Tămaş, C. G., Grobety, B., Bailly, L., Bernhardt, H. J., & Minuţ, A. (2014) Alburnite, Ag8GeTe2S4, a new mineral species from the Roşia Montana Au-Ag epithermal deposit, Apuseni Mountains, Romania. American Mineralogist: 99(1): 57-64.

Classification of AlburniteHide

Strunz-mindat (2024):

2.BA.

2 : SULFIDES and SULFOSALTS (sulfides, selenides, tellurides; arsenides, antimonides, bismuthides; sulfarsenites, sulfantimonites, sulfbismuthites, etc.)
B : Metal Sulfides, M: S > 1: 1 (mainly 2: 1)
A : With Cu, Ag, Au

Mineral SymbolsHide

As of 2021 there are now IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols (abbreviations) for each mineral species, useful for tables and diagrams.

Symbol	Source	Reference
Alb	IMA–CNMNC	Warr, L.N. (2021). IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols. Mineralogical Magazine, 85(3), 291-320. doi:10.1180/mgm.2021.43

Physical Properties of AlburniteHide

Lustre:

Metallic

Transparency:

Opaque

Hardness:

4 on Mohs scale

Cleavage:

None Observed

Density:

7.828 g/cm³ (Calculated)

Optical Data of AlburniteHide

Bireflectance:

none

Reflectivity:

Wavelength	R
400nm	32.00%
420nm	31.20%
440nm	30.60%
460nm	30.00%
470nm	29.70%
480nm	29.30%
500nm	29.00%
520nm	28.50%
540nm	28.10%
546nm	28.00%
560nm	27.75%
580nm	27.50%
589nm	27.35%
600nm	27.20%
620nm	27.10%
640nm	27.00%
650nm	26.95%
660nm	26.90%
680nm	26.85%
700nm	26.80%

Graph shows reflectance levels at different wavelengths (in nm). Top of box is 100%. Peak reflectance is 32.00%.

Colour in reflected light:

gray-blue with a bluish tint

Internal Reflections:

none observed in air

Pleochroism:

Non-pleochroic

Chemistry of AlburniteHide

Mindat Formula:

Ag₈GeTe₂S₄

Elements listed:

Ag, Ge, S, Te - search for minerals with similar chemistry

Crystallography of AlburniteHide

Crystal System:

Isometric

Cell Parameters:

a = 10.4(1) Å

Unit Cell V:

1,124.86 Å³ (Calculated from Unit Cell)

Comment:

F43m

X-Ray Powder DiffractionHide

Powder Diffraction Data:

d-spacing	Intensity
6.004 Å	(67)
3.136 Å	(48)
3.002 Å	(100)
2.600 Å	(26)
2.123 Å	(33)
2.002 Å	(61)
1.838 Å	(76)
1.644 Å	(12)

Comments:

Calculated

Geological EnvironmentHide

Paragenetic Mode(s):

Paragenetic Mode	Earliest Age (Ga)
High-𝑇 alteration and/or metamorphism
33 : Minerals deposited by hydrothermal metal-rich fluids (see also [#12])

Type Occurrence of AlburniteHide

Type Locality:

ⓘ Cârnicel vein, Roşia Montană, Roșia Montană, Alba County, Romania

General Appearance of Type Material:

Rounded to sub-rounded grains, veinlets or irregular inclusions hosted mainly by tetrahedrite, hessite, and rhodochrosite.

Place of Conservation of Type Material:

Mineralogical Museum, Department of Geology, Faculty of Biology and Geology, Babes-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca, Romania (71a/1 and 71a/2).
Zentrale Elektronen-Mikrosonde, Institute of Geology, Mineralogy and Geophysics, Ruhr University, Bochum, Germany (1064b).

