Sulfosalt minerals are sulfide minerals with the general formula Am n p , where
A represents a metal such as copper , lead , silver , iron , and rarely mercury , zinc , vanadium
B usually represents semi-metal such as arsenic , antimony , bismuth , and rarely germanium , or metals like tin and rarely vanadium
X is sulfur or rarely selenium and/or tellurium .[1] Structure of proustite Ag3 AsS3 , a classic sulfosalt, which can be viewed as the Ag+ salt of AsS3− 3 . Sulfosalts characteristically feature A–S–B linkages, where A and B are different metals or metalloids. The Strunz classification includes the sulfosalts in a sulfides and sulfosalts superclass.[1] sulfarsenides (for example cobaltite (Co,Fe)AsS). In sulfarsenides the arsenic substitutes for sulfide anions whereas in the sulfosalts the arsenic substitutes for a metal cation .[2]
About 200 sulfosalt minerals are known. Examples include:[3]
As illustrated by this specimen of
proustite , sulfosalt minerals are often deeply colored.
A3 BX3 type
A3 BX4 type
A2 BX3 type
ABX2 type
A2 B2 X5 type
Ramdohrite Ag3 Pb6 Sb11 S24 Jamesonite Pb4 FeSb6 S14 Cosalite Pb2 Bi2 S5 A2 B3 X6 type
Andorite PbAgSb3 S6 Lindstromite Pb3 Cu3 Bi7 S15 AB2 X4 type
IMA -CNMNC proposes a new hierarchical scheme (Mills et al., 2009). This list uses the Classification of Nickel–Strunz (mindat.org , 10 ed, pending publication).
Abbreviations:
"*" – discredited (IMA/CNMNC status).
"?" – questionable/doubtful (IMA/CNMNC status).
"REE" – Rare-earth element (Sc, Y, La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Pm, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, Lu)
"PGE" – Platinum-group element (Ru, Rh, Pd, Os, Ir, Pt)
03.C Aluminofluorides, 06 Borates, 08 Vanadates (04.H V[5,6] Vanadates), 09 Silicates:
Neso: insular (from Greek νῆσος nēsos , island)
Soro: grouping (from Greek σωρός sōros , heap, mound (especially of corn))
Cyclo: ring (from Greek κύκλος kyklos , wheel, ring, round)
Ino: chain (from Greek ἴς [genitive: ἰνός inos ], fibre)
Phyllo: sheet (from Greek φύλλον phyllon , leaf)
Tekto: three-dimensional framework (from Greek stem τεκτ- tekt- in words having to do with carpentry)
Nickel–Strunz code scheme: NN.XY.##x
NN: Nickel–Strunz mineral class number
X: Nickel–Strunz mineral division letter
Y: Nickel–Strunz mineral family letter
## x: Nickel–Strunz mineral/group number, x add-on letter Class: sulfosalts
02.G Sulfarsenites, sulfantimonites, sulfobismuthites
02.G: IMA2007-010
02.GA Neso-sulfarsenites, etc., without additional S: 05 Proustite , 05 Pyrargyrite ; 10 Xanthoconite , 10 Pyrostilpnite ; 15 Samsonite ; 20 Wittichenite , 20 Skinnerite , 25 Malyshevite , 25 Lisiguangite , 25 Muckeite , 25 Lapieite ; 30 Aktashite , 30 Nowackiite , 30 Gruzdevite ; 35 Laffittite ; 40 Stalderite , 40 Routhierite ; 45 Erniggliite ; 50 Seligmannite , 50 Soucekite , 50 Bournonite
