Diaphorite - Encyclopedia
Class : Sulfides and sulfosalts
Subclass : Sulfosalts
Crystal system : Monoclinic
Chemistry : Ag3Pb2Sb3S8
Rarity : Rare
Diaphorite is a sulphide of medium-temperature silver-bearing polymetallic hydrothermal veins. Its name comes from the Greek diaphoros (different), because it is a distinct species from freieslebenite with which it was confused. It is a rare mineral which appears massive, or in prismatic crystals becoming acicular by elongation on [001], with frequently striated faces following elongation ; the largest are almost centimeters. Diaphorite is lead gray and commonly twinned. Containing 23% silver, diaphorite is an ancillary silver ore, often recovered alongside richer ore.
Main photo : Diaphorite from Silver tunnel, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada © Gianfranco Ciccolini
Diaphorite in the World
Twinning
Diaphorite commonly twins on {120} and {241}.
Fakes and treatments
No fakes listed for this mineral species.
Hardness : 2.5 to 3
Density : 6.04
Fracture : Irregular to sub-conchoidal
Streak : Gray
TP : Opaque
RI : -
Birefringence : -
Optical character : -
Pleochroism : None
Fluorescence : None
Solubility : Nitric acid
Magnetism : None
Radioactivity : None