Benleonardite Mineral Data

General Benleonardite Information

Chemical Formula:

Ag8(Sb,As)Te2S3

Composition:

Molecular Weight = 1,312.68 gm

Silver 65.74 % Ag

Antimony 4.64 % Sb

Tellurium 19.44 % Te

Arsenic 2.85 % As

Sulfur 7.33 % S

______

100.00 %

Empirical Formula:

Ag₈Sb_0.5As_0.5Te₂S₃

IMA Status:

Approved IMA 1986

Locality:

Moctezuma mine, Moctezuma, Sonora, Mexico. Link to MinDat.org Location Data.

Name Origin:

Named for Benjamin F. Leonard (1921-), U.S. Geologist.

Name Pronunciation:

Benleonardite + Pronunciation

Benleonardite Image

Images:

Benleonardite

Comments: Gray-black benleonardite on hessite.
Location: Moctezuma, Sonora, Mexico. Scale: Specimen Size 2x3 cm.
© Diederik Visser

Images:

Benleonardite

Comments: B&W polished section image of a bladed and an irregular mass of benleonardite (b) intergrown with hessite (h). (MinMag, v60:403).
Location: Gies and Mayflower epithermal gold-silver telluride deposits, Montana, USA. Scale: See Image.
© Mineralogical Magazine

Benleonardite Crystallography

Axial Ratios:

a:c = 1:1.9273

Cell Dimensions:

a = 6.603, c = 12.726, Z = 2; V = 554.85 Den(Calc)= 7.86

Crystal System:

TetragonalSpace Group: Tetra

$Help on X Ray Diffraction:$ X Ray Diffraction:

By Intensity(I/I_o): 2.936(1), 12.7(0.7), 2.608(0.35),

Physical Properties of Benleonardite

Color:

Gray, Black.

Diaphaneity:

Opaque

Habit:

Anhedral Grains - Granular minerals without the expression of crystal shapes

Habit:

Microscopic Crystals - Crystals visible only with microscopes.

Hardness:

3.5 - Copper Penny

Luster:

Metallic

Optical Properties of Benleonardite

Optical Data:

NCalc= 2.32 - from Gladstone-Dale relationship (KC = 0.1675) where Ncalc=Dcalc*KC+1

RL Anisotrophism:

Moderate to strong, in tints of brown, blue, and gray.

RL Color:

Very pale blue.

Reflectivity

**Standardized Intensity (100%) Reflection Spectra of Benleonardite in Air**
λ	R₁	R₂	∑ R₁(λ)	∑ R₂(λ)
400 nm	35.60	36.80
420 nm	35.70	36.60
440 nm	35.80	36.20
460 nm	35.70	35.60
480 nm	35.50	34.90
500 nm	35.10	34.10
520 nm	34.70	33.20
540 nm	34.10	32.20
560 nm	33.50	31.40
580 nm	32.90	30.70
600 nm	32.40	30.00
620 nm	32.00	29.50
640 nm	31.60	29.10
660 nm	31.40	28.70
680 nm	31.10	28.40
700 nm	30.80	28.10

**Calculated Relative Intensity Colors of Benleonardite in Air**
Relative Intensity	0%	30%	60%	90%	100%	120%	150%	180%	210%	240%	270%	290%
R₁
R₂

Calculated Properties of Benleonardite

Electron Density:

Bulk Density (Electron Density)=6.83 gm/cc
note: Specific Gravity of Benleonardite =7.86 gm/cc.

Fermion Index:

Fermion Index = 0.01
Boson Index = 0.99

Photoelectric:

PE_{Benleonardite}= 259.44 barns/electron
U=PE_{Benleonardite} x rElectron Density=1,770.95 barns/cc.

Radioactivity:

GRapi = 0 (Gamma Ray American Petroleum Institute Units)
Benleonardite is Not Radioactive

Benleonardite Classification

Dana Class:

03.01.10.01 (03)Sulfides - Sulfosalts

(03.01)where z/y > 4 - (A+)i (A++)j [By Cz], A=metals, B=semi-metals, C=non-metals

(03.01.10)Dana Group

03.01.10.01 Benleonardite Ag8(Sb,As)Te2S3 Tetra Tetra

Strunz Class:

02.LA.50 02 - SULFIDES and SULFOSALTS (sulfides, selenides, tellurides; arsenides, antimonides, bismuthides; sulfarsenites, sulf

02.L - Unclassified Sulfosalts

02.LA -Without essential Pb

02.LA.50 Benleonardite Ag8(Sb,As)Te2S3 Tetra Tetra

Other Benleonardite Information

References:

NAME( Dana8) PHYS. PROP.(Bull.Miner.,Vol.107-111,1984-1988) OPTIC PROP.(AntBidBlaNic1)

See Also:

Links to other databases for Benleonardite :
1 - Am. Min. Crystal Structure Database
2 - Athena
3 - EUROmin Project
4 - Ecole des Mines de Paris
5 - GeoScienceWorld
6 - Google Images
7 - Google Scholar
8 - Handbook of Mineralogy (MinSocAm)
9 - Handbook of Mineralogy (UofA)
10 - MinDAT
11 - Mineralienatlas (Deutsch)
12 - Online Mineral Museum
13 - QUT Mineral Atlas
14 - Ruff.Info
15 - Scandinavian mineral gallery

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Print or Cut-and-Paste your Benleonardite Specimen Label here :

Benleonardite

Ag8(Sb,As)Te2S3
Dana No: 03.01.10.01 Strunz No: 02.LA.50
Locality:

Notes: