coloradoite
Sign in to saveColoradoite, also known as mercury telluride (HgTe), is a rare telluride ore associated with metallic deposit (especially gold and silver). Gold usually occurs within tellurides, such as coloradoite, as a high-finess native metal.
Key facts
- Mineral.name
- Coloradoite
- Mineral.image
- Coloradoite, Pyrite, Quartz-338840.jpg
- Mineral.imagesize
- 260px
- Mineral.caption
- Coloradoite from the La Plata District of Colorado
- Mineral.category
- Telluride mineral
- Mineral.formula
- HgTe
- Mineral.IMAsymbol
- Clr
- Mineral.strunz
- 2.CB.05a
- Mineral.system
- Cubic
- Mineral.class
- Hextetrahedral (3m) H–M Symbol: ( 3m)
- Mineral.symmetry
- F3m
- Mineral.unit cell
- a = 6.453 Å; Z = 4
- Mineral.color
- Iron-black inclining to gray
- Mineral.habit
- Massive, granular
- Mineral.fracture
- Uneven to subconchordial
- Mineral.tenacity
- Brittle
- Mineral.mohs
- 2.5
- Mineral.luster
- Bright metallic
via Wikipedia infobox
Wikidata facts
- Image
- Coloradoite, Pyrite, Quartz-338840.jpg
Show 6 more facts
- Commons category
- Coloradoite
- chemical formula
- HgTe
- Nickel-Strunz 9th edition (updated 2009)
- 2.CB.05a
- Nickel-Strunz '10th ed', review of (9th ed/ 2009 update)
- 2.CB.05a
- IMA Mineral Symbol
- Clr
- Strunz 8th edition (series ID, updated)
- II/B.01
Sources (1)
via Wikidata · CC0
~6 min read
Article
7 sectionsContents
- Introduction
- Composition
- Structure
- Physical properties
- Geologic occurrence
- References
- External links
Coloradoite, also known as mercury telluride (HgTe), is a rare telluride ore associated with metallic deposit (especially gold and silver). Gold usually occurs within tellurides, such as coloradoite, as a high-finess native metal.
The quest for mining led to the discovery of telluride ores which were found to be associated with metals. Tellurides are ingrown into ores containing these precious metals and are also responsible for a significant amount of these metals being produced. Coloradoite, a member of the coordination subclass of tellurides, is a covalent compound that is isostructural with sphalerite (ZnS). Its chemical properties are highly instrumental in distinguishing it from other tellurides. It was first discovered in Colorado in 1877. Since then, other deposits have been found. Although it plays an important role in the geology of minerals, it can also be used for other purposes.