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Formula: Pb16(Sb,As)19S44Cl
Sulpharsenite, antimony-bearing
mineral
Crystal System: Monoclinic
Specific gravity: 5.72 calculated
Hardness: 3½ to 4
Streak: Black
Colour: Lead grey to black
Common impurities: As
Environments
Metamorphic environments
Hydrothermal environments
Playfairite occurs as masses and stringers through dolomitic and
calcitic marbles, at the edges
of other sulphosalt minerals, and extending into them along microscopic veinlets
(HOM).
Localities
At the type locality, the Taylor Pit, Huntingdon Township, Madoc area, Hastings County, Ontario, Canada,
playfairite characteristically occurs at the peripheries of other sulphosalt grains, particularly
boulangerite, and commonly extends into these minerals in the
form of irregular microscopic veinlets. Associated minerals include
boulangerite, jamesonite,
antimonian baumhauerite,
zinkenite, semseyite,
geocronite and robinsonite
(CM 9.191-213). From oldest to youngest, the depositional sequence at Madoc is sulphides,
arsenic-rich sulphosalts, and
antimony-rich and copper-bearing
sulphosalts
(CM 9.505-521).
At the Khaidarkan Sb-Hg deposit, Batken Region, Kyrgyzstan, playfairite is associated with
sphalerite, pyrite,
galena, sorbyite,
twinnite, guettardite,
baumhauerite, realgar,
orpiment, cinnabar,
fluorite and quartz
(HOM).
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