Pokhodyashinite, CuTlSb2(Sb1-xTlx)AsS7-x, a new thallium sulfosalt from the Vorontsovskoe gold deposit, Northern Urals, Russia

Abstract

Pokhodyashinite CuTlSb 2 (Sb 1– x Tl x )AsS 7– x , is a new sulfosalt from the Vorontsovskoe gold deposit, Sverdlovsk Oblast’, Northern Urals, Russia. It forms anhedral grains up to 0.1 × 0.05 mm in size in calcite and is associated with major orpi-ment, pyrite, realgar and minor baryte, clinochlore, As-bearing fluorapatite, harmotome, prehnite, native gold and a rich spectrum of sulfosalts. Pokhodyashinite is black, opaque, and has a metallic luster and a black streak. It is brittle, with an uneven fracture and poor cleavage on {100}. The Vickers hardness (VHN, 20 g load) is 55 kg/mm 2 , corresponding to a Mohs hardness of 2. The calculated density is 5.169 g/cm 3 . In reflected light, pokhodyashinite is grayish-white, bireflectance is distinct. In crossed polars, it is strongly anisotropic; rotation tints vary from dark brownish gray to light bluish-gray. No internal reflections are observed. The reflectance values for wavelengths recommended by the Commission on Ore Mineralogy of the IMA are ( R min / R max , %): 28.9/34.6 (470 nm), 27.6/33.4 (546 nm), 26.7/32.4 (589 nm), 26.1/31.1 (650 nm). The empirical formula of pokhodyashinite based on Σ Me = 6 apfu is Cu