Fairbankite

fairbankite

jarosite

winstanleyite

rodalquilarite

Images

Formula: Pb2+12(Te4+O3)11(SO4)
Tellurite
Crystal system: Triclinic
Specific gravity: 7.45 calculated
Hardness: 2
Streak: White
Colour: Colourless
Luminescence:
Solubility: Very slowly soluble in cold dilute nitric and hydrochloric acids, but solubility is easy when warmed.
Environments

Hydrothermal environments

Localities

At the type locality, the Grand Central Mine, Contention-Grand Central Mine group, Tombstone Mining District, Cochise County, Arizona, USA, one fist-sized specimen of fairbankite was found on the waste dump of the mine. Crystals of fairbankite are colourless and clear, have a bright resinous to adamantine lustre, and could be easily confounded with cerussite or anglesite. No free-standing crystals were found; all crystals in the specimen are present as a thin crust plastered on the walls of voids left by leached galena (MM 43.453-457).
Fairbankite is very rare on the mine dump from the hydrothermal gold-tellurium-bearing ore deposit. Associated minerals include winstanleyite, cerussite, chlorargyrite, jarosite, rodalquilarite and opal (HOM).
Fairbankite from the Grand Central Mine - Image

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