Gortdrumite, a New Sulphide Mineral Containing Copper and Mercury, from Ireland

G. M. Steed
Department of Mineral Exploitation, University College, Cardiff

Abstract: Gortdrumite superficially resembles chalcocite but is more distinctly anisotropic, and is present in a vein containing ferroan dolomite and baryte which cuts dolomitized limestones from the Gortdrum Orebody of County Tipperary, Ireland. It has an empirical formula of approximately (Cu,Fe)6Hg2S5. A distinctive powder diffraction X-ray pattern has been obtained which indicates a probable orthorhombic crystal lattice with a 14.96, b 7.90, and c 24.1 Å. The reflectivity at 589 nm is 25.1 to 27.9% and the VHN10 hardness range 186 to 230.

Mineralogical Magazine; March 1983 v. 47; no. 342; p. 35-36; DOI: 10.1180/minmag.1983.047.342.05
© 1983, The Mineralogical Society
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