Freieslebenite - Encyclopedia
Class : Sulfides and sulfosalts
Subclass : Sulfosalts
Crystal system : Monoclinic
Chemistry : AgPbSbS3
Rarity : Rare
Freieslebenite is a fairly rare complex sulfide of silver, lead and antimony. It is an accessory mineral of polymetallic lead and antimony veins, where it accompanies pyrite, galena, sphalerite, and many silver minerals. It was named in honor of the Saxon Mining Commissioner, Johann Karl Freiesleben, who described the mineral. Freieslebenite forms striated prismatic crystals parallel to the elongation according to [001], which can reach 2 cm.
Main photo : Freieslebenite from Himmelsfürst Mine, Brand-Erbisdorf, Saxony, Germany © Jordi Fabre
Freieslebenite in the World
Twinning
A twin plane is known on {010}, twins are often better visible in polished sections.
Fakes and treatments
No fakes recorded for this mineral species.
Hardness : 2.5
Density : 6.2
Fracture : Irregular to conchoidal
Streak : Black
TP : Opaque
RI : -
Birefringence : -
Optical character : -
Pleochroism : None
Fluorescence : None
Solubility : -
Magnetism : None
Radioactivity : None