Found on an old museum sample and named museumite to give proper credit to all museums in the world preserving their old samples with care and accuracy.

Type Locality:

ⓘ Săcărâmb, Certeju de Sus, Hunedoara County, Romania

Anhedral to subhedral grains up to 300 µm in size in cavities and vugs of nagyagite crystals.

Note:
BSE microphotographs of a cavity in nagyágite (nag) filled by museumite is contained within the Bindi et.al. reference: European Journal of Mineralogy, 16(5) 834-837.

Hide all sections | Show all sections

Unique IdentifiersHide

Mindat ID:

26575

Long-form identifier:

mindat:1:1:26575:5

IMA Classification of MuseumiteHide

IMA status:

Approved

Approval year:

2003

First published:

2004

Type description reference:

Bindi, Luca, Cipriani, Curzio (2004) Museumite, Pb5AuSbTe2S12, a new mineral from the gold-telluride deposit of Sacarimb, Metaliferi Mountains, western Romania. European Journal of Mineralogy, 16 (5) 834-837 doi:10.1127/0935-1221/2004/0016-0835

Classification of MuseumiteHide

Strunz-mindat (2026):

2.HB.20c

2 : SULFIDES and SULFOSALTS (sulfides, selenides, tellurides; arsenides, antimonides, bismuthides; sulfarsenites, sulfantimonites, sulfbismuthites, etc.)
H : Sulfosalts of SnS archetype
B : With Cu, Ag, Fe, Sn and Pb

Mineral SymbolsHide

As of 2021 there are now IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols (abbreviations) for each mineral species, useful for tables and diagrams.

Symbol	Source	Reference for Standard
Mus	IMA–CNMNC	Warr, L.N. (2021). IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols. Mineralogical Magazine, 85(3), 291-320. doi:10.1180/mgm.2021.43

Physical Properties of MuseumiteHide

Lustre:

Metallic

Transparency:

Opaque

Colour:

Dark silver-grey

Streak:

Grey-black

Hardness:

1 - 1½ on Mohs scale

Hardness:

VHN₁₅=41 - 44 kg/mm² - Vickers

Hardness Data:

Measured

Tenacity:

Brittle

Cleavage:

Perfect
on {001}

Fracture:

Hackly

Density:

9.04 g/cm³ (Calculated)

Optical Data of MuseumiteHide

Anisotropism:

Distinct

Bireflectance:

Very low

Reflectivity:

Wavelength	R₁ (%)	R₂ (%)
471nm	38.4%	40.3%
548nm	38.1%	40.1%
586nm	37.5%	39.4%
652nm	35.9%	38.0%

Graph shows reflectance levels at different wavelengths (in nm). Peak reflectance is 40.3%.
R₁ shown in black, R₂ shown in red

Colour in reflected light:

Greyish white

Pleochroism:

Weak

Comments:

When observed near nagyágite it is darker and shows a grey colour with a slightly greenish tint.

Chemistry of MuseumiteHide

Mindat Formula:

[Pb₂(Pb,Sb)₂S₈][(Te,Au)₂]

Element Weights:

Element	% weight
Pb	61.827 %
S	19.136 %
Te	19.037 %

Calculated from ideal end-member formula.

Elements listed:

Au, Pb, S, Sb, Te - search for minerals with similar chemistry

Crystallography of MuseumiteHide

Crystal System:

Monoclinic

Class (H-M):

2 - Sphenoidal

Cell Parameters:

a = 4.361(2) Å, b = 6.618(3) Å, c = 20.858(9) Å
β = 92.71(5)°

Ratio:

a:b:c = 0.659 : 1 : 3.152

Unit Cell V:

601.3 Å³

Comment:

Space Group: P21 or P21/m.; Z = n.d.

X-Ray Powder DiffractionHide

Powder Diffraction Data:

d-spacing	Intensity
3.56 Å	(100)
3.47 Å	(58)
4.80 Å	(52)
2.99 Å	(50)
2.56 Å	(41)
4.10 Å	(40)
3.31 Å	(40)
6.93 Å	(38)

Locality:

Săcărâmb, Certeju de Sus, Hunedoara County, Romania

Reference:

Geological EnvironmentHide

Paragenetic Mode(s):

Paragenetic Mode	Earliest Age (Ga)
High-? alteration and/or metamorphism
33 : Minerals deposited by hydrothermal metal-rich fluids (see also [#12])
Stage 10b: Anthropogenic minerals	<10 Ka
57 : Other minerals formed by human processes

Type Occurrence of MuseumiteHide

Type Locality:

ⓘ Săcărâmb, Certeju de Sus, Hunedoara County, