Lorandite - Encyclopedia
Class : Sulfides and sulfosalts
Subclass : Sulfosalts
Crystal system : Monoclinic
Chemistry : TlAsS2
Rarity : Very rare
Lorandite is an arsenic thallium sulfide. It is a very rare mineral which is found in mercury and arsenic hydrothermal veins linked to the volcanism of recent chains or to hydrothermalized rocks. It was named in honor of Eötvös Lorand, Professor of Physics at the University of Budapest (Hungary). Lorandite forms short, stubby crystals that are red to dark red in color and have an adamantine luster.
Main photo : Lorandite and realgar from Crven Dol, Allchar, Macedonia © Stephan Wolfsried
Lorandite in the World
Twinning
No twins known for this mineral species.
Fakes and treatments
No fakes recorded for this mineral species.
Hardness : 2 to 2.5
Density : 5.53
Fracture : Undetermined
Streak : Red
TP : Translucent to transparent
RI : 2.720
Birefringence : -
Optical character : Biaxial +
Pleochroism : Low
Fluorescence : None
Solubility : Nitric acid
Magnetism : NoneRadioactivity : None