HATCHITE

    Class : Sulfides and sulfosalts
    Subclass : Sulfosalts
    Crystal system : Triclinic
    Chemistry : (Pb,Tl)2AgAs2S5
    Rarity : Very rare

Hatchite is an extremely rare sulfoarsenide of hydrothermal origin. It was named in honor of the American geologist and mining engineer Frederick Henry Hatch. It occurs in short prismatic crystals of 1 mm or less and is often associated with rathite, realgar and pyrite. Hatchite is dark gray in color and tarnishes in the air; it is almost impossible to distinguish from other sulfoarsenides by simple means.

Main photo : Hatchite and pyrite from Lengenbach Quarry, Binn Valley, Valais, Switzerland © Stephan Wolfsried

Hatchite and pyrite from Lengenbach, Valais, Switzerland © Stephan Wolfsried
Hatchite et réalgar de Lengenbach Quarry, Binn, Valais, Suisse © Marko Burkhardt
Hatchite and realgar from Lengenbach, Valais, Switzerland © Stephan Wolfsried
Hatchite and realgar from Lengenbach, Valais, Switzerland © Stephan Wolfsried

Hatchite in the World

Hatchite is only known from the hydrothermalized dolomites of the Lengenbach quarry in Valais (Switzerland).

Hatchite in France

Hatchite is not known in the French underground.

Twinning

No twin known for this mineral species.

Fakes and treatments

No fakes recorded for this mineral species.


Hardness : -
Density : 5.81
Fracture : Irregular
Streak : Brown

TP : Opaque
RI : -
Birefringence : -
Optical character : -
Pleochroism : None
Fluorescence : None

Solubility : -

Magnetism : NoneRadioactivity : None