Tellurobismuthite

Tellurobismuthite, or tellurbismuth,^[5] is a telluride mineral: bismuth telluride (Bi₂Te₃). It crystallizes in the trigonal system. There are natural cleavage planes in the (0001) direction as the crystal is effectively lamellar (layered) in that plane. The Mohs hardness is 1.5 – 2 and the specific gravity is 7.815. It is a dull grey color, which exhibits a splendent luster on fresh cleavage planes.^[4]

Discovery and occurrence

It was first described in 1815 and type localities include the Mosnap mine in Toke, Telemark, Norway; the Little Mildred mine, Sylvanite District, Hidalgo County, New Mexico and the Boly Field Mine, Dahlonega, Lumpkin County, Georgia.^[2]

It occurs in low sulfur hydrothermal gold-quartz veins and occurs with native gold, native bismuth, gold tellurides, tetradymite, altaite, chalcopyrite and pyrrhotite.^[4]

See also

• List of minerals

References

1. 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.
2. Tellurobismuthite, Mindat.org
3. Tellurobismuthite data on Webmineral
4. Anthony, John W.; Bideaux, Richard A.; Bladh, Kenneth W.; Nichols, Monte C. (2005). "Tellurobismuthite" (PDF). Handbook of Mineralogy. Mineral Data Publishing. Retrieved 22 June 2022.
5. Tellurbismuth, Mindat.org

• D. M Chizhikov and V. P. Shchastlivyi, 1966, Tellurium and Tellurides, Nauka Publishing, Moscow