Known synthetic analogue.
Chemically related to permingeatite and příbramite. The SbSe analogue of wittichenite. Chemically the Se analogue of skinnerite, but this is not a true analogy due to the difference in crystal system.

The crystal structure corresponds to the structure of synthetic Cu₃SbSe₃ and is structurally related to the high-temperature (>121°C) orthorhombic modification of Cu₃SbS₃.

Unique IdentifiersHide

Mindat ID:

47927

Long-form identifier:

mindat:1:1:47927:9

GUID
(UUID V4):

66b8c89d-5770-475b-abcf-a32b2a12e2ec

IMA Classification of BytíziteHide

IMA status:

Approved

Approval year:

2016

First published:

2018

Type description reference:

Škácha, Pavel, Sejkora, Jiří, Plášil, Jakub (2018) Bytízite, a new Cu-Sb selenide from Příbram, Czech Republic. Mineralogical Magazine, 82 (1) 199-209 doi:10.1180/minmag.2017.081.035

Classification of BytíziteHide

Strunz-mindat (2024):

2.GA.20

2 : SULFIDES and SULFOSALTS (sulfides, selenides, tellurides; arsenides, antimonides, bismuthides; sulfarsenites, sulfantimonites, sulfbismuthites, etc.)
G : Sulfarsenites, sulfantimonites, sulfbismuthites
A : Neso-sulfarsenites, etc. without additional S

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
Btz	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 BytíziteHide

Lustre:

Metallic

Transparency:

Opaque

Colour:

Steel-grey

Hardness:

2 - 3 on Mohs scale

Cleavage:

None Observed

Fracture:

None observed

Density:

6.324 g/cm³ (Calculated)

Optical Data of BytíziteHide

Anisotropism:

Strong, grey to brownish rotation tints

Bireflectance:

Weak

Reflectivity:

Wavelength	R₁	R₂
400nm	36.3%	40.0%
420nm	36.3%	40.2%
440nm	36.2%	40.1%
460nm	36.1%	40.2%
470nm	36.1%	40.2%
480nm	36.1%	40.2%
500nm	36.2%	40.1%
520nm	36.2%	39.8%
540nm	36.2%	39.4%
546nm	36.1%	39.3%
560nm	36.0%	39.0%
580nm	35.6%	38.5%
589nm	35.5%	38.3%
600nm	35.3%	38.1%
620nm	35.0%	37.7%
640nm	34.8%	37.3%
650nm	34.7%	37.0%
660nm	34.5%	36.8%
680nm	34.1%	36.3%
700nm	33.6%	35.8%

Graph shows reflectance levels at different wavelengths (in nm). Top of box is 100%. Peak reflectance is 40.2%.
R₁ shown in black, R₂ shown in red

Colour in reflected light:

Grey with yellowish to brownish hue

Internal Reflections:

None observed

Pleochroism:

Weak

Chemistry of BytíziteHide

Mindat Formula:

Cu₃SbSe₃

Elements listed:

Cu, Sb, Se - search for minerals with similar chemistry

Crystallography of BytíziteHide

Crystal System:

Orthorhombic

Class (H-M):

mmm (2/m 2/m 2/m) - Dipyramidal

Space Group:

Pnma

Setting:

Pnma

Cell Parameters:

a = 7.959(1) Å, b = 10.583(1) Å, c = 6.824(1) Å

Ratio:

a:b:c = 0.752 : 1 : 0.645

Unit Cell V:

574.82 Å³

Morphology:

Anhedral grains

X-Ray Powder DiffractionHide

Powder Diffraction Data:

d-spacing	Intensity
3.74 Å	(30)
3.27 Å	(50)
3.01 Å	(25)
2.88 Å	(35)
2.68 Å	(100)
2.48 Å	(20)
1.86 Å	(30)
1.79 Å	(25)

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 BytíziteHide

Type Locality:

ⓘ Mine dump, Uranium Mine No. 16, Háje, Příbram District, Central Bohemian Region, Czech Republic

General Appearance of Type Material:

Allotriomorphic aggregates, up to 300 μm, with individual grains ca. 10-40 μm across.

Place of Conservation of Type Material:

Mineralogical collections of the (1) National Museum, Department of Mineralogy and Petrology, Praha, Czech Republic (catalogue number P1P 11/2016), and (2) the Mining Museum Příbram, Březové Hory, Czech Republic, catalogue number 2/2016.

Empirical Formula of Type Material:

(Cu3.00Fe0.01Ag0.01) Σ3.02(Sb0.97As0.06) Σ1.03(Se2.94S0.01) Σ2.95

Chemical Analysis of Type Material:

Cu	34.71 %
Sb	22.16 %
Se	43.13 %
Total:	100 %

Geological Setting of Type Material:

Base metal deposit.

Associated Minerals at Type Locality:

Uraninite	Umangite	Tetrahedrite Subgroup	Příbramite	Hakite-(Hg)
Giraudite-(Zn)	Eskebornite	Crookesite	Chaméanite	Calcite
Bukovite	Berzelianite

Reference:

Škácha, P., Sejkora, J., Plášil, J. (2018) Bytízite, a new Cu-Sb selenide from Příbram, Czech Republic. Mineralogical Magazine: 82: 199-209.

