Cesbronite is a copper-tellurium oxysalt mineral with the chemical formula Cu3Te6+O4(OH)4 (IMA 17-C). It is colored green and its crystals are orthorhombic dipyramidal. Cesbronite is rated 3 on the Mohs Scale.[3] It is named after Fabien Cesbron (born 1938), a French mineralogist.[4]
| Cesbronite | |
|---|---|
 Emerald green crystal aggregates of cesbronite from Tombstone District, Cochise County, Arizona, USA | |
| General | |
| Category | Copper-tellurium oxysalt |
| Formula (repeating unit) | Cu3Te6+O4(OH)4 |
| IMA symbol | Ces[1] |
| Strunz classification | 4.JN.15 |
| Dana classification | 34.7.2.1 |
| Crystal system | Orthorhombic |
| Crystal class | Dipyramidal (mmm) H-M symbol: (2/m 2/m 2/m) |
| Space group | Pbcn |
| Unit cell | a = 8.624, b = 11.878 c = 5.872 [Å], Z = 2 |
| Identification | |
| Color | Green |
| Cleavage | poor on {010}, good on {021} |
| Tenacity | Brittle |
| Mohs scale hardness | 3 |
| Luster | Subadamantine |
| Streak | Green |
| Diaphaneity | Translucent |
| Specific gravity | 4.45 (measured) |
| Optical properties | Biaxial (+) |
| Birefringence | δ = 0.149 |
| Pleochroism | Distinct, various shades of green |
| 2V angle | 72o (calculated) |
| Ultraviolet fluorescence | None |
| Solubility | Soluble in HCl and HNO3. Insoluble in water |
| References | [1][2][3][4][2] |
Occurrence
editIt was first found in the Bambollita ("La Oriental") mine in the Mexican state of Sonora. It also occurs in the Tombstone District of Cochise County, Arizona and the Tintic District of the East Tintic Mountains, Juab County, Utah.[5] It is often associated with argentian gold, teineite, carlfriesite, xocomecatlite, utahite, leisingite, jensenite and hematite.[6]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Warr, L.N. (2021). "IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols". Mineralogical Magazine. 85 (3): 291–320. Bibcode:2021MinM...85..291W. doi:10.1180/mgm.2021.43. S2CID 235729616.
- ^ Mineralienatlas
- ^ Webmineral entry
- ^ Williams, Sidney A. (1974). "Cesbronite, a new copper tellurite from Moctezuma, Sonora" (PDF). Mineralogical Magazine. 39 (307): 744. Bibcode:1974MinM...39..744W. doi:10.1180/minmag.1974.039.307.02. S2CID 129501305. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2016-05-27. Retrieved 2016-09-20.
- ^ Mindat.org Cesbronite
- ^ "Handbook of mineralogy" (PDF). Retrieved 2016-09-20.