Playfairite is a rare sulfosalt mineral with chemical formula Pb16Sb18S43 in the monoclinic crystal system,[3][4] named after the Scottish scientist and mathematician John Playfair.[5] It was discovered in 1966 by the Canadian mineralogist John Leslie Jambor.[2][6][7] Lead gray to black in color, its luster is metallic. Playfairite shows strong reflection pleochroism from white to brownish gray. Playfairite has a hardness of 3.5 to 4 on Mohs scale and a specific gravity of approximately 5.72.[3]
| Playfairite | |
|---|---|
 | |
| General | |
| Category | Sulfosalt minerals, Sulfides |
| Formula (repeating unit) | Pb16Sb18S43 |
| IMA symbol | Pyf[1] |
| Strunz classification | 2.LB.30 (10 ed) 2/E.20-40 (8 ed) |
| Dana classification | 3.6.4.1 |
| Crystal system | Monoclinic Unknown space group |
| Identification | |
| Color | Lead gray to black |
| Cleavage | Perfect |
| Mohs scale hardness | 3.5-4 |
| Luster | Metallic |
| Streak | Black |
| Specific gravity | 5.72 |
| Pleochroism | Strong reflection |
| References | [2] |
The type locality is Taylor Pit (Concession XIV; Lot 13), Huntingdon Township, Hastings County in Ontario, Canada.[3] Small deposits have also been found in Les Cougnasses Mine, Orpierre in the Haut-Alpes in France, Khaidarkan Sb-Hg deposit (Chaidarkan), Fergana Valley, Alai Range, Osh Oblast, Kyrgyzstan and Reese River District, Lander County, Nevada, USA.[3]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Warr, L.N. (2021). "IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols". Mineralogical Magazine. 85 (3): 291–320. Bibcode:2021MinM...85..291W. doi:10.1180/mgm.2021.43. S2CID 235729616.
- ^ a b Jambor, J.L. (1967). "New lead sulfantimonides from Madoc, Ontario; Part 2, Mineral descriptions" (PDF). Canadian Mineralogist. 9: 194–196.
- ^ a b c d "Information page for Playfairite". Mindat.
- ^ "Information page for Playfairite". Webmineral.
- ^ "Information page for Playfairite" (PDF). Handbook of Mineralogy.
- ^ Michael Fleischer (1968), "New Mineral Names" (PDF), American Mineralogist, 53: 1424
- ^ Lynne Jambor and John Dutrizac (2008), Memorial of John L. Jambor (1936-2008), American Mineralogist, vol. 93, pp. 710-712
