Tennantite Subgroup (Var: Silver-bearing Tennantite)

Specimen ID: 6JF-WVF

Mineral(s)
Tennantite Subgroup (Var: Silver-bearing Tennantite) : (Cu,Ag)6[Cu4(Fe,Zn)2]As4S13
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Mindat locality:
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The sample is 4 cm x 4 cm. I collected the sample at the 1450 Level, Lower East Stope in 1986. A mineralogical investigation of the sulphosalts at the Chisel Mine in the 2007 Manitoba Geological Survey Report of Field Activities allows this to be more fully characterized. The range of Ag in the Argentotennantite is 22% to 28% weight percent, making it Ag dominant. It is associated with coarse grained Galena and a Boulangerite-Meneghinite intergrowth. The sample was analyzed by Microprobe and confirmed to be Cu8.7Fe1.4Ag1.3Zn0.5As3.4Sb0.5S12.2 with (Cu+Fe+Ag+Zn) normalized to 12 apfu. The sample does not have chemical zonation. Argentotennantite exists at the Chisel Mine, just not this sample. If the analysis is re-written according to the new Tennantite nomenclature it would be Argentiferous Tennantite -(Fe) with (Cu4.7, Ag1.3)6Cu4(Fe1.4Zn0.5)1.9(As3.4,Sb0.5)3.9S12 [] 0.8S0.2. The high vacancy in the last S site is characteristic of Ag-rich Tennantite. Alexandre et al. (2019) indicates there are several members of the Freibergite-Argentotennantite series in the Chisel Mine. I do not have details on their chemistry.
Richard Gunter - 9th November 2011
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