Alloclasite | |
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General | |
Category | Mineral |
Formula (repeating unit) | ( Co, Fe) As S |
IMA symbol | All |
Identification | |
Color | Steel gray to silver |
Fracture | Irregular/Uneven, Sub-Conchoidal |
Mohs scale hardness | 5 |
Luster | Metallic |
Streak | Nearly black |
Diaphaneity | Opaque |
Specific gravity | 5.95 |
Alloclasite, or ( Co, Fe) As S, is a sulfosalt mineral ( IMA symbol: Acl). [1] It is a member of the arsenopyrite group. Alloclasite crystallizes in the monoclinic system and typically forms as columnar to radiating acicular prismatic clusters. It is an opaque steel-gray to silver-white, with a metallic luster and a black streak. It is brittle with perfect cleavage, a Mohs hardness of 5 and a specific gravity of 5.91–5.95. [2]
It was first described in 1866 for an occurrence in Romania. [3] Its name is derived from Greek for "other" and "to break," in reference to its distinct cleavage which distinguished it from the similar appearing mineral marcasite. [4] [2]
The mineral is monoclinic in the P21 space group. [5]