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Formula: Pb2Cu5(TeO6)2(OH)2
Tellurate
Crystal System: Orthorhombic
Specific gravity: 6.982 calculated
Hardness: 2½
Streak: Very pale yellowish green
Colour: Olive- to lime- green, dark olive-green
Luminescence: Not fluorescent under UV
Solubility: In dilute hydrochloric acid, timroseite immediately decomposes, turning opaque white, and then the
residue slowly dissolves
Common impurities: Cl
Environments
Timroseite 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.
The chorine may be sourced in part from primary phases, but it is
most likely from salty brines interacting with primary
tellurides
(HOM).
Localities
There are two type localities, the Aga Mine and Bird Nest drift, both at Otto Mountain, Baker, Soda Mountains, Silver
Lake Mining District, San Bernardino county, California, USA.
At the type localities timroseite and paratimroseite have been
found. Both minerals occur on fracture surfaces and in small vugs in
brecciated quartz veins.
Timroseite is directly associated with acanthite,
cerussite, bromine-rich
chlorargyrite, chrysocolla,
gold, housleyite,
iodargyrite, khinite,
markcooperite, ottoite,
paratimroseite, thorneite,
vauquelinite and wulfenite.
Timroseite commonly occurs as olive to lime green, irregular, rounded masses and rarely in crystals as dark olive
green, equant rhombs and diamond-shaped plates in subparallel sheaf-like aggregates
(AM 95.1560-1568).
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