Boulangerite Mineral Data

General Boulangerite Information

Chemical Formula:

Pb5Sb4S11

Composition:

Molecular Weight = 1,887.90 gm

Antimony 26.44 % Sb

Lead 54.88 % Pb

Sulfur 18.68 % S

______

100.00 %

Empirical Formula:

Pb₅Sb_4.1S₁₁

Environment:

Low to moderate temperature hydrothermal veins.

IMA Status:

Valid Species (Pre-IMA) 1837

Locality:

Moli�res, Gard, Languedoc-Roussillon, France Link to MinDat.org Location Data.

Name Origin:

Named after the French mining engineer, C. L. Boulanger (1810-1849). Later name from an occurrence near Mullan, Idaho.

Name Pronunciation:

Boulangerite + Pronunciation

Synonym:

Mullanite

Boulangerite Image

Images:

Boulangerite

Comments: Specimen of sulfide rich matrix with a surface coated with hair-like crystals of boulangerite.
Location: Noche Buena Mine, Zacatecas, Mexico. Scale: 9 x 6.5 cm.
© John Veevaert

Boulangerite Crystallography

Axial Ratios:

a:b:c =1.5315:1:0.2126

Cell Dimensions:

a = 32.443, b = 21.183, c = 4.505, Z = 6; V = 3,096.02 Den(Calc)= 6.08

Crystal System:

Orthorhombic Space Group: Unk

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

By Intensity(I/I_o): 3.731(1), 3.218(0.45), 3.025(0.4),

Forms:

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Forms: ( 1 3 0) ( 0 1 0) ( 0 3 1) ( 1 0 0) ( 1 1 0)

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Physical Properties of Boulangerite

Cleavage:

{001} Indistinct, {010} Indistinct

Color:

Lead gray, Blue gray, Gray.

Density:

5.7 - 6.3, Average = 6

Diaphaneity:

Opaque

Fracture:

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

Habit:

Acicular - Occurs as needle-like crystals.

Habit:

Massive - Fibrous - Distinctly fibrous fine-grained forms.

Habit:

Plumose - "Mica-like" minerals forming aggregates of plume-like forms.

Hardness:

2.5 - Finger Nail

Luminescence:

Non-fluorescent.

Luster:

Metallic

Magnetism:

Nonmagnetic

Streak:

reddish brown

Optical Properties of Boulangerite

RL Anisotrophism:

Distinct.

RL Pleochroism:

Weak.

Reflectivity

**Standardized Intensity (100%) Reflection Spectra of Boulangerite in Air**
λ	R₁	R₂	∑ R₁(λ)	∑ R₂(λ)
400 nm	41.20	42.80
420 nm	40.30	42.40
440 nm	39.40	42.00
460 nm	39.20	41.90
480 nm	38.50	40.40
500 nm	37.40	39.30
520 nm	37.90	40.10
540 nm	38.00	40.30
560 nm	37.80	40.20
580 nm	37.40	39.90
600 nm	37.10	39.60
620 nm	36.90	39.50
640 nm	36.60	39.10
660 nm	36.10	38.60
680 nm	35.50	37.90
700 nm	35.00	37.10

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

Calculated Properties of Boulangerite

Electron Density:

Bulk Density (Electron Density)=5.12 gm/cc
note: Specific Gravity of Boulangerite =6.08 gm/cc.

Fermion Index:

Fermion Index = 0.12
Boson Index = 0.88

Photoelectric:

PE_Boulangerite=1,093.55 barns/electron
U=PE_Boulangerite x rElectron Density=5,600.36 barns/cc.

Radioactivity:

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

Boulangerite Classification

Dana Class:

03.05.02.01 (03)Sulfides - Sulfosalts

(03.05)where 2.5 < z/y < 3 - (A+)i (A++)j [By Cz], A=metals, B=semi-metals, C=non-metals

(03.05.02)Dana Group

03.05.02.01 Boulangerite Pb5Sb4S11 Unk Ortho

03.05.02.02 Falkmanite Pb5Sb4S11 Mono

Strunz Class:

02.HC.15 02 - SULFIDES and SULFOSALTS (sulfides, selenides, tellurides; arsenides, antimonides, bismuthides; sulfarsenites, sulf

02.H - Sulfosalts of SnS Archetype

02.HC -With only Pb

02.HC.15 Boulangerite Pb5Sb4S11 Unk Ortho

02.HC.15 Falkmanite Pb5Sb4S11 Mono

02.HC.15 Plumosite* Pb2Sb2S5 Mono

Other Boulangerite Information

References:

NAME( Ford32) PHYS. PROP.(EurJMin, v 13, p 411) OPTIC PROP.(AntBidBlaNic1)

See Also:

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

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

Boulangerite

Pb5Sb4S11
Dana No: 03.05.02.01 Strunz No: 02.HC.15
Locality:

Notes:

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