Proustite Mineral Data

General Proustite Information

Chemical Formula:

Ag3AsS3

Composition:

Molecular Weight = 494.72 gm

Silver 65.41 % Ag

Arsenic 15.14 % As

Sulfur 19.44 % S

______

100.00 %

Empirical Formula:

Ag₃AsS₃

Environment:

Late forming mineral in hydrothermal deposits, in the oxidized and enriched zone, associated with other silver minerals and sulfides.

IMA Status:

Valid Species (Pre-IMA) 1832

Locality:

Himmelsfurst mine, Erbisdor, near Freiberg, Germany Link to MinDat.org Location Data.

Name Origin:

After the French chemist, J. L. Proust (1755-1826).

Name Pronunciation:

Proustite + Pronunciation

Synonym:

ICSD 38388

Light Red Silver Ore

PDF 42-553

Ruby Silver Ore

Proustite Image

Images:

Proustite

Comments: Crystal group of gemmy, red proustite. Smithsonian collection.
Location: Dolores I Mine, ChaÃ±arcillo, AtacÃ¡ma Province, Chile. Scale: Specimen Size 6x8 cm.
© Dave Barthelmy

Proustite Crystallography

Axial Ratios:

a:c = 1:0.80064

Cell Dimensions:

a = 10.86, c = 8.695, Z = 6; V = 888.10 Den(Calc)= 5.55

Crystal System:

Trigonal - Hexagonal ScalenohedralH-M Symbol (3 2/m) Space Group: R 3c

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

By Intensity(I/I_o): 2.74(1), 2.48(0.9), 3.27(0.8),

Forms:

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Forms: ( 0 1 2) ( 2 1 1) ( 1 1 0) ( 1 0 1)

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Crystal Structure:

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Allen S , Phase Transition , 6 (1985) p.1-24, Phase transitions in proustite I. Structural studies, Sample: T = 35 K

View Additional jPOWD Structure files for Proustite
[1] [2]

Physical Properties of Proustite

Cleavage:

None

Color:

Vermilion, Reddish gray.

Density:

5.5 - 5.6, Average = 5.55

Diaphaneity:

Transparent to translucent

Fracture:

Brittle - Sectile - Brittle fracture with slightly sectile shavings possible.

Habit:

Blocky - Crystal shape tends to be equant (e.g. feldspars).

Habit:

Crystalline - Poor - Occurs primarily as crudely formed crystals.

Habit:

Massive - Uniformly indistinguishable crystals forming large masses.

Hardness:

2-2.5 - Gypsum-Finger Nail

Luminescence:

Non-fluorescent.

Luster:

Sub Metallic

Magnetism:

Nonmagnetic

Streak:

vermilion red

Optical Properties of Proustite

Dichroism (e):

scarlet-vermilion.

Dichroism (w):

blood-red.

Optical Data:

Uniaxial (-), e=2.792, w=3.087-3.088, bire=0.2950-0.2960.

Reflectivity

**Standardized Intensity (100%) Reflection Spectra of Proustite in Air**
λ	R₁	R₂	∑ R₁(λ)	∑ R₂(λ)
400 nm	36.90	39.60
420 nm	36.80	39.50
440 nm	36.70	39.40
460 nm	35.80	38.20
480 nm	34.00	36.80
500 nm	32.50	35.00
520 nm	31.20	33.50
540 nm	30.00	32.30
560 nm	29.00	31.20
580 nm	28.20	30.30
600 nm	27.50	29.60
620 nm	26.90	29.00
640 nm	26.30	28.50
660 nm	25.90	28.20
680 nm	25.40	27.90
700 nm	25.00	27.60

**Calculated Relative Intensity Colors of Proustite in Air**
Relative Intensity	0%	40%	80%	100%	120%	160%	200%	240%	280%	320%
R₁
R₂

Calculated Properties of Proustite

Electron Density:

Bulk Density (Electron Density)=4.98 gm/cc
note: Specific Gravity of Proustite =5.55 gm/cc.

Fermion Index:

Fermion Index = 0.001458358
Boson Index = 0.998541642

Photoelectric:

PE_Proustite= 178.15 barns/electron
U=PE_Proustite x rElectron Density= 887.34 barns/cc.

Radioactivity:

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

Proustite Classification

Dana Class:

03.04.01.01 (03)Sulfides - Sulfosalts

(03.04)where z/y > 3 - (A+)i (A++)j [By Cz], A=metals, B=semi-metals, C=non-metals

(03.04.01)Proustite Group (Ruby Silver)

03.04.01.01 Proustite Ag3AsS3 R 3c 3 2/m

03.04.01.02 Pyrargyrite Ag3SbS3 R 3c 3m

Strunz Class:

02.GA.05 02 - SULFIDES and SULFOSALTS (sulfides, selenides, tellurides; arsenides, antimonides, bismuthides; sulfarsenites, sulf

02.G - Sulfarsenites, sulfantimonites, sulfbismuthites

02.GA -Neso-sulfarsenites, etc., without additional S

02.GA.05 Proustite Ag3AsS3 R 3c 3 2/m

02.GA.05 Pyrargyrite Ag3SbS3 R 3c 3m

Other Proustite Information

References:

NAME( ODonoghue90) PHYS. PROP.(Enc. of Minerals,2nd ed.,1990) OPTIC PROP.(AntBidBlaNic1)

See Also:

Links to other databases for Proustite :
1 - Am. Min. Crystal Structure Database
2 - Amethyst Galleries' Mineral Gallery
3 - Athena
4 - EUROmin Project
5 - Ecole des Mines de Paris
6 - GeoScienceWorld
7 - Google Images
8 - Google Scholar
9 - Handbook of Mineralogy (MinSocAm)
10 - Handbook of Mineralogy (UofA)
11 - MinDAT
12 - Mineralienatlas (Deutsch)
13 - Online Mineral Museum
14 - Philatelic Mineralogy
15 - QUT Mineral Atlas
16 - Ruff.Info
17 - Tradeshop.com - The Rainbow of Gems
18 - WWW-MINCRYST

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Ask about Proustite here :
Ask-A-Mineralogist from the Mineralogical Society of America
Mindat.org's Discussion Groups
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Rockhounds Discussion Group on Yahoo Groups
Mineral Discussion Forum from Fabre Minerals - also available in Español

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

Proustite

Ag3AsS3
Dana No: 03.04.01.01 Strunz No: 02.GA.05
Locality:

Notes: