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Formula: Pb3-2xAgxBi2+xS6
Sulphosalt, lillianite homologous series group,
forms a series with gustavite
Crystal System: Orthorhombic
Specific gravity: 7 to 7.2 measured
Hardness: 2 to 3
Streak: Black
Colour: Steel grey
Common impurities: Ag,Cu,Sb
Environments:
Lillianite occurs in hydrothermal veins of probable high temperature origin (Webmin, HOM). Associated minerals include
cosalite, galena,
gustavite and quartz
(Mindat).
Localities
At the La Fossa crater, Vulcano Island, Lipari, Eolie Islands, Messina Province, Sicily, Italy, excellent samples of
lillianite have been found around a high-temperature fumarole, associated with
cannizzarite, galenobismutite,
sphalerite and selenium-bearing
galena. As with other sulphosalts from Vulcano, significant
selenium is invariably present (up to 2.22 weight %)
(CM 39.1383-1396).
The original type locality, the Lillian mines, Printer Boy Hill, Leadville, Lake county, Colorado, USA, is now discredited
because the "type material" from there later proved to be a mixture of mostly galena
and galenobismutite
(AM 54.579).
At the Pedro claim, King County, Washington, USA, an elongated prismatic crystal of lillianite has been found, with severe
exterior corrosion, associated with aikinite, galena,
neyite and gustavite
(https://rruff.info/Lillianite).
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