Preprint Article Version 1 Preserved in Portico This version is not peer-reviewed

Oyonite, Ag3Mn2Pb4Sb7As4S24, a New Member of the Lillianite Homologous Series from the Uchucchacua Polymetallic Deposit, Oyon District, Peru

Version 1 : Received: 18 April 2018 / Approved: 18 April 2018 / Online: 18 April 2018 (16:09:50 CEST)

A peer-reviewed article of this Preprint also exists.

Bindi, L.; Biagioni, C.; Keutsch, F.N. Oyonite, Ag3Mn2Pb4Sb7As4S24, a New Member of the Lillianite Homologous Series from the Uchucchacua Base-Metal Deposit, Oyon District, Peru. Minerals 2018, 8, 192. Bindi, L.; Biagioni, C.; Keutsch, F.N. Oyonite, Ag3Mn2Pb4Sb7As4S24, a New Member of the Lillianite Homologous Series from the Uchucchacua Base-Metal Deposit, Oyon District, Peru. Minerals 2018, 8, 192.

Abstract

The new mineral species oyonite, ideally Ag3Mn2Pb4Sb7As4S24, has been discovered in the Uchucchacua polymetallic deposit, Oyon district, Catajambo, Lima Department, Peru, as very rare black metallic subhedral to anhedral crystals, up to 100 μm in length, associated with orpiment, tennantite/tetrahedrite, menchettiite, and other unnamed minerals of the system Pb-Ag-Sb-Mn-As-S, in calcite matrix. Its Vickers hardness (VHN100) is 137 kg/mm2 (range 132–147). In reflected light, oyonite is weakly to moderately bireflectant and weakly pleochroic from dark grey to a dark green. Internal reflections are absent. Reflectance values for the four COM wavelengths (Rmin, Rmax (%) (λ in nm)) are: 33.9, 40.2 (471.1); 32.5, 38.9 (548.3), 31.6, 38.0 (586.6); and 29.8, 36.5 (652.3). Electron microprobe analysis gave (in wt %, average of 5 spot analyses): Cu 0.76 (2), Ag 8.39 (10), Mn 3.02 (7), Pb 24.70 (25), As 9.54 (12), Sb 28.87 (21), S 24.30 (18), total 99.58 (23). On the basis of 20 cations per formula unit, the chemical formula of oyonite is Cu0.38Ag2.48Mn1.75Pb3.79Sb7.55As4.05S24.12. The main diffraction lines are (d in Å, hkl and relative intensity): 3.34 (-312; 40), 3.29 (-520; 100), 2.920 (-132; 40), 2.821 (-232; 70), 2.045 (004; 50). The crystal structure study revealed oyonite to be monoclinic, space group P21/n, with unit-cell parameters a = 19.1806 (18), b = 12.7755 (14), c = 8.1789 (10) Å, β = 90.471 (11)°, V = 2004.1 (4) Å3, Z = 2. The crystal structure was refined to a final R1 = 0.032 for 6272 independent reflections. Oyonite belongs to the Sb-rich members of the andorite homeotypic sub-series within the lillianite homologous series. The name oyonite is after the Oyon district, Lima Department, Peru, the district where the type locality (Uchucchacua mine) is located.

Keywords

oyonite; lillianite homologous series; sulfosalt; copper; antimony; arsenic; Oyon district; Lima department; Peru

Subject

Environmental and Earth Sciences, Geochemistry and Petrology

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