Cannizzarite

cannizzarite

lillianite

bismuthinite

tellurium

Images

Formula: Pb8Bi10S23
Sulphosalt, bismuth-bearing mineral
Crystal System: Monoclinic
Specific gravity: 6.7 measured, 6.95 calculated
Hardness: 2
Colour: White to silvery grey
Common impurities: Se,Ag,Sb,Te
Environments

Metamorphic environments
Fumeroles

Localities

At the type locality, La Fossa crater, Vulcano Island, Lipari, Eolie Islands, Messina Province, Sicily, Italy, cannizzarite has been found as very thin single laths, up to 2 mm, and as felted masses and stellate groups, associated with lillianite, mozgovaite, kirkiite, barberiite, galenobismutite, bismuthinite, galena, gold and tellurium (HOM, Mindat). The cannizzarite is formed in the deeper parts of fumaroles with a temperature of 550 to 615oC. The higher levels of the fumaroles carry salammoniac, realgar and sulphur (AM 11.194).

At the Shumilovskoye tungsten deposit, Zabaykalsky Krai, Russia, cannizzarite has been found in sulphide veinlets in greisen, associated with wolframite, cassiterite, bismuthinite, galena, cosalite, heyrovskýite, galenobismutite, tetradymite, joséite-B, bismuth and quartz (HOM, Mindat).

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