02.GB Neso-sulfarsenites, etc.: 05 Argentotennantite , 05 Giraudite , 05 Goldfieldite , 05 Freibergite , 05 Hakite , 05 Tennantite , 05 Tetrahedrite ; 10 Selenostephanite , 10 Stephanite ; 15 Cupropearceite , 15 Selenopolybasite , 15 Cupropolybasite , 15 Polybasite , 15 Pearceite , 15 Antimonpearceite , 15 Arsenpolybasite , 20 Galkhaite
02.GC Poly-sulfarsenites: 05 Hatchite , 05 Wallisite ; 10 Sinnerite , 15 Watanabeite , 20 Simonite , 25 Qratite , 30 Smithite , 35 Trechmannite , 40a Aleksite , 40b Kochkarite , 40c Rucklidgeite , 40c Poubaite , 40d Saddlebackite , 40e Babkinite ; 45 Tvalchrelidzeite , 50 Mutnovskite
02.H Sulfosalts of SnS Archetype
02.HA With Cu, Ag, Fe (without Pb): 05 Emplectite , 05 Chalcostibite ; 10 Miargyrite , 15 Livingstonite ; 20 Berthierite , 20 Clerite , 20 Garavellite ; 25 Baumstarkite , 25 Aramayoite
02.HB With Cu, Ag, Hg, Fe, Sn and Pb: 05a Krupkaite , 05a Aikinite , 05a Hammarite , 05a Gladite , 05a Friedrichite , 05a Lindstromite , 05a Pekoite , 05a Paarite , 05a Emilite , 05a Salzburgite , 05b Meneghinite , 05c Jaskolskiite ; 10a Kobellite , 10a Tintinaite , 10b Giessenite , 10b Izoklakeite , 10c Eclarite ; 15 Jamesonite , 15 Benavidesite ; 20a Nagyagite , 20b Buckhornite , 20c Museumite , 20d Berryite , 20e Watkinsonite
02.HC With only Pb: 05a Sartorite , 05a Twinnite , 05a Guettardite , 05b Baumhauerite , 05b Baumhauerite-2a, 05c Liveingite , 05d Dufrenoysite , 05d Veenite , 05d Rathite , 05e Chabourneite , 05f Pierrotite , 05f Parapierrotite , 05g Marumoite ; 10a Fuloppite , 10b Bismutoplagionite *, 10b Plagionite , 10c Heteromorphite , 10d Semseyite , 10d Rayite ; 15 Boulangerite , 15 Falkmanite , 15 Plumosite *; 20 Robinsonite , 25 Moeloite , 30 Dadsonite , 35 Zoubekite , 35 Owyheeite
02.HD With Tl: 05 Lorandite , 05 Weissbergite ; 15 Christite , 20 Jankovicite , 25 Rebulite , 30 Imhofite , 35 Edenharterite , 40 Jentschite , 45 Hutchinsonite , 50 Bernardite , 55 Sicherite , 60 Gabrielite
02.HE With alkalies, H2 O : 05 Gerstleyite
02.HF With SnS and PbS archetype structure units: 20 Vrbaite ; 25a Abramovite , 25a Levyclaudite , 25a Cylindrite , 25b Coiraite , 25b Incaite , 25b Potosiite , 25b Franckeite ; 30 Lengenbachite
02.J Sulfosalts of PbS Archetype
02.JA Galena derivatives with little or no Pb: 05a IMA2005-036, 05a IMA2008-058, 05a Cupropavonite , 05a Pavonite , 05b Grumiplucite , 05c Kudriavite , 05d Cupromakovickyite , 05d Makovickyite , 05e Benjaminite , 05f Mummeite , 05g Borodaevite , 05h Mozgovaite ; 10a Cuprobismutite , 10b Kupcikite , 10c Hodrushite , 10d Pizgrischite , 10e Paderaite ; 15 Cuboargyrite , 15 Schapbachite ; 20 Bohdanowiczite , 20 Matildite , 20 Volynskite
02.JB Galena derivatives, with Pb: 05 Diaphorite , 10 Cosalite ; 15 Marrite , 15 Freieslebenite ; 20 Cannizzarite , 20 Wittite ; 25a Junoite , 25b Felbertalite , 25c Nordstromite , 25d Proudite , 25g Nuffieldite , 25i IMA2008-053, 25i Neyite , 25j Rouxelite ; 30a Jordanite , 30a Geocronite , 30b Kirkiite , 30c Tsugaruite ; 35a Zinkenite , 35b Scainiite , 35c Pillaite , 35d Pellouxite ; 40a Bursaite ?, 40a Gustavite , 40a Lillianite , 40a Xilingolite , 40a Treasurite , 40a Vikingite , 40a Fizelyite , 40a Andorite , 40a Roshchinite , 40a Uchucchacuaite , 40a Ramdohrite , 40b Aschamalmite , 40b Eskimoite , 40b Heyrovskyite , 40c Ourayite , 40d Schirmerite , 40e Ustarasite ; 45 Angelaite , 45 Galenobismutite , 45 Weibullite ; 55 Gratonite , 60 Marrucciite , 65 Vurroite
