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Formula: PbTe
Telluride, galena group
Crystal System: Isometric
Specific gravity: 8.19 measured, 8.27 calculated
Hardness: 2 to 3
Streak: Black
Colour: Tin-white with a light yellow tint; yellow-brown, blue (tarnished)
Solubility: Effervesces with nitric acid (AM 34.361-362)
Common impurities: Ag,Au,Cu,Fe,Se,S
Environments
Altaite typically occurs in medium-temperature hydrothermal veins in gold-tellurium-bearing deposits (Webmin, HOM).
Associated minerals include native gold, native silver,
antimony, tellurium,
tellurantimony, galena,
pyrite, hessite,
nagyágite, tetrahedrite,
sylvanite, petzite,
calaverite, arsenopyrite,
sphalerite, chalcopyrite,
jamesonite, boulangerite,
bournonite, aguilarite,
pyrrhotite, siderite,
cerussite and quartz
(HOM, Mindat).
At the Golden Mile deposit, Kalgoorlie-Boulder, Western Australia, altaite has been found with
hessite, petzite, and often minor
galena and bournonite
(R&M 18.1.14).
At the Charley Group and Hido Group,near Taseko Lake narrows, Clinton Mining Divisions, British Columbia, Canada, altaite has been
found in vuggy limonitic quartz associated with
hessite, native gold and several sulphides
(AM 34.361-362).
Near Glacier Lake, New Westminster Mining Division, British Columbia, Canada, altaite has been found as small nests in
limonitic vein calcite
(AM 34.361-362).
At the Hedley Monarch Mine, Olalla, Osoyoos Mining Division, British Columbia, Canada, altaite is associated with
hessite and petzite
(AM 34.361-362).
At the Dome Mine, South Porcupine, Cochrane District, Ontario, Canada, altaite occurs as scattered grains associated with
pyrrhotite in quartz
(AM 34.361-362).
At the Ardeen Mine, Moss Township, Thunder Bay District, Ontario, Canada, altaite has been found with
hessite in a quartz -
calcite gangue
(AM 34.361-362).
At the Golden Gate mine, Kirkland Lake Township, Timiskaming District, Ontario, Canada, altaite has been found as a finely crystalline
mass associated with calaverite and native gold
coating one surface of white pyrite-bearing quartz
(AM 34.361-362).
In the Kirkland Lake Area, Timiskaming District, Ontario, Canada, altaite occurs in several mines as disseminated grains or compact
masses embedded in silicified rock, quartz, or altered
syenite porphyry, and associated
with coloradoite, petzite,
calaverite, melonite,
pyrite, molybdenite,
chalcopyrite and native gold
(AM 34.361-362).
At the Bevcon mine, Abitibi-Témiscamingue, Québec, Canada, altaite is disseminated with petzite
and native gold in massive white
quartz
(AM 34.361-362).
At the Horne Mine, Abitibi-Témiscamingue, Québec, Canada, altaite occurs with petzite and
calaverite in coarsely crystalline masses, or intergrown with
tellurobismuthite
(AM 34.361-362).
At Sigma-Lamaque, Val d'Or, La Vallée-de-l'Or RCM, Abitibi-Témiscamingue, Québec, Canada, gold
occurs with altaite and with calaverite in white
quartz with pyrite
(R&M 96.3.210).
At the Robb-Montbray Mine, Abitibi-Témiscamingue, Québec, Canada, altaite occurs in substantial masses in solid rich masses of
tellurides, sulphides, and native gold, usually intergrown with
tellurobismuthite
(AM 34.361-362).
At Upper Burwash Creek, Yukon terrirory, Canada, altaite has been identified associated with
hessite, native gold and
hedleyite
(AM 34.361-362).
The type locality is the Second Zavodinskii Mine, Zyryan District, East Kazakhstan, Kazakhstan.
At Nagyág, Deva, Hunedoara, Romania, altaite has been found as irregular inclusions in coarse
nagyágite with rhodochrosite
(AM 34.361-362).
At the Clogau Mine, Bontddu, Gwynedd, Wales, UK, altaite has been found as inclusions in
tellurobismuthite, associated with inclusions of
hessite
(MW).
At the Providence Gold Quartz Mine, Nevada City, Nevada City District, Nevada county, California, USA, altaite has been
reported associated with gold
(R&M 96.3.209).
In Tuolumne county, California, USA, excellent gold-altaite specimens have been collected
in the Hidden Treasure, Birney and Sell mines
(R&M 96.3.209).
At the Red Cloud Mine, Boulder County, Colorado, USA, altaite occurs as disseminated grains associated with
pyrite and empressite in
porphyry
(AM 34.361-362).
At the Empress Josephine Mine, Kerber Creek district, Saguache county, Colorado, USA, altaite occurs as small inclusions in
empressite
(AM 34.361-362).
At Las Cruces, New Mexico, USA, altaite occurs as disseminated nests in coarsely crystalline
baryte
(AM 34.361-362).
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