Geological Setting of Type Material:

Intermediate sulfidation gold-silver vein

Associated Minerals at Type Locality:

Tetrahedrite Subgroup	Sylvanite	Sphalerite	Rhodonite	Rhodochrosite
Quartz	Pyrite	Hessite	Galena	Chalcopyrite
Calcite	Altaite

Reference:

Download:

https://rruff.info/rruff_1.0/uploads/AM99_57.pdf

Synonyms of AlburniteHide

IMA2012-073

Relationship of Alburnite to other SpeciesHide

Member of:

Argyrodite Group

Other Members of this group:

Argyrodite	Ag₈GeS₆	Orth. mm2 : Pna2₁
Canfieldite	Ag₈SnS₆	Orth. mm2
Putzite	(Cu_4.7Ag_3.3)GeS₆	Iso. 4 3m : F4 3m
Spryite	Ag₈(As³⁺_0.5As⁵⁺_0.5)S₆	Orth. mm2 : Pna2₁

Related Minerals - Strunz-mindat Grouping Hide

2.BA.	Orileyite	(Fe,Cu)₂As
2.BA.	Dzierżanowskite	CaCu₂S₂	Trig. 3m (3 2/m) : P3m1
2.BA.	Makotoite	Ag₁₂(Cu₃Au)S₈	Trig. 3m (3 2/m) : R3c
2.BA.	Xuwenyuanite	Ag₉Fe³⁺Te₂S₄	Iso. 4 3m : F4 3m
2.BA.05	Chalcocite	Cu₂S	Mon. 2/m : P2₁/b
2.BA.05	Djurleite	Cu₃₁S₁₆	Mon. 2/m
2.BA.05	Geerite	Cu₈S₅	Trig. 3
2.BA.05	Roxbyite	Cu₉S₅	Tric. 1 : P1
2.BA.10	Anilite	Cu₇S₄	Orth. mmm (2/m 2/m 2/m) : Pnma
2.BA.10	Digenite	Cu₉S₅	Trig. 3m (3 2/m) : R3m
2.BA.15	Bornite	Cu₅FeS₄	Orth. mmm (2/m 2/m 2/m) : Pbca
2.BA.20	Bellidoite	Cu₂Se	Tet. 4/m : P4₂/n
2.BA.20	Berzelianite	Cu_2-xSe (x ≈ 0.12)	Iso. m3m (4/m 3 2/m) : Fm3m
2.BA.25	Athabascaite	Cu₅Se₄	Orth.
2.BA.25	Umangite	Cu₃Se₂	Tet. 4 2m : P4 2₁m
2.BA.30	Rickardite	Cu₇Te₅	Orth. mmm (2/m 2/m 2/m) : Pmmn
2.BA.30	Weissite	Cu_2-xTe	Hex. 6/mmm (6/m 2/m 2/m) : P6/mmm
2.BA.35	Acanthite	Ag₂S	Mon. 2/m : P2₁/m
2.BA.35	Spryite	Ag₈(As³⁺_0.5As⁵⁺_0.5)S₆	Orth. mm2 : Pna2₁
2.BA.40	Mckinstryite	Ag_5-xCu_3+xS₄	Orth. mmm (2/m 2/m 2/m) : Pnma
2.BA.40	Stromeyerite	AgCuS	Orth. mmm (2/m 2/m 2/m)
2.BA.40d	UM2003-13-S:AgAuCu	Ag₆AuCu₂S₅
2.BA.42	Honeaite	Au₃TlTe₂	Orth. mmm (2/m 2/m 2/m) : Pbcm
2.BA.45	Jalpaite	Ag₃CuS₂	Tet. 4/mmm (4/m 2/m 2/m) : I4₁/amd
2.BA.45	Kurilite	Ag₈Te₃Se	Trig. 3 : R3
2.BA.45	Selenojalpaite	Ag₃CuSe₂	Tet. 4/mmm (4/m 2/m 2/m) : I4₁/amd
2.BA.47	Spiridonovite	(Cu_1-xAg_x)₂Te	Trig. 3m (3 2/m) : P3c1
2.BA.50	Eucairite	AgCuSe	Orth.
2.BA.50	Wuyanzhiite	Cu₂S	Tet. 4 2 2 : P4₃ 2₁ 2
2.BA.52	Argentite	Ag₂S	Iso.
2.BA.55	Aguilarite	Ag₄SeS	Mon. 2/m
2.BA.55	Naumannite	Ag₂Se	Orth. 2 2 2 : P2₁ 2₁ 2₁
2.BA.60	Cervelleite	Ag₄TeS	Mon. 2/m
2.BA.60	Hessite	Ag₂Te	Mon. 2/m : P2₁/b
2.BA.60	Chenguodaite	Ag₉Fe³⁺Te₂S₄	Orth.
2.BA.65	Henryite	(Cu,Ag)_3+xTe₂ , with x ~ 0.40	Iso. m3m (4/m 3 2/m) : Fd3c
2.BA.65	Stützite	Ag_5-xTe₃, x = 0.24-0.36	Hex. 6 : P6
2.BA.70	Argyrodite	Ag₈GeS₆	Orth. mm2 : Pna2₁
2.BA.70	Canfieldite	Ag₈SnS₆	Orth. mm2
2.BA.70	Putzite	(Cu_4.7Ag_3.3)GeS₆	Iso. 4 3m : F4 3m
2.BA.75	Fischesserite	Ag₃AuSe₂	Iso. 4 3 2 : I4₁ 3 2
2.BA.75	Penzhinite	(Ag,Cu)₄Au(S,Se)₄	Hex. 6 2 2 : P6₃ 2 2
2.BA.75	Petrovskaite	AuAgS	Mon.
2.BA.75	Petzite	Ag₃AuTe₂	Iso. 4 3 2 : I4₁ 3 2
2.BA.75	Uytenbogaardtite	Ag₃AuS₂	Trig. 3m (3 2/m) : R3c
2.BA.80	Bezsmertnovite	(Au,Ag)₄Cu(Te,Pb)	Orth.
2.BA.80	Bilibinskite	PbCu₂Au₃Te₂	Iso.
2.BA.80	Bogdanovite	(Au,Te,Pb)₃(Cu,Fe)	Iso.

