Rickardite

Rickardite
Rickardite on tellurium
General
CategoryTelluride mineral
Formula
(repeating unit)
Cu7Te5
IMA symbolRkd[1]
Strunz classification2.BA.30
Crystal systemOrthorhombic
Crystal classDipyramidal (mmm)
H-M symbol: (2/m 2/m 2/m)
Space groupPmmn
Identification
ColorRed-violet (fresh), darkens
Mohs scale hardness3+12
LusterMetallic
StreakRed
DiaphaneityOpaque

Rickardite is a telluride mineral, a copper telluride (Cu7Te5)[2] or Cu3-x (x = 0 to 0.36)Te2.[3] It was first described for an occurrence in the Good Hope Mine, Vulcan district, Gunnison County, Colorado, US,[4] and named for mining engineer Thomas Arthur Rickard (1864–1953).[2] It is a low temperature hydrothermal mineral that occurs associated with vulcanite, native tellurium, cameronite, petzite, sylvanite, berthierite, pyrite, arsenopyrite and bornite.[3]

  1. ^ Warr, L.N. (2021). "IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols". Mineralogical Magazine. 85 (3): 291–320. Bibcode:2021MinM...85..291W. doi:10.1180/mgm.2021.43. S2CID 235729616.
  2. ^ a b Mindat
  3. ^ a b Handbook of Mineralogy
  4. ^ Webmineral