X–Ray Powder Diffraction Data for Synthetic Varieties of Tetrahedrite

Abstract

AbstractA series of five synthetic tetrahedrite-group minerals has been prepared and examined using powder X-ray diffraction in order to update current powder data and provide a validation test of cell dimension prediction equations. The tetrahedrites (nominally (Cu10X2)Sb4S13 with X = Zn, Cd, Mn, Hg and Fe) have the following properties: zincian tetrahedrite, a = 10.3833 (1) Å, Dx = 4.974 (1) g/cm3, F30 = 264 (0.004, 31), M20 = 279; cadmian tetrahedrite, a = 10.5066 (1) Å, Dx = 5.073 (1) g/cm3, F30 = 208 (0.004, 37), M20 = 249; manganoan tetrahedrite, a = 10.4384 (1) Å, Dx = 4.822 (1) g/cm3, F30 = 274 (0.003, 33), M20 = 302; mercurian tetrahedrite, a = 10.5071 (1) Å, Dx = 5.570 (1) g/cm3, F30 = 150 (0.006, 35), M20 = 156; ferroan tetrahedrite, a = 10.3630 (1) Å, Dx = 5.002 (1) g/cm3, F30 = 253 (0.004, 33), M20 = 281. The experimental unit cell dimensions obtained in this study are in excellent agreement with calculated values produced using regression equations developed previously.