Chemistry:Cesbronite

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Cesbronite
Cesbronite.jpg
Emerald green crystal aggregates of cesbronite from Tombstone District, Cochise County, Arizona, USA
General
CategoryCopper-tellurium oxysalt
Formula
(repeating unit)
Cu3Te6+O4(OH)4
Strunz classification4.JN.15
Dana classification34.7.2.1
Crystal systemOrthorhombic
Crystal classDipyramidal (mmm)
H-M symbol: (2/m 2/m 2/m)
Space groupPbcn
Unit cella = 8.624, b = 11.878
c = 5.872 [Å], Z = 2
Identification
ColorGreen
Cleavagepoor on {010}, good on {021}
TenacityBrittle
Mohs scale hardness3
|re|er}}Subadamantine
StreakGreen
DiaphaneityTranslucent
Specific gravity4.45 (measured)
Optical propertiesBiaxial (+)
Birefringenceδ = 0.149
PleochroismDistinct, various shades of green
2V angle72o (calculated)
Ultraviolet fluorescenceNone
SolubilitySoluble in HCl and HNO3. Insoluble in water
References[1][2][3][4][1]

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]

Occurrence

It 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

References