Fluorescence of AlburniteHide

In UV light:

none

Other InformationHide

Notes:

The mineral decomposes in intense light.

Health Risks:

No information on health risks for this material has been entered into the database. You should always treat mineral specimens with care.

Internet Links for AlburniteHide

mindat.org URL:

https://www.mindat.org/min-43596.html
Please feel free to link to this page.

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External Links:

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Raman and XRD data at RRUFF project

References and PDF downloads at RRUFF project

American Mineralogist Crystal Structure Database

Handbook of Mineralogy page PDF

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References for AlburniteHide

Reference List:

Williams, P. A., Hatert, F., Pasero, M., Mills, S. J. (2013) IMA Commission on New Minerals, Nomenclature and Classification. CNMNC Newsletter No. 15. Mineralogical Magazine, 77 (1) 1-12 doi:10.1180/minmag.2013.077.1.01

(2023) Alburnite. Handbook of Mineralogy. Mineralogical Society of America

Localities for AlburniteHide

This map shows a selection of localities that have latitude and longitude coordinates recorded. Click on the

symbol to view information about a locality. The

symbol next to localities in the list can be used to jump to that position on the map.

Locality ListHide

- This locality has map coordinates listed.

- This locality has estimated coordinates. ⓘ - Click for references and further information on this occurrence. ? - Indicates mineral may be doubtful at this locality.

- Good crystals or important locality for species.

- World class for species or very significant. (TL) - Type Locality for a valid mineral species. (FRL) - First Recorded Locality for everything else (eg varieties). ~~Struck out~~ - Mineral was erroneously reported from this locality. Faded * - Never found at this locality but inferred to have existed at some point in the past (e.g. from pseudomorphs).

All localities listed without proper references should be considered as questionable.


Argentina
San Luis Province Coronel Pringles Department ⓘ Carolina	Gallard-Esquivel et al. (2018)

Romania
Alba County Roșia Montană ⓘ Roşia Montană	IATAN et al. (2016)
ⓘ Cârnicel vein (TL)	Tămaş et al. (2014)
Hunedoara County Certeju de Sus ⓘ Măgura veins	Săbău et al. (2016)

Alburnite

Unique IdentifiersHide

IMA Classification of AlburniteHide