Fluorocronite, the natural analogue of β-PbF 2, from the Sakha Republic, Russian Federation

• Published in: European Journal of Mineralogy
• Main Authors: Mills, S.J., Kartashov, P.M., Gamyanin, G.N., Whitfield, P.S., Kern, A., Guerault, H., Kampf, A.R., Raudsepp, M.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: 2011
• Subjects: cassiterite; cerussite; chemical composition; crystal structure; fluorite; fluorocronite; galena; microstructure; Mohs scale; new mineral; quartz; refractive index; Russian Federation; Sakha; Sakha Republic
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.1127/0935-1221/2011/0023-2136; https://nrc-publications.canada.ca/eng/view/object/?id=8bebcdbe-401c-42b8-b96d-f694b790c56e; https://nrc-publications.canada.ca/fra/voir/objet/?id=8bebcdbe-401c-42b8-b96d-f694b790c56e

Fluorocronite (sqmomiomlhq), ideally PbF 2, is a new mineral (IMA2010-023), from the Kupol'noe deposit, Sarychev range, Sakha Republic, Russian Federation. It occurs intimately mixed with cassiterite and a potentially new Sn oxy-hydroxide with the composition Sn 4O(OH,F) 6, and is found in direct association with quartz, anglesite, cerussite, galena, hocartite, bindheimite and chlorargyrite. Fluorocronite forms flattened, leaf-like microcrystals up to about 20 mm across. The main form observed is {100}, while {111} may also be present. The crystals are translucent and white with a pearly lustre. The streak is also white and Mohs hardness is between 3 and 4 (estimated). No parting or twinning was observed. Fluorocronite has prefect cleavage on {111} by analogy with other minerals with the fluorite structure type. Crystals are optically isotropic; however, the refractive index could not be measured due to the small size of the crystals. The empirical formula (based on 3 apfu) is Pb 0.98F 2.02. The simplified formula is PbF 2. Fluorocronite is cubic, space group Fm3m, with a = 5.9306(5) A°, V = 208.59(5) A° 3 and Z = 4. Fluorocronite is isostructural with fluorite. The five strongest lines in the powder X-ray diffraction pattern are [dobs in A° (I) (hkl)]: 3.437 (100) (111); 2.976 (46) (002); 2.103 (44) (022); 1.794 (42) (311); 1.717 (21) (222). The name is in relation to the composition; fluoro (for fluorine) and cron (krónoB, the alchemical name for lead). © 2011 E. Schweizerbart'sche Verlagsbuchhandlung. Peer reviewed: Yes NRC publication: Yes