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Formula: Cu2+3PbTe6+O6(OH)2
Tellurate
There are two known polytypes, khinite-4O (orthorhombic) and khinite-3T (trigonal)
Crystal System: Orthorhombic
Specific gravity: 6.5 to 7.0 measured, 6.29 calculated
Hardness: 3
Streak: Green
Colour: Dark green to bottle green
Luminescence: Not fluorescent under UV
Solubility: Quickly dissolves in even mildly alkaline water
Environments
Khinite forms by oxidation of
gold-telluride ores in highly acidic
minewaters; it is a secondary
tellurate mineral
(Webmin).
Localities
At the type locality, the Old Guard mine, Tombstone, Tombstone Mining District, Cochise county, Arizona, USA,
khinite was found on the tellurium-bearing dumps as corroded, deep
green crystals that form rings on fracture surfaces. Massive chlorargyrite
occupies the centre of the rings, and khinite shows replacement on the outside by a sparkling druse of minute
dugganite crystals. The matrix is coarse glassy
quartz. There are a few pockets of granular
quetzalcoatlite hosting grains of
gold, and chrysocolla and
tenorite staining is common. Khinite may alter to
dugganite. Crystals on the khinite specimen reach 0.15mm in size. They
are curved or barrel-shaped bipyramids but supergene corrosion has
etched them deeply
(AM 63.1016-1019).
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