HAKITE-(Hg)
Hakite – (Cu,Hg)3(Sb,As)(Se,S)3 – is an extremely rare sulfosalt (selenide). It has no importance as an ore.
It is classified in the Tetrahedrite Group, in the Hakite Subgroup, together with hakite-(Cd), hakite-(Fe) and hakite-(Zn).
It contains 26.18% Cu, 16.53% Hg, 16.05% Sb, 3.70% As, 33.83% Se, and 3.70% S.
1. Characteristics
Crystal system: Cubic hexatetrahedral.
Color: Grayish-brown to creamy-white.
Habit: Rounded grains, always very small, up to 0.3 mm.
Cleavage: No.
Tenacity: Malleable.
Twinning: No.
Fracture: No information available.
Mohs Hardness: 4.5
Parting: No.
Streak: White.
Lustre: Metallic.
Diaphaneity: Opaque.
Density (g/cm³): 6.3
2. Geology and Deposits
Hakite-(Hg) occurs in epithermal veins that contain calcite as a gangue mineral.
3. Mineral Associations
In the type locality (Predborice, Czech Republic) it is associated with uraninite, clausthalite, chalcopyrite, berzelianite, hematite, pyrite, goethite, umangite and gold.
It also occurs with eucairite, calcite, tiemannite, chrisstanleyite, digenite-(Se), bornite, galena, mylotaite and minerals of the Tetrahedrite Subgroup.
4. Transmitted Light Microscopy
This does not apply, as hakite-(Hg) is completely opaque.
5. Reflected Light Microscopy
No database provides detailed information about hakita-(Hg).
Sample preparation: No information available.
PLANE POLARIZED LIGHT – PPL
Reflection color: Creamy white to light brown.
Pleochroism: No information available.
Reflectivity: No information available.
Bireflectance: No information available.
CROSSED POLARIZED LIGHT – XPL
Isotropy / Anisotropy: Isotropic.
Internal reflections: No information available.
May be confused with: No information available.
