Krennerite

Infobox mineral
name = Krennerite
category = Telluride mineral
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formula = AuTe₂
molweight = 452.17 gm
color = White to blackish yellow
habit = Massive to crystaline
system = Orthorhombic - Pyramidal
twinning =
cleavage = Perfect
fracture = Conchoidal
tenacity =
mohs = 2.5
luster = Metallic
polish =
refractive =
opticalprop = Anisotrophic
birefringence =
dispersion =
pleochroism = weak
fluorescence= None
absorption =
streak = greenish grey
gravity =
density = 8.53
melt =
fusibility =
diagnostic =
solubility =
diaphaneity = opaque
other =
references = [ [http://webmineral.com/data/Krennerite.shtml Krennerite Mineral Data ] ] [ [http://www.mindat.org/min-2274.html Krennerite: Krennerite mineral information and data ] ]

Krennerite is an orthorhombic gold telluride mineral which can contain a relatively small amount of silver in the structure. The formula is AuTe₂ varying to (Au_0.8,Ag_0.2)Te₂. Both of the chemically similar gold-silver tellurides, calaverite and sylvanite are in the monoclinic crystal system, whereas krennerite is orthorhombic.

The color varies from silver-white to brass-yellow. It has a specific gravity of 8.53 and a hardness of 2.5. It occurs in high temperature hydrothermal environments.

Krennerite was discovered in 1877 and first described by the Hungarian mineralogist Joseph Krenner (1839-1920).

ee also

*List of minerals
*List of minerals named after people

References

*G. Tunnell and K. J. Murata, American Mineralogist 35, 359-384 (1950).
* [http://cst-www.nrl.navy.mil/lattice/struk/c46.html Structure of Krennerite] retrieved 6-26-05
* [http://euromin.w3sites.net/mineraux/KRENNERITE.html Euromineral] retrieved 6-26-05