Potosiite Mineral Data

[Content and History] [Recent Issues] [Back Issues] [Subscriptions] [Contacts]
See Also: [Diamond Crystals] [Excalibur Minerals] [Hudson Institute] [Minerals on CDROM]
Mineral News was founded some twenty years ago and has developed a following of
avid mineral collectors seeking timely information about new finds and other items
of interest to the collector community. Articles are solicited from collector and scientific authors.

General Potosiite Information

Chemical Formula:

Pb6Sn2FeSb2S14

Composition:

Molecular Weight = 2,228.89 gm

Iron 2.51 % Fe

Tin 10.65 % Sn

Antimony 10.92 % Sb

Lead 55.78 % Pb

Sulfur 20.14 % S

______

100.00 %

Empirical Formula:

Pb₆Sn₂Fe²⁺Sb₂S₁₄

Environment:

On layered sulfide ore in a complex xenothermal-type hodrothermal tin deposit associated with subvolcanic granitic intrusives.

IMA Status:

Approved IMA 1981

Locality:

Andacaba deposit, Potosi, Bolivia. Link to MinDat.org Location Data.

Name Origin:

Named for its locality.

Name Pronunciation:

Potosiite + Pronunciation

Potosiite Image

Images:

Potosiite Franckeite

Comments: Visually indistinguishable metallic potosiite/franckeite crystals to 6 mm..
Location: San Jose mine, Oruro City, Oruro Department, Bolivia. Scale: Crystal size 6 mm.
© Rob Lavinsky

Potosiite Crystallography

Axial Ratios:

a:b:c =0.9961:1:2.9285

Cell Dimensions:

a = 5.915, b = 5.938, c = 17.39, Z = 1; alpha = 91.63°, beta = 91.02°, gamma = 90.84° V = 610.38 Den(Calc)= 6.06

Crystal System:

Triclinic - PinacoidalH-M Symbol ( 1) Space Group: P 1 ?

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

By Intensity(I/I_o): 2.88(1), 2.94(1), 3.45(0.9),4.32(0.9), 1.92(0.1), 2.07(0.1), 2.16(0.1), 5.76(0.1),

Physical Properties of Potosiite

Cleavage:

{001} Perfect, {010} Good

Color:

White.

Density:

6.2

Diaphaneity:

Opaque

Habit:

Aggregates - Made of numerous individual crystals or clusters.

Habit:

Microscopic Crystals - Crystals visible only with microscopes.

Habit:

Pseudo Hexagonal - Crystals show a hexagonal outline.

Hardness:

2.5 - Finger Nail

Luster:

Metallic

Optical Properties of Potosiite

Optical Data:

NCalc= 1.64 - from Gladstone-Dale relationship (KC = 0.1053) where Ncalc=Dcalc*KC+1
NCalc= 1.65 - from Gladstone-Dale relationship (KC = 0.1053) where Ncalc=Dmeas*KC+1

RL Anisotrophism:

Moderate, bluish gray to grayish pale yellow.

RL Color:

White.

RL Pleochroism:

Faint, from bluish gray to yellowish gray.

Reflectivity

**Standardized Intensity (100%) Reflection Spectra of Potosiite in Air**
λ	R₁	R₂	∑ R₁(λ)	∑ R₂(λ)
486 nm	36.20	36.90
551 nm	34.90	35.35
589 nm	34.40	35.10
656 nm	33.90	34.50

**Calculated Relative Intensity Colors of Potosiite in Air**
Relative Intensity	0%	30%	60%	90%	100%	120%	150%	180%	210%	240%	260%
R₁
R₂

Calculated Properties of Potosiite

Electron Density:

Bulk Density (Electron Density)=5.13 gm/cc
note: Specific Gravity of Potosiite =6.06 gm/cc.

Fermion Index:

Fermion Index = 0.14
Boson Index = 0.86

Photoelectric:

PE_Potosiite=1,085.46 barns/electron
U=PE_Potosiite x rElectron Density=5,571.87 barns/cc.

Radioactivity:

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

Potosiite Classification

Dana Class:

03.01.04.04 (03)Sulfides - Sulfosalts

(03.01)where z/y > 4 - (A+)i (A++)j [By Cz], A=metals, B=semi-metals, C=non-metals

(03.01.04)Cylindrite Group

03.01.04.01 Cylindrite Pb3Sn4FeSb2S14 P1 1

03.01.04.02 Franckeite (Pb,Sn)6FeSn2Sb2S14 P1 1

03.01.04.03 Incaite Pb4Sn4FeSb2S15 P1 ? 1

03.01.04.04 Potosiite Pb6Sn2FeSb2S14 P 1 ? 1

03.01.04.05 Abramovite! Pb2SnInBiS7 P1 1

03.01.04.06 Coiraite! (Pb,Sn)12.5As3Sn5FeS28 Unk Mono

Strunz Class:

02.HF.25b 02 - SULFIDES and SULFOSALTS (sulfides, selenides, tellurides; arsenides, antimonides, bismuthides; sulfarsenites, sulf

02.H - Sulfosalts of SnS Archetype

02.HF -With SnS and PbS archetype structure units

02.HF.25b Franckeite (Pb,Sn)6FeSn2Sb2S14 P1 1

02.HF.25b Incaite Pb4Sn4FeSb2S15 P1 ? 1

02.HF.25b Potosiite Pb6Sn2FeSb2S14 P 1 ? 1

02.HF.25b Coiraite! (Pb,Sn)12.5As3Sn5FeS28 Unk Mono

Other Potosiite Information

References:

NAME( Dana8) PHYS. PROP.(Dana8) OPTIC PROP.(AntBidBlaNic1)

See Also:

Links to other databases for Potosiite :
1 - Am. Min. Crystal Structure Database
2 - Athena
3 - EUROmin Project
4 - Ecole des Mines de Paris
5 - GeoScienceWorld
6 - Google Images
7 - Google Scholar
8 - Handbook of Mineralogy (MinSocAm)
9 - Handbook of Mineralogy (UofA)
10 - MinDAT
11 - Mineralienatlas (Deutsch)
12 - Online Mineral Museum
13 - QUT Mineral Atlas
14 - Ruff.Info

Search for Potosiite using:

[ALTAVISTA] [AOL] [bing] [GeoScienceWorld] [HotBot] [Ixquick] [MAMMA] [MSN.COM] [Netscape] [Scirus] [Teoma] [Wikipedia] [YAHOO]

Visit our Advertisers for Potosiite :

B & L Fine Minerals

Dan Weinrich Fine Minerals

Dan Weinrich Auctions

John Betts Fine Minerals

Lapis Mineral Journal

Mineral News

UV Tools

Wrights Rock Shop

Translate Potosiite Mineral Data :

Ask about Potosiite here :
Ask-A-Mineralogist from the Mineralogical Society of America
Mindat.org's Discussion Groups
Original Rockhounds Discussion Group
Rockhounds Discussion Group on Yahoo Groups
Mineral Discussion Forum from Fabre Minerals - also available in Español

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

Potosiite

Pb6Sn2FeSb2S14
Dana No: 03.01.04.04 Strunz No: 02.HF.25b
Locality:

Notes: