Wittite

wittite

nordstromite

friedrichite

cordierite

Images

Formula: Pb8Bi10(S,Se)23
Sulphosalt, bismuth and selenium bearing mineral
Crystal System: Monoclinic
Specific gravity: 7.12
Hardness: 2 to 2½
Streak: Black
Colour: Light lead-grey
Environments

Metamorphic environments
Fumeroles

Localities

At La Fossa crater, Vulcano Island, Lipari, Eolie Islands, Messina Province, Sicily, Italy, wittite and cannizzarite were found together around high-temperature fumaroles. Wittite was revealed only in samples collected around the fumarole vent F11 at a temperature of sampling of about 450°C, in association with bismuthinite. Wittite forms aggregates of very tiny sheaves of slightly divergent, bladed crystals up to 2 mm in length. Tiny crystals of selenium-bearing galena occur sparingly on some of the wittite (CM 38.23-34).

The first recorded locality for wittite was the Falun mine, Falun, Dalarna County, Sweden. Here wittite occurs in an amphibolite rock associated with nordströmite, friedrichite, magnetite, pyrite, cordierite and quartz (HOM).

At Middlemarch Canyon, Middle Pass District, Dragoon Mts, Cochise county, Arizona, USA, wittite occurs in garnet tactite (HOM).

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