Altaite Mineral Data

Altaite Mineral Data +

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General Altaite Information

Chemical Formula:

PbTe

Composition:

Molecular Weight = 334.80 gm

Tellurium 38.11 % Te

Lead 61.89 % Pb

______

100.00 %

Empirical Formula:

PbTe

Environment:

Hydrothermal vein gold deposits.

IMA Status:

Valid Species (Pre-IMA) 1845

Locality:

Ziryanovsk in the Altai Mountains, Siberia. Link to MinDat.org Location Data.

Name Origin:

Named after its locality.

Synonym:

ICSD 38295

PDF 38-1435

Altaite Image

Images:

Altaite

Comments: Bronze yellow metallic altaite crystals.
Location: Sonora, Tuolumne County, California, USA. Scale: Size Not Given.
© Lou Perloff / Photo Atlas of Minerals

Images:

Altaite Mattagamite Tellurantimony

Comments: Silvery metallic intergrowths of mattagamite with tellurantimony and altaite.
Location: Mattagami Lake Mine, Quebec, Canada. Scale: See Photo.
© Jeff Weissman / Photographic Guide to Mineral Species

Images:

Altaite Maslovite Froodite

Comments: Reflected light photomicrograph of maslovite (M), froodite (F), and altaite (A), in chalcopyrite matrix.
Location: Oktyabr'skoye Mine, Norilsk, Krasnoyarsk Territory, Siberia, Russia. Scale: See Photo.
© Jeff Weissman / Photographic Guide to Mineral Species

Altaite Crystallography

Cell Dimensions:

a = 6.452, Z = 4; V = 268.59 Den(Calc)= 8.28

Crystal System:

Isometric - HexoctahedralH-M Symbol (4/m 3 2/m) Space Group: F m3m

$Help on X Ray Diffraction:$ X Ray Diffraction:

By Intensity(I/I_o): 3.23(1), 2.28(0.8), 1.442(0.5),

Crystal Structure:

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drag1 - LMB Manipulate Structure
drag2 - RMB Resize/Rotate
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Ramsdell L S , American Mineralogist , 10 (1925) p.281-304, The crystal structures of some metallic sulfides

View Additional jPOWD Structure files for Altaite
[1]

Physical Properties of Altaite

Cleavage:

[001] Perfect, [010] Perfect, [100] Perfect

Color:

Tin white, Yellowish tin white, Bronze yellow.

Density:

8.1 - 8.2, Average = 8.14

Diaphaniety:

Opaque

Fracture:

Brittle - Generally displayed by glasses and most non-metallic minerals.

Habit:

Euhedral Crystals - Occurs as well-formed crystals showing good external form.

Habit:

Massive - Granular - Common texture observed in granite and other igneous rock.

Hardness:

2.5 - Finger Nail

Luminescence:

None.

Luster:

Metallic

Magnetism:

Nonmagnetic

Streak:

black

Optical Properties of Altaite

RL Color:

White with a delicate greenish hue.

Reflectivity

**Standardized Intensity (100%) Reflection Spectra of Altaite in Air**
λ	R	∑ R(λ)
400 nm	65.10
420 nm	66.40
440 nm	67.70
460 nm	68.80
480 nm	69.60
500 nm	70.00
520 nm	70.00
540 nm	69.70
560 nm	68.80
580 nm	67.50
600 nm	66.00
620 nm	64.60
640 nm	63.30
660 nm	62.00
680 nm	61.00
700 nm	60.20

**Calculated Relative Intensity Colors of Altaite in Air**
Relative Intensity	0%	20%	40%	60%	80%	100%	120%	140%
R

Calculated Properties of Altaite

Electron Density:

r_electron=6.63 gm/cc
note: r_Altaite=8.28 gm/cc.

Fermion Index

Fermion Index = 0.16722
Boson Index = 0.83278

Photoelectric:

PE_Altaite=1,332.84 barns/electron
U=PE_Altaite x r_electron=8,833.98 barns/cc.

Radioactivity:

GRapi = 0 (Gamma Ray American Petroleum Institute Units)

Altaite is Not Radioactive

Altaite Classification

Dana Class:

2.8.1.3 (2)Sulfides - Including Selenides and Tellurides

(2.8)where Am Bn Xp, with (m+n):p=1:1

(2.8.1)Galena Group (Isometric: Fm3m)

2.8.1.1 Galena PbS F m3m 4/m 3 2/m

2.8.1.2 Clausthalite PbSe F m3m 4/m 3 2/m

2.8.1.3 Altaite PbTe F m3m 4/m 3 2/m

2.8.1.4 Alabandite MnS F m3m 4/m 3 2/m

2.8.1.5 Oldhamite (Ca,Mg,Fe)S F m3m 4/m 3 2/m

2.8.1.6 Niningerite (Mg,Fe,Mn)S F m3m 4/m 3 2/m

2.8.1.7 Borovskite Pd3SbTe4 F m3m 4/m 3 2/m

2.8.1.8 Crerarite (Pt,Pb)Bi3(S,Se)4-x(x~0.7) F m3m 4/m 3 2/m

2.8.1.9 Keilite! (Fe,Mg)S F m3m 4/m 3 2/m

Strunz Class:

II/C.15-60 II - Sulfides and sulphosalts

II/C - Sulfides with metal: sulfur, selenium and tellurium = 1:1

II/C.15 - Galenite group

II/C.15-05 Keilite! (Fe,Mg)S F m3m 4/m 3 2/m

II/C.15-10 Niningerite (Mg,Fe,Mn)S F m3m 4/m 3 2/m

II/C.15-20 Oldhamite (Ca,Mg,Fe)S F m3m 4/m 3 2/m

II/C.15-30 Alabandite MnS F m3m 4/m 3 2/m

II/C.15-40 Galena PbS F m3m 4/m 3 2/m

II/C.15-50 Clausthalite PbSe F m3m 4/m 3 2/m

II/C.15-60 Altaite PbTe F m3m 4/m 3 2/m

II/C.15-70 Crerarite (Pt,Pb)Bi3(S,Se)4-x(x~0.7) F m3m 4/m 3 2/m

Other Altaite Information

References:

NAME( Ford32) PHYS. PROP.(Enc. of Minerals,2nd ed.,1990) OPTIC PROP.(AntBidBlaNic1)

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Altaite

PbTe
Dana No: 2.8.1.3 Strunz No: II/C.15-60
Locality:

Notes: