HUTCHINSONITE

    Class : Sulfides and sulfosalts
    Subclass : Sulfosalts
    Crystal system : Orthorhombic
    Chemistry : (Pb,Tl)2As5S9
    Rarity : Very rare


Hutchinsonite is a very rare mineral, present in hydrothermal veins and in hydrothermalized dolomites. It was named in honor of Arthur Hutchinson, Professor of Mineralogy at the University of Cambridge. Hutchinsonite rarely forms crystals, these are prismatic to acicular pseudo-orthorhombic, rarely reaching a centimeter, it also forms aggregates with a radiated texture, but most often occurs in foliated or fibrous masses with micaceous cleavage. The color is scarlet to cherry red, turning brown on large crystals.

Main photo : Hutchinsonite and orpiment from Quiruvilca Mine, La Libertad, Peru © Stephan Wolfsried

Hutchinsonite from Lengenbach, Valais, Switzerland © Stephan Wolfsried
Hutchinsonite from Lengenbach, Valais, Switzerland © Italo Campostrini
Hutchinsonite from Quiruvilca Mine, La Libertad, Peru © Gianfranco Ciccolini
Hutchinsonite & orpiment from Quiruvilca Mine, La Libertad, Peru © Stephan Wolfsried

Hutchinsonite in the World

The most beautiful hutchinsonite crystals come from Lengenbach (Switzerland) and especially from the Quiruvilca mine (Peru) where they are generally associated with orpiment.

Hutchinsonite in France

Hutchinsonite is not present in the French underground.

Twinning

No twin known for this mineral species.

Fakes and treatments

No fakes recorded for this mineral species.



Hardness : 1.5 to 2
Density : 4.6
Fracture : Conchoidal
Streak : Red


TP : Translucent to opaque
RI : 3.078 to 3.118
Birefringence : 0.110
Optical character : Biaxial -
Pleochroism : None
Fluorescence : None


Solubility : -

Magnetism : NoneRadioactivity : None