Lorándite
Thallium arsenic sulfosalt / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Lorándite is a thallium arsenic sulfosalt with the chemical formula: TlAsS2. Though rare, it is the most common thallium-bearing mineral. Lorandite occurs in low-temperature hydrothermal associations and in gold and mercury ore deposits. Associated minerals include stibnite, realgar, orpiment, cinnabar, vrbaite, greigite, marcasite, pyrite, tetrahedrite, antimonian sphalerite, arsenic and barite.[2]
Lorándite | |
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General | |
Category | Sulfosalt mineral |
Formula (repeating unit) | TlAsS2 |
IMA symbol | Lor[1] |
Strunz classification | 2.HD.05 |
Crystal system | Monoclinic |
Crystal class | Prismatic (2/m) (same H-M symbol) |
Space group | P21/a |
Identification | |
Color | Red to carmine-red, lead gray |
Crystal habit | Prismatic tabular striated parallel to [001] |
Cleavage | [100] perfect, [001] distinct |
Fracture | Conchoidal |
Mohs scale hardness | 2.0–2.5 |
Luster | Sub-metallic – adamantine |
Streak | Cherry-red |
Diaphaneity | Subtransparent |
Specific gravity | 5.53 |
Optical properties | Biaxial (+) |
Refractive index | nα = 2.720 |
Pleochroism | Weak; Y = purple-red; Z = orange-red |
Other characteristics | Tenacity: flexible, forming cleavage lamellae and fibers |
References | [2][3][4] |
The mineral is being used for detection of solar neutrino via a certain nuclear reaction involving thallium.[5][6] It has a monoclinic crystal structure consisting of spiral chains of AsS3 tetrahedra interconnected by thallium atoms, and can be synthesized in the laboratory.