02.JC Galena derivatives, with Tl: 05 Ellisite , 10 Gillulyite
02.K Sulfarsenates, Sulfantimonates
02.KA Sulfarsenates with (As,Sb)S4 tetrahedra: 05 Enargite , 05 Stibioenargite *, 05 Petrukite ; 10 Briartite , 10 Famatinite , 10 Luzonite , 10 Permingeatite , 10 Barquillite ; 15 Fangite
02.KB Sulfarsenates with additional S: 05 Billingsleyite
02.L Unclassified Sulfosalts
02.LA Without essential Pb: 10 Dervillite , 15 Daomanite *, 20 Vaughanite , 25 Criddleite , 30 Fettelite , 35 Chameanite , 40 Arcubisite , 45 Mgriite , 50 Benleonardite , 55 Tsnigriite , 60 Borovskite , 65 Jonassonite
02.LB With essential Pb: 05 Miharaite , 20 Ardaite , 30 Madocite , 35 Larosite ; 40 Petrovicite , 40 Mazzettiite ; 45 Crerarite , 50 Launayite , 55 Playfairite , 60 Sorbyite , 65 Sterryite
02.M
02.MA Oxysulfosalts of Alkalies and Alkali Earths: 05 Ottensite , 05 Cetineite ; 10 Sarabauite
02.X Unclassified Strunz Sulfosalts
02.XX Unknown: 00 Tazieffite , 00 Horobetsuite *, 00 Kitaibelite ?, 00 Parajamesonite ?, 00 Sakharovaite ?, 00 Volfsonite *
Many sulfosalts can be prepared in the laboratory, including many that do not occur in nature.[4] [ which? ]
Klein, Cornelis and Cornelius S. Hurlbut (1985). Manual of Mineralogy , 20th ed., John Wiley and Sons, New York ISBN 0-471-80580-7 . Palache, C., H. Berman, and C. Frondel (1944). Dana’s System of Mineralogy, (7th edition), v. I, pp. 348–350
Sheldrick, William S.; Wachhold, Michael "Chalcogenidometalates of the heavier Group 14 and 15 elements" Coordination Chemistry Reviews 1998, vol. 176, 211–322. doi : 10.1016/S0010-8545(98)00120-9
Mozgova N.N. (2000). Sulfosalt mineralogy today . In: Modern Approaches to Ore and Environmental Mineralogy , MSF Mini-Symposium Espoo Finland, June 11–17, 2000, https://web.archive.org/web/20050907172937/http://www.igem.ru/igem/mine/sulfosalts.htm Retrieved July 22, 2005.
Moëlo, Yves ; Makovicky, Emil; Mozgova, Nadejda N.; Jambor, John L.; Cook, Nigel; Pring, Allan; Paar, Werner; Nickel, Ernest H. ; et al. (2008). "Sulfosalt systematics: a review. Report of the sulfosalt sub-committee of the IMA Commission on Ore Mineralogy" (PDF) . European Journal of Mineralogy . 20 (1): 7. doi :10.1127/0935-1221/2008/0020-1778 .Stuart J. Mills; Frédéric Hatert; Ernest H. Nickel & Giovanni Ferraris (2009). "The standardisation of mineral group hierarchies: application to recent nomenclature proposals" (PDF) . Eur. J. Mineral . 21 (5): 1073–1080. doi :10.1127/0935-1221/2009/0021-1994 . Ernest H. Nickel & Monte C. Nichols (March 2009). "IMA-CNMNC List of Mineral Names" (PDF) . IMA-CNMNC. Ferraiolo, Jim. "Nickel–Strunz (Version 10) Classification System" . webmineral.com. 
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