Berthierite Mineral Data

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General Berthierite Information

Chemical Formula:

FeSb2S4

Composition:

Molecular Weight = 427.61 gm

Iron 13.06 % Fe

Antimony 56.94 % Sb

Sulfur 30.00 % S

______

100.00 %

Empirical Formula:

Fe²⁺Sb₂S₄

Environment:

In low-temperature hydrothermal antimony veins.

IMA Status:

Valid Species (Pre-IMA) 1827

Locality:

Pontgibaud, Puy-de-Dome, France. Link to MinDat.org Location Data.

Name Origin:

Named after the French chemist, P. Berthier (1782-1861).

Name Pronunciation:

Berthierite + Pronunciation

Synonym:

Anglarite

Chazellite

Martourite

Berthierite Image

Images:

Berthierite

Comments: Prismatic crystals of berthierite, tarnished bronze metallic, with stibnite and quartz crystals.
Location: San Martin Mine, Zacatecas, Mexico. Scale: See Photo.
© Jeff Weissman / Photographic Guide to Mineral Species

Berthierite Crystallography

Axial Ratios:

a:b:c =0.8101:1:0.2662

Cell Dimensions:

a = 11.44, b = 14.12, c = 3.76, Z = 4; V = 607.36 Den(Calc)= 4.68

Crystal System:

Orthorhombic - DipyramidalH-M Symbol (2/m 2/m 2/m) Space Group: Pnam

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

By Intensity(I/I_o): 3.68(1), 2.63(0.8), 4.37(0.6),

Crystal Structure:

Mouse
drag1 - LMB Manipulate Structure
drag2 - RMB Resize/Rotate
Keyboard
S - Stereo Pair on/off
H - Help Screen
I - Data Info
A - Atoms On/Off
P - Polyhedra On/Off
B - Bonds On/Off
Help on Above

Buerger M J , American Mineralogist , 21 (1936) p.205-206, The crystal structure of berthierite

View Additional jPOWD Structure files for Berthierite
[1] [2]

Physical Properties of Berthierite

Cleavage:

{010} Good

Color:

Dark steel gray, Dark brownish gray.

Density:

4 - 4.6, Average = 4.3

Diaphaneity:

Opaque

Fracture:

Uneven - Flat surfaces (not cleavage) fractured in an uneven pattern.

Habit:

Acicular - Occurs as needle-like crystals.

Habit:

Fibrous - Crystals made up of fibers.

Habit:

Massive - Uniformly indistinguishable crystals forming large masses.

Hardness:

2-2.5 - Gypsum-Finger Nail

Luminescence:

Non-fluorescent.

Luster:

Metallic

Streak:

brownish gray

Optical Properties of Berthierite

RL Anisotrophism:

Strong.

RL Color:

Gray.

RL Pleochroism:

Marked.

Reflectivity

**Standardized Intensity (100%) Reflection Spectra of Berthierite in Air**
λ	R₁	R₂	∑ R₁(λ)	∑ R₂(λ)
400 nm	33.00	43.00
420 nm	32.40	42.80
440 nm	31.80	42.60
460 nm	31.30	42.30
480 nm	31.00	42.00
500 nm	30.80	41.60
520 nm	30.80	41.20
540 nm	30.90	40.80
560 nm	31.20	40.30
580 nm	31.50	39.80
600 nm	31.70	39.40
620 nm	31.90	39.00
640 nm	32.00	38.70
660 nm	32.00	38.30
680 nm	31.90	38.00
700 nm	31.60	37.60

**Calculated Relative Intensity Colors of Berthierite in Air**
Relative Intensity	0%	30%	60%	90%	100%	120%	150%	180%	210%	240%	270%	290%
R₁
R₂

Calculated Properties of Berthierite

Electron Density:

Bulk Density (Electron Density)=4.20 gm/cc
note: Specific Gravity of Berthierite =4.68 gm/cc.

Fermion Index:

Fermion Index = 0.0050184312
Boson Index = 0.9949815688

Photoelectric:

PE_Berthierite= 192.42 barns/electron
U=PE_Berthierite x rElectron Density= 808.70 barns/cc.

Radioactivity:

GRapi = 0 (Gamma Ray American Petroleum Institute Units)
Berthierite is Not Radioactive

Berthierite Classification

Dana Class:

03.07.09.03 (03)Sulfides - Sulfosalts

(03.07)where z/y = 2 - (A+)i (A++)j [By Cz], A=metals, B=semi-metals, C=non-metals

(03.07.09)Galenobismutite Group

03.07.09.01 Galenobismutite PbBi2S4 Pnam 2/m 2/m 2/m

03.07.09.02 Sakharovaite? (Pb,Fe)(Bi,Sb)2S4 Mono

03.07.09.03 Berthierite FeSb2S4 Pnam 2/m 2/m 2/m

03.07.09.04 Garavellite FeSbBiS4 Pnam 2/m 2/m 2/m

03.07.09.05 Clerite! MnSb2S4 Pnam 2/m 2/m 2/m

Strunz Class:

02.HA.20 02 - SULFIDES and SULFOSALTS (sulfides, selenides, tellurides; arsenides, antimonides, bismuthides; sulfarsenites, sulf

02.H - Sulfosalts of SnS Archetype

02.HA -With Cu, Ag, Fe (without Pb)

02.HA.20 Berthierite FeSb2S4 Pnam 2/m 2/m 2/m

02.HA.20 Clerite! MnSb2S4 Pnam 2/m 2/m 2/m

02.HA.20 Garavellite FeSbBiS4 Pnam 2/m 2/m 2/m

Other Berthierite Information

References:

NAME( Duda&Rejl90) PHYS. PROP.(Enc. of Minerals,2nd ed.,1990) OPTIC PROP.(AntBidBlaNic1)

See Also:

Links to other databases for Berthierite :
1 - Am. Min. Crystal Structure Database
2 - Amethyst Galleries' Mineral Gallery
3 - Athena
4 - EUROmin Project
5 - Ecole des Mines de Paris
6 - Franklin Minerals(Dunn)
7 - Google Images
8 - Google Scholar
9 - Handbook of Mineralogy (MinSocAm)
10 - Handbook of Mineralogy (UofA)
11 - HyperPhysics
12 - MinDAT
13 - MinMax(Deutsch)
14 - MinMax(English)
15 - Mineralienatlas (Deutsch)
16 - QUT Mineral Atlas
17 - Ruff.Info
18 - WWW-MINCRYST

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Print or Cut-and-Paste your Berthierite Specimen Label here :

Berthierite

FeSb2S4
Dana No: 03.07.09.03 Strunz No: 02.HA.20
Locality:

Notes: