Galenobismutite

galenobismutite

cosalite

aikinite

tetradymite

Images

Formula: PbBi2S4
Sulphosalt, bismuth-bearing mineral
Crystal System: Orthorhombic
Specific gravity: 6.9 to 7.1 measured, 7.195 calculated
Hardness: 2½ to 3½
Streak: Grey-black
Colour: Lead-grey, grey, light grey, tin-white
Environments

Hydrothermal environments

Associated minerals include galena, bismuth, cosalite, aikinite, tellurobismuthite, joséite, tetradymite, tetrahedrite, gold, pyrite and quartz (HOM).

Localities

At Kingsgate, Gough county, New South Wales, Australia, galenobismutite is a relatively common primary mineral in masses to 5 cm associated with galena, bismuth, bismuthinite and cosalite (AJM 14.1.21).
Galenobismutite from Kingsgate - Image

At the Monte Cervandone area, Devero Alp, Baceno, Verbano-Cusio-Ossola Province, Piedmont, Italy, of the lead, bismuth and uranium bearing species found in gneissic clefts in the Mättital-Hillehorn-Ritter Pass area on the southwest, only galenobismutite forms collector-quality specimens—and that only in two noteworthy finds. In 1986, excellent galenobismutite specimens came from clefts in the Saflisch water tunnel; long-prismatic, bright silvery-metallic galenobismutite crystals to 1 cm with visible terminal faces emerged from the find. Similar specimens also came from a cleft in the upper Mättital.
In 2004–2005, microscopic crystals of four more very rare sulphosalts, gladite, krupkaite, paarite and salzburgite, were discovered in the Wannigletscher and Chummibort areas (MinRec 56.3.315-316).

The type locality is Kogruvan, Nordmark Odal Field, Filipstad, Värmland County, Sweden.
Galenobismutite from Kogruvan - Image

Back to Minerals