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| Cylindrite
is named from the Greek
word κύλιυδροσ
(kylindros), meaning
a roll, in allusion to the typical
cylindrical form of the crystals.
| Discovered
in 1893; IMA
status:
Valid (pre-IMA; Grandfathered) |
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Chemistry
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Chemical
Formula: |
Pb3Sn4FeSb2S14 |
|
Lead
Tin Iron Antimony Sufide |
Molecular
Weight: |
1,844.71 gm
|
Composition: |
Iron |
3.03 % |
Fe |
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|
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Tin |
25.74 % |
Sn |
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Antimony |
13.20 % |
Sb |
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Lead |
33.70 % |
Pb |
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Sulfur |
24.34 % |
O |
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100.00 % |
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Classification
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Mineral
Classification: |
Sulfides
and Sulfosalts
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Strunz 8th
Ed. ID:
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2/C.17-0
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Nickel-Strunz 10th
Ed. ID:
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2.HF.25a
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2 : SULFIDES and SULFOSALTS (sulfides, selenides,
tellurides; arsenides, antimonides, bismuthides; sulfarsenites,
sulfantimonites, sulfbismuthites, etc.) H : Sulfosalts of SnS archetype
F : With SnS and PbS archetype structure units
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Related
to: |
Cylindrite Group.
|
Members
of Group: |
Cylindrite Group:
Abramovite, Cylindrite, Lévyclaudite
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Varieties: |
None
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Synonyms: |
Kylindrite
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Crystal
Data
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|
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Crystallography:
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Triclinic - Pinacoidal
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Crystal
Habit:
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In
concentric spherical or tubular shells and aggregates,
with individual cylindrical crystals up to 5 mm across and 2–3 cm in length, rarely terminated;
also massive.
|
Twinning:
|
None
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Physical
Properties
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Cleavage: |
Perfect
on {100}
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Fracture: |
Malleable;
deforms rather than breaking apart
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Tenacity:
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Malleable
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Moh's
Hardness: |
2.5; Vickers: VHN100=54 - 93 kg/mm2
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Density:
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5.43
- 5.49 (g/cm3)
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Luminescence:
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None
|
Radioactivity:
|
Not
Radioactive
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Optical
Properties
|
|
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Color: |
Lead gray, grayish black. In
reflected light, galena-white
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Transparency: |
Opaque
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Luster: |
Metallic
|
Refractive
Index: |
R1–R2:
(400) 34.5–40.3, (420) 34.3–40.1, (440) 34.1–40.1, (460)
33.6–39.8, (480) 33.1–39.4, (500) 32.5–38.9, (520) 31.8–38.3,
(540) 31.2–37.8, (560) 30.7–37.2, (580) 30.3–36.7, (600)
29.9–36.3, (620) 29.6–35.9, (640) 29.3–35.5, (660) 28.9–35.1,
(680) 28.6–34.7, (700) 28.4–34.4
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Birefringence: |
0.000
(opaque)
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Dispersion: |
n/a |
Pleochroism: |
Extremely weak: parallel to elongation gray-white, perpendicular to the elongation, darker gray-white. Stronger in oil.
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Anisotropism: |
Distinct;
gray to pale yellowish or brownish gray
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Occurances
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Geological
Setting: |
In
tin-bearing hydrothermal veins. |
Common
Associations: |
Franckeite,
Stannite, Incaite, Potosiite, Teallite, Jamesonite,
Boulangerite, Cassiterite, Galena, Pyrite, Sphalerite
|
Common
Impurities: |
Ag
|
Type
Locality: |
Santa Cruz Mine, Poopó town, Poopó Province, Oruro Department, Bolivia
|
Year
Discovered: |
1893
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View
mineral photos: |
Cylindrite
Mineral Photos and Locations |
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More
Information
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|
Mindat.org
Webmineral.com
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Cylindrite
is a very unusual sulfide mineral containing lead (Pb),
tin (Sn), iron (Fe) and antimony (Sb). It has one of the
most unique crystal habits of the mineral world. As
its name implies, Cylindrite's crystals form as cylinders,
or more acurately, as thin sheets rolled into tubes or
cylinders. There are a couple other minerals whose crystals
are formed like this, but they are microscopic tubes.
Cylindrite's cylindrical crystals are easily seen with
the naked eye at up to 2-3 cm in length. Faceted gems are very rare and certainly a
gem for collectors of the very unusual but mineral
specimens are much more attractive and interesting with
their often radiating cylindrical crystals.
Faceted gems are lead gray to grayish black with a metallic
luster and a Moh's hardness of only 2.5.
Cylindrite
is named from the Greek
word κύλιυδροσ
(kylindros), meaning
a roll, in allusion to the typical
cylindrical form of the crystals.
Cylindrite
distribution:
Bolivia, with fine examples from Poopó, in the
Santa Cruz (Type Locality) and Trinacria mines;
at the Porvenir and Maria Francisca mines, Huanuni;
from the Nueva Virginia vein, Colquechaca; and from
the Purisima vein, all in Oruro; also from Llallagua,
Potosí. In the Smirnovsk deposit, Transbaikalia,
Russia.
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