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Formula: Ni3HgS3
Sulphide, nickel- and mercury-
bearing mineral
Crystal System: Monoclinic
Specific gravity: 5.18 calculated for the theoretical formula and 5.17 calculated for the empirical formula
Hardness: 2
Streak: Brownish grey
Colour: Brown
Environments
Sedimentary environments
Hydrothermal environments
Localities
The type locality, the Erasmus adit, Schwarzleo mining district, Schwarzleograben, Hütten, Leogang, Zell am See
District, Salzburg, Austria, is the assumed source of donharrisite, found on a museum specimen from the former
Erasmus mine. The specimen is probably taken from a stratabound carbonate-hosted
lead - silver -
mercury ore.
Donharrisite occurs as isolated, thin, mica-like flakes or laminae that
have a surface area of up to 1 mm2 and are about 0.1 mm thick. They are scattered on slickensides (smoothly
polished surfaces caused by frictional movement between rocks along a fault. These surfaces are typically striated in
the direction of movement) and, more rarely, along s-planes
(see reference) of the holotype
specimen, associated with cinnabar,
polydymite and trace amounts of
galena, sphalerite,
chalcopyrite, tennantite
and pyrite. Some of the tiny vugs within the
dolomite layers contain donharrisite laminae associated with
droplets of native mercury
(CM 27.257-262).
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