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Pyrargyrite Mineral Data

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General Pyrargyrite Information

Help on Chemical  Formula: Chemical Formula: Ag3SbS3
Help on Composition: Composition: Molecular Weight = 541.55 gm
   Silver    59.75 %  Ag
   Antimony  22.48 %  Sb
   Sulfur    17.76 %  S
            ______ 
            100.00 % 
Help on Empirical Formula: Empirical Formula: Ag3SbS3
Help on Environment: Environment: Primary late-stage, low temperature minearal and formed by secondary enrichment.
Help on IMA Status: IMA Status: Valid Species (Pre-IMA) 1831
Help on Locality: Locality: Fresnillo, Zacatecas, and Guanajuato, Mexico and other silver districts in the world. Link to MinDat.org Location Data.
Help on Name Origin: Name Origin: From the Greek, pyr and argyros, "fire-silver" in allusion to color and silver content.
Help on Name Pronunciation: Name Pronunciation: Pyrargyrite + Pronunciation Say PYRARGYRITE
Help on Synonym: Synonym: Dark Red Silver Ore
  ICSD 38389
  PDF 21-1173
  Ruby Silver Ore
 

Pyrargyrite Image

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  Pyrargyrite

Comments: Pyrargyrite with quartz.
Location: Fresnillo, Zacatecas, Mexico. Scale: 3 x 2.5 cm.
© Fabre Minerals

Pyrargyrite Crystallography

Help on Axial Ratios: Axial Ratios: a:c = 1:0.78926
Help on Cell Dimensions: Cell Dimensions: a = 11.047, c = 8.719, Z = 6; V = 921.48 Den(Calc)= 5.86
Help on Crystal System: Crystal System: Trigonal - Ditrigonal Pyramidal H-M Symbol (3m) Space Group: R 3c
Help on X Ray Diffraction: X Ray Diffraction: By Intensity(I/Io): 2.779(1), 2.566(0.9), 3.22(0.9),
Help on Forms: Forms:

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Drag1 - Manipulate Crystal
Drag2 - Resize

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I - Indicies
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Help on Above

Forms: ( 1 1 0) ( 1 0 2) ( 0 1 2)

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Physical Properties of Pyrargyrite

Help on Cleavage: Cleavage: {1011} Poor
Help on Color: Color: Deep red, Red gray.
Help on Density: Density: 5.85
Help on Diaphaneity: Diaphaneity: Opaque to translucent
Help on Fracture: Fracture: Brittle - Conchoidal - Very brittle fracture producing small, conchoidal fragments.
Help on Habit: Habit: Crystalline - Poor - Occurs primarily as crudely formed crystals.
Help on Habit: Habit: Massive - Uniformly indistinguishable crystals forming large masses.
Help on Habit: Habit: Prismatic - Crystals Shaped like Slender Prisms (e.g. tourmaline).
Help on Hardness: Hardness: 2.5 - Finger Nail
Help on Luminescence: Luminescence: Non-fluorescent.
Help on Luster: Luster: Sub Metallic
Help on Streak: Streak: cherry red
 

Optical Properties of Pyrargyrite

Help on Dichroism (e): Dichroism (e): dark red.
Help on Dichroism (w): Dichroism (w): darker red.
Help on Optical Data: Optical Data: Uniaxial (-), e=2.881, w=3.084, bire=0.2030.
Help on RL Anisotrophism: RL Anisotrophism: Strong, in yellow-white and gray-blue.
Help on Reflectivity Reflectivity
Standardized Intensity (100%) Reflection Spectra of Pyrargyrite in Air
λ R1 R2  ∑ R1(λ)   ∑ R2(λ) 
 400 nm   35.00   41.00 
   
 420 nm   34.80   40.80 
 440 nm   34.60   40.60 
 460 nm   34.00   40.20 
 480 nm   32.80   39.50 
 500 nm   31.00   37.40 
 520 nm   29.60   35.40 
 540 nm   28.20   34.00 
 560 nm   27.20   32.70 
 580 nm   26.40   31.70 
 600 nm   25.60   30.90 
 620 nm   25.00   30.20 
 640 nm   24.40   29.60 
 660 nm   23.80   29.00 
 680 nm   23.40   28.50 
 700 nm   22.90   28.10 
Calculated Relative Intensity Colors of Pyrargyrite in Air
Relative
Intensity
   0%   40%   80% 100% 120% 160% 200% 240% 280% 320% 340%
R1                      
R2                      
 

Calculated Properties of Pyrargyrite

Help on Electron Density: Electron Density: Bulk Density (Electron Density)=5.19 gm/cc
note: Specific Gravity of Pyrargyrite =5.86 gm/cc.
Help on Fermion Index: Fermion Index: Fermion Index = 0.0013322529
Boson Index = 0.9986677471
Help on Photoelectric: Photoelectric: PEPyrargyrite = 229.29 barns/electron
U=PEPyrargyrite x rElectron Density=1,190.91 barns/cc.
Help on Radioactivity: Radioactivity: GRapi = 0 (Gamma Ray American Petroleum Institute Units)
Pyrargyrite is Not Radioactive
 

Pyrargyrite Classification

Help on  Dana Class: Dana Class: 03.04.01.02 (03)Sulfides - Sulfosalts
  (03.04)where z/y > 3 - (A+)i (A++)j [By Cz], A=metals, B=semi-metals, C=non-metals
  (03.04.01)Proustite Group (Ruby Silver)
 
03.04.01.01 Proustite Ag3AsS3 R 3c 3 2/m
 
03.04.01.02 Pyrargyrite Ag3SbS3 R 3c 3m
Help on  Strunz Class: Strunz Class: 02.GA.05 02 - SULFIDES and SULFOSALTS (sulfides, selenides, tellurides; arsenides, antimonides, bismuthides; sulfarsenites, sulf
  02.G - Sulfarsenites, sulfantimonites, sulfbismuthites
  02.GA -Neso-sulfarsenites, etc., without additional S
 
02.GA.05 Proustite Ag3AsS3 R 3c 3 2/m
 
02.GA.05 Pyrargyrite Ag3SbS3 R 3c 3m
 

Other Pyrargyrite Information

Help on References: References: NAME( ODonoghue90) PHYS. PROP.(Enc. of Minerals,2nd ed.,1990) OPTIC PROP.(AntBidBlaNic1)
Help on See Also: See Also: Links to other databases for Pyrargyrite :
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 - WWW-MINCRYST

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Pyrargyrite

Ag3SbS3
Dana No: 03.04.01.02 Strunz No: 02.GA.05
Locality:

 

Notes:

 

 
   
 


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