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Formula: CuPbBiS3
Sulphosalt, forms a series with bismuthinite,
bismuth-bearing mineral
Crystal System: Orthorhombic
Specific gravity: 7.06 to 7.08 measured 7.255 calculated
Hardness: 2 to 2½
Streak: Greyish black
Colour: Blackish lead-grey
Environments
Aikinite is an uncommon bismuth-bearing mineral in hydrothermal veins, associated with gold,
pyrite, galena,
tennantite, bismuthinite,
enargite, chalcopyrite and
quartz
(HOM, Mindat).
Localities
The Two Mile and Three Mile deposits, Paddy's River, Paddys River District, Australian Capital Territory, Australia,
are skarn deposits at the contact between
granodiorite and volcanic rocks.
Aikinite is a primary sulphosalt that occurs in minor
amounts as small grains and aggregates intergrown with galena close to adjacent
chalcopyrite and within
chalcopyrite and associated gangue
in copper-rich material
(AJM 22.1.38).
At Johanngeorgenstadt, Erzgebirgskreis, Saxony, Germany, aikinite has been found relatively rarely as tiny
blackish grey crystals, commonly iridescent, associated with quartz in the
complex uranium assemblage in the
pitchblende-bearing ore veins
(MinRec 55.5.587).
The type locality is the Berezovsk Deposit, Beryozovsky, Sverdlovsk Oblast, Russia.
Aikinite from Berezovsk - Image
At the Carrock mine, Caldbeck Fells, Cumbria, England, UK, aikinite has been found as minute crystals in
quartz stringers in greisen
(C&S).
Aikinite from the Carrock Mine - Image
At the Chantilly Quarry, Chantilly, Loudoun county, Virginia, USA, silver-coloured prismatic crystals of
aikinite to approximately 3 mm in length have been found, also as microwires extending from
prehnite
(R&M 98.2.123).
Aikinite from Chantilly - Image
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