FMF - Friends of Minerals Forum, discussion and message board

[bugrock]

Hello,

I am looking for an explanation for the formula given for the following mineral. In particular the use if the "dot" placed between what appears to represent two compounds. Are there two ionic/covalently bound molecules in this formula loosely joined by weak forces represented by the "dot"? If so, are there two separate mineral species represented by the formula that precedes and the one that follows the "dot"? Does each occur in nature independently or due to stability issues must they be associated?

Quetzalcoatlite : Zn6Cu3(TeO6)2(OH)6·AgxPbyClx+2y

Appreciate any comments,

George

[lluis]

Hi, George

Sure others could answer better than I, but seems that Quetzalcoatlite has a zeolite like structre, in which channels silver, lead a clhoride ions are adsorbed

https://ammin.geoscienceworld.org/cgi/content/abstract/85/3-4/604
(link normalized by FMF)

I would understand, as formula suggest, that the double lead and silver chloride are just intruders inside the crystalline net (a complete formula places that x+y is less or equal to 2).
Like those formulae that have the dot plus x-y H2O....

Hope it serves

With best wishes

Lluís

[ERA Triano]

You are way above my head technically, but I have to ask the layperson's questions here... there's a Quetzalcoatlite? Are there visuals or just microsecond atomic signatures? Is it pretty?

You all know that it was Quetzalcoatl who brought us chocolate, right? What is Prometheus next to that?

[ERA Triano]

OK sorry.... I was just being too lazy. Google gives me lots of hits. So I can get generic info myself but I'd still welcome real-people insights. :-)

[alfredo]

Lizzie, For this type of information on rare minerals, you're better off going to the mineral search box on https://www.mindat.org rather than wikipedia. :))

[Jordi Fabre]