Jun 11 2014
Aikinite was named after Dr. Arthur Aikin (1773–1854), an English chemist and mineralogist, and a founder and long-time Secretary of the Geological Society of London, England.
Properties of Aikinite
The following are the key properties of aikinite:
- Cell Data
- Space group: Pnma
- a = 11.638(3)
- b = 4.039(1)
- c = 11.319(2)
- Z = 499.07
- Crystal Data
- Orthorhombic
- Point group: 2/m2/m2/m
- Prismatic to acicular to 1m, striated || [001], rarely radiating
- Massive
- X-ray powder pattern: 3.68 (100), 3.19 (80), 2.88 (70), 3.59 (60), 2.59 (50), 1.989 (40), 4.08 (30)
- Chemical Composition
| Elements |
Content 1 |
Content 2 |
Content 3 |
| Bi |
36.25 |
37.52 |
36.29 |
| Pb |
35.15 |
35.19 |
35.98 |
| S |
16.56 |
16.70 |
16.70 |
| Cu |
11.11 |
10.59 |
11.03 |
| Fe |
- |
0.17 |
- |
| Total |
99.07 |
100.17 |
100.00 |
- Optical Properties
- Anisotropism: Distinct
- Pleochroism: Cream-white to pure white or pale brown
- R1–R2: (400) 39.1–43.5, (420) 39.2–44.0, (440) 39.3–44.5, (460) 39.4–44.9, (480) 39.4–45.3, (500) 39.5–45.7, (520) 39.4–46.0, (540) 39.3–46.2, (560) 39.2–46.4, (580) 39.0–46.3, (600) 38.9–46.1, (620) 38.9–45.8, (640) 38.6–45.4, (660) 38.3–44.9, (680) 38.1–44.4, (700) 37.9–43.9
- Estimated Properties
| Electron density |
Bulk density (electron density) = 6.01 g/cm3
note: Specific gravity of aikinite = 7.15 g/cm3. |
| Photoelectric |
PEAikinite = 1,358.58 barns/electron
U = PEAikinite x ρ electron density = 8,163.38 barns/cm3 |
| Fermion index |
Fermion index = 0.08
Boson index = 0.92 |
Radioactivity
|
Aikinite is not radioactive
|
How to Identify Aikinite
Aikinite can be identified in the field by its color variations, such as lead-gray, grayish-black, and reddish-brown. Its opaque form has {010} indistinct cleavage. This mineral has a metallic luster, with grayish streak.
The density of aikinite is 6.1 to 6.8 g/cm3, with a hardness of 2 to 2.5 - between gypsum and finger nail.
Global Distribution
Aikinite is distributed in the following places:
- Russia - From the Beresovsk district, near Yekaterinburg (Sverdlovsk), Middle Ural Mountains [TL], exceptional crystal sprays; very large crystals at Djida, Buryat, Siberia
- Slovakia - From Dobsina (Dobschau)
- France - At the Gardette mine, near Bourg d’Oisans, Is`ere
- USA - In Utah, at the Sells mine, Alta, Salt Lake Co. and in Nevada, near Cucomungo Spring, also near the Sylvania Mountains, Esmeralda Co.
- at the Old Lout mine, Poughkeepsie Gulch, near Ouray, San Juan Co. and in the Sunnyside mine, Eureka Co. Colorado; from the Chantilly quarry, near Arcola, Loudoun Co. Virginia
- Mexico - At Tasco and Huitzuco, Guerrero
Occurrence of Aikinite and Useful Mineral Association
Aikinite occurs uncommonly in hydrothermal veins.
It is often associated with minerals such as gold, tennantite, bismuthinite, pyrite, galena, enargite, quartz, and chalcopyrite.
References