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Formula: Cu3SbS4
Sulphantimonate,
stannite group,
forms a series with luzonite,
copper-bearing mineral
Crystal System: Tetragonal
Specific gravity: 4.635 measured, 4.66 calculated
Hardness: 3 to 4
Streak: Black
Colour: Deep pinkish brown
Common impurities: Fe,As,Bi
Environments
Famatinite occurs in copper deposits formed at low to medium temperatures.
It is generally absent from copper deposits of the high temperature,
pyrometasomatic (Formed by metasomatic changes in rocks, principally in
limestone, at or near intrusive contacts, under
the influence of magmatic emanations and high to moderate temperature and pressure)
or medium temperature porphyry type.
Associated minerals include pyrite,
enargite,
tetrahedrite–tennantite,
chalcopyrite and covellite, and
more rarely sphalerite,
bismuthinite, silver,
gold and marcasite, with
quartz and baryte as common
gangue minerals. Alunite is also found
in some places
(AM 42.766-779. HOM).
Localities
The type locality is Sierra de Famatina, Famatina Department, La Rioja Province, Argentina.
At Brixlegg, Inn valley, North Tyrol, Tyrol, Austria,
tetrahedrite–tennantite veins
from the historic silver mines host a newly formed mineral assemblage of
enargite/luzonite-famatinite,
chalcostibite, pyrite and
sphalerite, with or without
stibnite, resulting from breakdown of the ore minerals
(EJM.25.155-163).
At the Gunung Pongkor mine, Bogor Regency, West Java Province, Indonesia, the
gold–silver deposit is the largest
low-sulphidation epithermal precious-metal deposit in Indonesia. It consists of nine major
quartz–adularia–carbonate veins with
a very low sulphide content. The association of sulphides is the main gold carrier
and is dominated by pyrite,
chalcopyrite and sphalerite,
with or without galena. Minor phases are
silver-rich sulphides and sulphosalts, such as
acanthite–aguilarite,
polybasite–pearceite,
famatinite, proustite and
tetrahedrite. Gold occurs as a
gold-silver alloy and as
uytenbogaardtite.
Chalcocite,
native gold, stromeyerite, rare
covellite and mckinstryite are
the latest phases, of supergene origin
(CM 41.185-200).
The Pardos deposit, Pardos, Guadalajara, Castile-La Mancha, Spain, consists of a system of
copper-silver veins. The ore assemblage
and textures reflect vertical zoning. The lower level contains
tetrahedrite–tennantite,
famatinite–luzonite, pyrite and
chalcopyrite, and minor galena and
sphalerite. The upper level exhibits an association of
tetrahedrite,
argentian tetrahedrite,
freibergite,
pyrargyrite, stephanite,
polybasite and acanthite
(CM 48.415-430).
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