Cubothioplumbite

cubothioplumbite

hexathioplumbite

Images

Formula: [Pb4(OH)4]Pb(S2O3)3
Sulphate, thiosulphate, paramorph of hexathioplumbite
Crystal System: Isometric
Specific gravity: 5.748 calculated for the empirical formula, 5.763 calculated for the ideal formula
Hardness: 3
Streak: White
Colour: Yellow
Luminescence: Not fluorescent under long wave or short wave UV
Solubility: Dissolves very slowly in room-temperature dilute hydrochloric acid
Environments

Metamorphic environments

Cubothioplumbite is a new mineral, approved in 2021 and to date (August 2023) reported only from the type locality.

Localities

At the type locality, the Redmond mine, Waterville Lake, Haywood county, North Carolina, USA, cubothioplumbite and hexathioplumbite were found underground. The ore, consisting mainly of galena and sphalerite with lesser chalcopyrite, occurs in an epithermal vein system consisting of disconnected sulphide-bearing quartz lenses near the contact between a granite gneiss and a mica schist. Cubothioplumbite and hexathioplumbite occur together in a localised, unusual secondary mineral assemblage in vugs in massive galena - sphalerite - chalcopyrite - quartz in close association with anglesite, cerussite, fassinaite, hydroredmondite, lanarkite and steverustite.
Cubothioplumbite crystals occur as yellow, transparent, cubic crystals up to about 0.5 mm across. No twinning was observed (CJMP 61.623-633).

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