The new mineral species richardsollyite, TlPbAsS3, was discovered in the Lengenbach quarry, Imfeld, Binn Valley, Canton Valais, Switzerland, intimately associated with hutchinsonite and baryte. It occurs as grey-black crystals, up to 750 μm, with a metallic lustre. Under the reflected-light microscope, richardsollyite is grey, with bright-red internal reflections; anisotropy is distinct, with greyish-white to bluish rotation tints. Reflectance values for the four COM wavelengths are [Rmin, Rmax (%), (λ)]: 27.9, 29.8 (471.1 nm); 27.8, 31.0 (548.3 nm); 27.3, 30.8 (586.6 nm); and 27.0, 30.5 (652.3 nm). Electron microprobe analysis gave (in wt%): Tl 34.72(51), Pb 35.45(20), As 12.80(14), Sb 0.04(1), S 16.22(13), total 99.24(47). On the basis of 6 atoms per formula unit, the chemical formula is Tl1.001Pb1.008(As1.007Sb0.002)Σ1.009S2.982. The main diffraction lines [d in Å (intensity) hkl] are: 4.23 (80) ; 3.875 (70) ; 3.762 (100) 2 1 0, 1 2 0; 3.278 (70) 1 0 2; 2.931 (70) 0 2 2; 2.714 (70) ; and 2.622 (80) . Richardsollyite is monoclinic, space group P21/c, with a = 8.8925(2), b = 8.4154(2), c = 8.5754(2) Å, β = 108.665(3)°, V = 607.98(3) Å3, Z = 4. The crystal structure was solved and refined to R1 = 0.0242 on the basis of 1590 reflections with Fo > 4σ(Fo). It can be described as formed by (1 0 0) [Pb (AsS3)]− layers sandwiching Tl+ cations, and is isostructural with synthetic ABCX3 (A = K, Rb, Cs; B = Eu, Ba; C = As, Sb; X = S, Se) compounds. The new mineral is named after Richard Harrison Solly (1851–1925) for his outstanding contribution to the knowledge of the Lengenbach mineralogy during the first flourishing period of Lengenbach investigations, at the beginning of the 20th Century.
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Research Article|
August 01, 2017
Richardsollyite, TlPbAsS3, a new sulfosalt from the Lengenbach quarry, Binn Valley, Switzerland
Nicolas Meisser;
1
Musée cantonal de géologie, Université de Lausanne, Anthropole, Dorigny, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland*
Corresponding author, e-mail: nicolas.meisser@unil.ch
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Philippe Roth;
Philippe Roth
2
FGL, Swiss Seismological Service, ETH Zurich, Sonneggstr. 5, 8092 Zurich, Switzerland
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Fabrizio Nestola;
Fabrizio Nestola
3
Dipartimento di Geoscienze, Università di Padova, Via Gradenigo 6, 35131 Padova, Italy
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Cristian Biagioni;
Cristian Biagioni
4
Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra, Università di Pisa, Via S. Maria 53, 56126 Pisa, Italy
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Luca Bindi;
Luca Bindi
5
Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra, Università degli Studi di Firenze, Via G. La Pira 4, 50121 Firenze, Italy
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Martin Robyr
Martin Robyr
6
Institut des sciences de la Terre, Université de Lausanne, Géopolis, Dorigny, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
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European Journal of Mineralogy (2017) 29 (4): 679–688.
Article history
received:
14 Nov 2016
rev-recd:
09 Mar 2017
accepted:
03 Apr 2017
first online:
17 Nov 2017
Citation
Nicolas Meisser, Philippe Roth, Fabrizio Nestola, Cristian Biagioni, Luca Bindi, Martin Robyr; Richardsollyite, TlPbAsS3, a new sulfosalt from the Lengenbach quarry, Binn Valley, Switzerland. European Journal of Mineralogy ; 29 (4): 679–688. doi: https://doi.org/10.1127/ejm/2017/0029-2649
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Index Terms/Descriptors
- arsenic
- Binnental
- bonding
- cell dimensions
- Central Europe
- chemical composition
- crystal structure
- electron probe data
- Europe
- formula
- lead
- metals
- new minerals
- optical properties
- physical properties
- refinement
- reflectance
- sulfosalts
- Switzerland
- thallium
- Valais Switzerland
- valency
- X-ray diffraction data
- Lengenbach Quarry
- richardsollyite
Latitude & Longitude