Contribution

Mineralogical data on cylindrite and incaite

Makovicky, Emil

Abstract

The group of cylindrite minerals consists of cylindrite, incaite (a new mineral) and Sn-rich as well as Pb-rich lamellar phases. These complex sulfides of Pb (Ag), Sn, Sb and Fe are composed of two types of incommensurable alternating layers: pseudotetragonal MeS (Me = Pb, Sn, Ag, Fe) and pseudohexagonal MeS2 (Me = Sn), both of them corrugated by steps, containing Sb and Fe. The two sets of layers have lattices of their own, each with a pronounced sublattice (a pseudotetragonal A-centered subcell with b = 5.8 Å, c = 5.8 Å and an orthohexagonal A-centered subcell with b = 3.7 Å, c = 6.3 Å). The α-axes of the two incommensurable sublattices represent the thickness of a pair composed of one pseudohexagonal and one pseudotetragonal structural layer and are common to both components. The chemical formula of cylindrite is Pb267.5Ag4.5Sn354Sb154 Fe74S1214, with a layer-pair thickness (the α-dimension) of 11.7 Å; that of incaite is Pb331Ag33Sn368.5Sb202Fe79S1344, with a layer-pair thickness of 17.3 Å. Incaite forms oriented replacement bodies in cylindrite from Poopó, Bolivia. The optical properties and X-ray crystallography of incaite are described and compared to those of cylindrite.

Mots-clefs

Cylindrite • incaite • new mineral data • crystal chemistry