Mineral - Alabandite
Alabandite
Chemical Properties
Mineral Class
Sulfides and sulfosalts
Toxicity
none
Formula
MnS
Unit Cell
a=5.22 Z=4
Physical Properties
Hardness
3.5 - 4
Streak
green
Density
Cleavage
Perfect after {001}
Fracture
uneven
Tenacity
Brittle
Optical Properties
Color
blackbrown
Birefringence
Luster
Metallic
Transparency
opaque
Pleochroism
Geomineralogical Properties
Crystal System
isometric
Point Group
hexoctahedral - 4/m 3 2/m
Space Group
Fm 3 m (225)
Habit
massive, Octahedron, Cube
Formation
Hydrothermal, in epithermal polymetallic sulphide veins and in low-temperature manganese deposits
Paragenesis
Twinning
Penetration twins after multiple directions, e.g.spinel law twins {111}
Rarity
Rather rare
Synonyms
Alabandite
Composition
Elements
Mass
Mn
57.09
Fe
6.86
Co
0.03
S
36.83
Finland (Törnroos 1982)
Groups and Members
Galena-Group
Name and first discovery : Named after the supposed first discovery site in "Alabanda," Aidin, Turkey. In fact, the mineral, unlike the garnet mineral almandine, which is also named after this location, has never been found in Turkey. The mineral was first described (but incorrectly) in 1784 by Franz Joseph Müller von Reichenstein. The current name, alabandine, was coined by François Sulpice Beudant in 1832.
Chemistry :
Synonyms : manganese blende, manganese luster, manganese blende, manganese gravel
Varieties :
Abbreviation : Abd
literature
Törnroos, R. (1982). Properties of alabandite; alabandite from Finland. New Yearbook of Mineralogy. Proceedings , 144 (1), 107-123.