Formula: Ag5-xTe3 (x = 0.24-0.36)
Telluride
Crystal System: Hexagonal
Specific gravity: 8
Hardness: 3½
Streak: Grey-black
Colour: Dark lead-grey, bronze-brown to iridescent (tarnished)
Environments
Stützite occurs as replacement masses in hydrothermal deposits associated with other
tellurides and sulphides. Associated minerals include
sylvanite, hessite,
altaite, petzite,
empressite, tellurium,
gold, galena,
sphalerite, colusite,
tetrahedrite–tennantite
and pyrite
(HOM).
Localities
In Kalgoorlie-Boulder Shire, Western Australia, a single specimen has been found of stützite associated with
sylvanite
(AM 49.325-338).
At the Vatukoula Gold Field, Viti Levu, Fiji, the observed associations are
stützite-sylvanite,
stützite-tellurium,
stützite-tellurium-sylvanite,
and stützite-tellurium-coloradoite
(AM 49.325-338).
At the type locality, Săcărâmb, Certeju de Sus, Deva, Hunedoara, Romania, stützite was found in a single
specimen associated with gold and hessite
on quartz
(AM 36.458-469).
At the Red Cloud mine, Gold Hill district, Boulder county, Colorado, USA, stützite occurs associated
with altaite. Other tellurides
from this mine include hessite, petzite
and sylvanite
(AM 49.325-338).
At the May Day mine, La Plata district, La Plata County, Colorado, USA, stützite is an abundant constituent
of telluride replacement masses, and was observed in the associations
stützite-sylvanite,
stützite-hessite-sylvanite,
and stützite-altaite. Sulphide minerals are commonly intergrown with
the tellurides and include
galena, sphalerite and
tetrahedrite–tennantite
(AM 49.325-338).
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