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Formula: Pb6CuTe4O18(OH)2
Tellurate
Crystal System: Monoclinic
Specific gravity: 7.845 calculated
Hardness: 3
Streak: Pale blue
Colour: Pale to medium greenish blue
Luminescence: Not fluorescent under UV
Environments
Housleyite is a secondary phase on fracture surfaces
and in small vugs in quartz veins. It is formed from the partial oxidation of
primary sulphides, such as
galena, and tellurides, such as
hessite, during or following
brecciation of the quartz
veins
(HOM).
Localities
There are two co-type localities, the Aga Mineand Bird Nest drift, both at Otto Mountain, Baker, Soda Mountains,
Silver Lake Mining District, San Bernardino county, California, USA. Housleyite occurs here on fracture
surfaces and in small vugs in brecciated
quartz veins. It is directly associated with
acanthite, cerussite,
gold, iodargyrite,
khinite-4O, wulfenite and three
other new tellurates: markcooperite,
ottoite and thorneite. A variety
of other secondary minerals occurs in the veins, including
three other new secondary
tellurium minerals,
paratimroseite,
telluroperite and
timroseite.
Housleyite crystals are prismatic to bladed and typically occur in bow tie-like aggregates, drusy balls and
irregular sprays. It is pale to medium greenish blue and transparent, with pale blue streak and adamantine lustre
(AM 95.1337-1342).
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