Velikite

velikite

metacinnabar

aktashite

livingstonite

Images

Formula: Cu₂HgSnS₄
Sulphide, stannite group, mercury- and tin- bearing mineral
Crystal System: Tetragonal
Specific gravity: 5.45 to 5.59 measured, 5.450 calculated
Hardness: 4
Streak: Grey
Colour: Dark grey
Environments

Sedimentary environments
Metamorphic emnvironments

Localities

At the type locality, the Khaidarkan Sb-Hg deposit, Batken Region, Kyrgyzstan, velikite forms small grains and crystals with a tetragonal-scalenohedral habit, up to 1 mm across. The colour is dark grey with a grey streak and the lustre is metallic. In reflected light the mineral is grey or light grey with greenish brown and brownish green tints (AM 20,424).
The velikite occurs with stibnite, metacinnabar, aktashite, livingstonite, quartz and fluorite (AM 75.933). Also with mercury-bearing sphalerite and pyrite (AM 83.1118-1119).

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