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Chemical variability in wakabayashilite: a real feature or an analytical artifact?

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  05 July 2018

L. Bindi*
Affiliation:
Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra, Universitá degli Studi di Firenze, Via G. La Pira 4, I-50121 Florence, Italy
P. Bonazzi
Affiliation:
Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra, Universitá degli Studi di Firenze, Via G. La Pira 4, I-50121 Florence, Italy
M. Zoppi
Affiliation:
Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra, Universitá degli Studi di Firenze, Via G. La Pira 4, I-50121 Florence, Italy
P. G. Spry
Affiliation:
Department of Geological and Atmospheric Sciences, 253 Science I, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa 50011-3212, USA

Abstract

Wakabayashilite is a rare mineral with ideal formula [(As,Sb)6S9][As4S5]. Its structure consists of an [M6S9] bundle-like unit (M = As, Sb) running along the [001] axis and [As4S5] cage-like molecules. In this study, samples of wakabayashilite from different occurrences (Khaidarkan, Kyrgyzstan; Jas Roux, France; White Caps mine, USA; Nishinomaki mine, Japan) were selected to verify the possible presence of different molecular groups replacing the As4S5 molecule. Given the chemical (electron probe microanalysis-wavelength dispersive spectroscopy), spectroscopic (micro-Raman) and structural (single-crystal X-ray diffraction) results obtained, it appears evident that only the As4S5 molecular group is present in the wakabayashilite structure and that the apparent non-stoichiometry reported in literature is actually due to unreliable chemical analyses. The structural role of the minor elements (Cu, Zn and Tl) in wakabayashilite is also discussed.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © The Mineralogical Society of Great Britain and Ireland 2014

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Supplementary material: PDF

Bindi et al. supplementary material

Table 6a

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Table 6b

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CIF 1

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CIF 2

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