Sep 5 2013
Betekhtinite was first discovered from the Mansfeld Kupferschiefer, Eisleben, and at Waschenback, Odenwald, Germany in 1955. The mineral was named after Anatolii Gergievich Betekhtin, Russian mineralogist and economic geologist.
Properties of Betekhtinite
The following are the key properties of Betekhtinite:
- Cell Data
- Space Group: Immm
- a = 14.67
- b = 22.80
- c = 3.85
- Z = 4.
- Crystal Data
- Orthorhombic
- Point Group: 2/m 2/m 2/m
- Needles, to 3.5 cm in length, and in irregular masses
- X-ray Powder Pattern: 1.832 (100), 2.93 (90), 3.08 (80), 1.946 (70), 1.766 (70), 2.35 (60), 2.01 (60).
- Chemical Composition
| Elements |
Content 1 |
Content 2 |
| Cu |
61.39 |
58.88 |
| Pb |
19.2 |
17.47 |
| S |
17.25 |
20.16 |
| Fe |
1.83 |
2.81 |
| Ag |
- |
0.79 |
| Total |
99.67 |
100.11 |
- Optical Properties
- Anisotropism: Strong, distinctly colored.
- Estimated Properties
| Electron density |
Bulk density (electron density) = 5.49 g/cm3
note: Specific gravity of Betekhtinite = 5.95 g/cm3 |
| Photoelectric |
PEBetekhtinite = 145.58 barns/electron
U = PEBetekhtinite x ρ Electron density = 799.5 barns/cm3 |
| Fermion index |
Fermion index = 0.01
Boson index = 0.99 |
|
Radioactivity
|
Betekhtinite is not radioactive. |
How to Identify Betekhtinite
Betekhtinite is a brownish black mineral with opaque appearance, distinct cleavage, metallic luster and black streak. It can be formed as needle-like crystals. The average density of the mineral is 6 g/cm3, and its relative hardness is 3.
Global Distribution
Betekhtinite is distributed in the following places:
- Mansfeld Kupferschiefer at Eisleben, Saxony-Anhalt and at Waschenbach, Odenwald, Germany.
- Radka deposit, Pazardzhik, and the Propada deposit, Malko-Tarnovo district, Bulgaria.
- Near Lairg, Sutherlandshire, Scotland.
- Murtschenalp, Switzerland.
- Langban, Varmland, Sweden.
- Bulancak deposit, Giresun, Turkey.
- Tsumeb, Namibia.
- Kipushi, 28 km southwest of Lubumbashi, Katanga Province, Congo.
- St. Cloud mine, Sierra Co., New Mexico, USA.
- La Leona mine, Santa Cruz Province, Argentina.
- Yoshino mine, Yamagata Prefecture, Japan.
- Mt. Lyell, Tasmania, Australia.
- Dzhezkazgan, Kazakhstan.
Occurrence of Betekhtinite and Useful Mineral Association
Betekhtinite occurs in veins cutting the black cupriferous shale. It is closely associated with calcite, anhydrite, celestine, silver, galena, chalcopyrite, chalcocite and bornite.
References