Related Minerals - Hey's Index Grouping:
3.5.1CinnabarHgS
3.5.2HypercinnabarHgS
3.5.3MetacinnabarHgS
3.5.4ImiteriteAg2HgS2
3.5.5TiemanniteHgSe
3.5.7Danielsite(Cu,Ag)14HgS8
3.5.8ColoradoiteHgTe
3.5.9GortdrumiteCu18FeHg6S16
3.5.10Polhemusite(Zn,Hg)S
3.5.11CarliniteTl2S
3.5.12CrookesiteCu7TlSe4
3.5.13SabatieriteCu6TlSe4
3.5.14PicotpauliteTlFe2S3
3.5.15RaguiniteTlFeS2
3.5.16Thalcusite(Cu,Fe)4Tl2S4
3.5.17BukoviteCu4Tl2Se4
3.5.18GalliteCuGaS2
3.5.19RoquesiteCuInS2
3.5.20InditeFeIn2S4

Other Names for Balkanite

Synonyms:

IMA1971-009

Name in Other Languages:
German:Balkanit
Simplified Chinese:硫汞铜银矿
Spanish:Balkanita

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 Balkanite

Reference List:
Atanassov, V.A., Kirov, G.N. (1973): Balkanite, Cu9Ag5HgS8, a new mineral from the Sedmochislenitsi mine, Bulgaria. American Mineralogist: 58: 11-15.

Biagioni C., Bindi, L. (2016): Ordered distribution of Cu and Ag in the crystal structure of balkanite, Cu9Ag5HgS8. European Journal of Mineralogy: 28 (in press).

http://forum.amiminerals.it/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=13016&sid=f202e1cb80657d6e2a7259f1a965fd1e (2016)

Internet Links for Balkanite

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https://www.mindat.org/min-496.html
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    • Localities for Balkanite

    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.
    (TL) indicates type locality for a valid mineral species. (FRL) indicates first recorded locality for everything else. ? indicates mineral may be doubtful at this locality. All other localities listed without reference should be considered as uncertain and unproven until references can be found.
    Austria
     
    • Salzburg
      • Saalfelden
        • Leogang
          • Hütten
            • Schwarzleograben
              • Schwarzleo District
    		Paar, W. H. & Chen, T. T. (1985): Zur Mineralogie von Cu-Ni(Co)-Pb-Ag-Hg-Erzen im Revier Schwarzleo bei Leogang, Salzburg, Österreich. Mitt. österr. geol. Ges. 78, 125-148.; A. Strasser: Die Minerale Salzburgs (1989)
    • Tyrol
      • North Tyrol
        • Kitzbühel Alps
          • Fieberbrunn
    		Steiner, M., Vavtar, F., Tropper, P. (2008): Rare Ag ores (danielsite, balkanite) from the fahlore deposit of the Röhrerbühel (N-Tyrol, Austria). Poster, Annual Meeting of the DMG, Berlin, Germany, September 14-17, 2008; CD with abstracts, Abs. no. 292; Steiner M., Vavtar F., Tropper P., Kaindl R. (2009): Silbererze (Balkanit und Danielsit) in den Fahlerzen von Röhrerbühel. In: Oeggl K., Prast M. (Hrsg.), Die Geschichte des Bergbaus in Tirol und seinen angrenzenden Gebieten. Proceedings zum 3. Milestone-Meeting des SFB-HiMAT vom 23.–26. 10. 2008 in Silbertal, Innsbruck, 193-195; Steiner, M., Tropper, P., Vavtar, F., Kaindl, R. & Krismer, M. (2010): Balkanite from the Cu ore deposit Röhrerbühel, Kitzbühel (N-Tyrol, Austria). N. Jb. Mineral. Abh. 187, 207-215.
    Belgium
     
    • Luxembourg Province
      • Stavelot Massif
        • Vielsalm
    		http://perso.infonie.be/jose.dehove/photos/Salmchateau.htm
    Bulgaria (TL)
     
    • Vratsa Oblast (Vratza)
      • Balkan Mts (Stara Planina)
    		Atanassov, V.A. and Kirov, G.N. (1973): Balkanite, Cu9Ag5HgS8, a new mineral from the Sedmochislenitsi mine, Bulgaria. American Mineralogist, 58, 11-15.; ATANASSOVA, S. THE PRESERVED MINERAL DIVERSITY OF SEDMOCHISLENITSI DEPOSIT, VRATSA ORE REGION.
    China
     
    • Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region
      • Baise Prefecture
        • Leye Co.
    		Lin Niu (1994): Geology and Prospecting 30(3), 1-8
    Italy
     
    • Sardinia
      • Carbonia-Iglesias Province
        • Iglesias
          • Punta della Torre
    		Orlandi, P. & Campostrini, I. (2005): Zibaldone. Aggiornamenti di mineralogia italiana 2004. Rivista Mineralogica Italiana, 3/2005, 184-191.
    Mexico
     
    • Sonora
    		Handbook of Mineralogy
      • Cerro Morita
    		Handbook of Mineralogy
    USA
     
    • Nevada
      • Nye Co.
        • Toquima Range
    		NBMG Spec. Pub. 31 Minerals of Nevada
    Mineral and/or Locality  
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