# Stephanite

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> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephanite
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{{Short description|Sulfosalt mineral}}
{{For|the [nanomaterial](/source/nanomaterial)|Ag-Sb2S3}}{{infobox mineral 
| name = Stephanite
| category    = [Sulfosalt mineral](/source/Sulfosalt_mineral)
|image  = Stephanite-oldeuro-119a.jpg
| caption = 
| formula     = Ag<sub>5</sub>SbS<sub>4</sub>
| IMAsymbol   = Sph<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Warr|first=L.N.|date=2021|title=IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols|journal=Mineralogical Magazine|volume=85|issue=3|pages=291–320|doi=10.1180/mgm.2021.43|bibcode=2021MinM...85..291W|s2cid=235729616|doi-access=free}}</ref>
| molweight   = 
| strunz      = 2.GB.10
| dana        = 03.02.04.01
| system      = [Orthorhombic](/source/Orthorhombic)
| class       = Pyramidal (mm2) <br/>[H-M symbol](/source/H-M_symbol): (mm2)
| symmetry    = ''C''mc2<sub>1</sub>
| colour      = Lead grey to black
| color       = 
| habit       = Tabular, pseudo-hexagonal crystals; massive
| twinning    = Common on [110] repeated, forms pseudohexagonal groupings
| cleavage    = Imperfect on {010}, poor on {021} 
| fracture    = Subconchoidal
| tenacity    = Brittle
| mohs        = 2.0–2.5
| lustre      = Metallic
| streak      = Iron black
| diaphaneity = Opaque
| gravity     = 6.26
| density     = 
| polish      = 
| opticalprop = Anisotropic in polished section
| refractive  = 
| birefringence = 
| pleochroism = Very weak – white to pale pink
| 2V          = 
| dispersion  = 
| extinction  = 
| length fast/slow =
| fluorescence= 
| absorption  =
| melt        = 
| fusibility  = 
| diagnostic  = 
| solubility  = 
| other       = 
| alteration  = 
| references  = <ref name=Handbook>http://rruff.geo.arizona.edu/doclib/hom/stephanite.pdf Handbook of Mineralogy</ref><ref name=Webmin>https://webmineral.com/data/Stephanite.shtml Webmineral data</ref><ref name=Mindat>http://www.mindat.org/min-3764.html Mindat.org</ref>
}}
'''Stephanite''' is a [silver](/source/silver) [antimony](/source/antimony) [sulfosalt mineral](/source/sulfosalt_mineral) with formula: [Ag](/source/silver)<sub>5</sub>[Sb](/source/antimony)[S](/source/sulfur)<sub>4</sub>. It is composed of 68.8% [silver](/source/silver), and sometimes is of importance as an ore of this metal.{{sfn|Spencer|1911|p=880}}

==History==
Under the name Schwarzerz it was mentioned by [Georgius Agricola](/source/Georgius_Agricola) in 1546, and it has been variously known as "black silver ore" ([German](/source/German_language) ''Schwarzgultigerz''), brittle silver-ore (''Sprödglanzerz''), etc. The name stephanite was proposed by [W Haidinger](/source/Wilhelm_Karl_Ritter_von_Haidinger) in 1845 in honour of the [Archduke of Austria Stephan Franz Victor](/source/Archduke_Stephen%2C_Palatine_of_Hungary) of Habsburg-Lorena (1817–1867). French authors use [F. S. Beudant](/source/Fran%C3%A7ois_Sulpice_Beudant)'s name psaturose (from the [Greek](/source/Greek_language) ''ψαθυρός'', fragile).{{sfn|Spencer|1911|p=880}}

==Properties==
It frequently occurs as well-formed crystals, which are [orthorhombic](/source/orthorhombic) and occasionally show indications of [hemimorphism](/source/hemimorphism): they have the form of six-sided [prism](/source/prism_(geometry))s or flat tables terminated by large [basal plane](/source/basal_plane)s and often modified at the edges by numerous pyramid-planes. [Twinning](/source/Crystal_twinning) on the prism-planes is of frequent occurrence, giving rise to pseudo-hexagonal groups like those of [aragonite](/source/aragonite). The colour is iron-black, and the lustre metallic and brilliant; on exposure to light, however, the crystals soon become dull.{{sfn|Spencer|1911|p=880}} Stephanite is an important ore of silver in some mining camps.

==Occurrence==
Stephanite occurs as a  late-stage mineral with other ores of silver in [hydrothermal](/source/hydrothermal) [veins](/source/Vein_(geology)).{{sfn|Spencer|1911|p=880}} Associated minerals include [proustite](/source/proustite), [acanthite](/source/acanthite), native silver, [tetrahedrite](/source/tetrahedrite), [galena](/source/galena), [sphalerite](/source/sphalerite) and [pyrite](/source/pyrite).<ref name=Handbook/> Localities which have yielded good crystallized specimens are Freiberg and Gersdorf near Rosswein in [Saxony](/source/Saxony), [Chañarcillo](/source/Cha%C3%B1arcillo) in [Chile](/source/Chile), and exceptionally [Cornwall](/source/Cornwall). In the Comstock lode in [Nevada](/source/Nevada) massive stephanite and [argentite](/source/argentite) are important ores of silver.

==See also==
* [List of minerals](/source/List_of_minerals)
* [List of minerals named after people](/source/List_of_minerals_named_after_people)

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Commons category}}

;Attribution
*{{1911|first=Leonard James |last=Spencer |wstitle=Stephanite |volume=15 |page=880}}

Category:Silver minerals
Category:Antimony minerals
Category:Sulfosalt minerals
Category:Orthorhombic minerals
Category:Glances
Category:Minerals in space group 36

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Stephanite](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephanite) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephanite?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.