Download:

https://rruff.info/rruff_1.0/uploads/MM82_199.pdf

Synonyms of BytíziteHide

IMA2016-044

Common AssociatesHide

Associated Minerals Based on Photo Data:

1 photo of Bytízite associated with Calcite

CaCO₃

Related Minerals - Strunz-mindat Grouping Hide

2.GA.	Arsiccioite	AgHg₂Tl(As,Sb)₂S₆	Tet. 4 2m : I4 2m
2.GA.	Eckerite	Ag₂CuAsS₃	Mon. 2/m : B2/b
2.GA.	Pyradoketosite	Ag₃SbS₃	Mon. 2/m
2.GA.05	Proustite	Ag₃AsS₃	Trig. 3m (3 2/m) : R3c
2.GA.05	Pyrargyrite	Ag₃SbS₃	Trig. 3m : R3c
2.GA.10	Pyrostilpnite	Ag₃SbS₃	Mon. 2/m : P2₁/b
2.GA.10	Xanthoconite	Ag₃AsS₃	Mon. 2/m : B2/b
2.GA.15	Samsonite	Ag₄MnSb₂S₆	Mon. 2/m : P2₁/m
2.GA.20	Skinnerite	Cu₃SbS₃	Mon. 2/m : P2₁/b
2.GA.20	Wittichenite	Cu₃BiS₃	Orth. 2 2 2 : P2₁ 2₁ 2₁
2.GA.25	Lapieite	NiCuSbS₃	Orth. 2 2 2 : P2₁ 2₁ 2₁
2.GA.25	Mückeite	NiCu(Bi,Sb)S₃	Orth. 2 2 2 : P2₁ 2₁ 2₁
2.GA.25	Malyshevite	PdCuBiS₃	Orth. mmm (2/m 2/m 2/m) : Pmmm
2.GA.25	Lisiguangite	PtCuBiS₃	Orth. 2 2 2 : P2₁ 2₁ 2₁
2.GA.25	Roterbärite	PdBiCuSe₃	Orth. 2 2 2 : P2₁ 2₁ 2₁
2.GA.30	Aktashite	Cu₆Hg₃As₄S₁₂	Trig. 3 : R3
2.GA.30	Gruzdevite	Cu₆Hg₃Sb₄S₁₂	Trig. 3 : R3
2.GA.30	Nowackiite	Cu₆Zn₃As₄S₁₂	Trig. 3 : R3
2.GA.30	Zhengminghuaite	Cu₆Fe₃As₄S₁₂	Trig. 3 : R3
2.GA.35	Laffittite	AgHgAsS₃	Mon. 2/m
2.GA.40	Routhierite	Tl(Cu,Ag)(Hg,Zn)₂(As,Sb)₂S₆	Tet. 4 2m : I4 2m
2.GA.40	Stalderite	Tl(Cu,Ag)(Zn,Fe,Hg)₂(As,Sb)₂S₆	Tet. 4 2m : I4 2m
2.GA.40	Ralphcannonite	AgZn₂TlAs₂S₆	Tet. 4 2m : I4 2m
2.GA.40	Ferrostalderite	CuFe₂TlAs₂S₆	Tet. 4 2m : I4 2m
2.GA.40	Unnamed (Ag-Fe endmember of Routhierite Group)	AgFe₂TlAs₂S₆
2.GA.45	Erniggliite	Tl₂SnAs₂S₆	Trig. 3 : P3
2.GA.50	Bournonite	PbCuSbS₃	Orth. mm2 : Pmn2₁
2.GA.50	Seligmannite	PbCuAsS₃	Orth. mmm (2/m 2/m 2/m) : Pmmn
2.GA.50	Součekite	PbCuBi(S,Se)₃	Orth. mm2
2.GA.50	Unnamed (Pb-Cu-Bi Selenide)	PbCuBiSe₃
2.GA.50	Cerromojonite	CuPbBiSe₃	Orth.
2.GA.55	Eldragónite	Cu₆BiSe₄(Se₂)	Orth. mmm (2/m 2/m 2/m)

Other InformationHide

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 BytíziteHide

mindat.org URL:

https://www.mindat.org/min-47927.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 BytíziteHide

Reference List:

(n.d.)

Hålenius, U., Hatert, F., Pasero, M., Mills, S. J. (2016) New minerals and nomenclature modifications approved in 2016, CNMNC Newsletter No. 33. Mineralogical Magazine, 80 (6) 1135-1144 doi:10.1180/minmag.2016.080.085

Škácha, Pavel, Sejkora, Jiří, Plášil, Jakub (2018) Bytízite, a new Cu-Sb selenide from Příbram, Czech Republic. Mineralogical Magazine, 82 (1) 199-209 doi:10.1180/minmag.2017.081.035

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

Localities for BytíziteHide

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.


Czech Republic
Central Bohemian Region ⓘ Příbram District	Škácha et al. (2017)
Háje Uranium Mine No. 16 ⓘ Mine dump (TL)	Mineralogical Magazine: 80: 1135–1144 +3 other references
Příbram Bytíz ⓘ Uranium Mine No. 11A (Shaft No. 11A)	- (n.d.)

Bytízite

About BytíziteHide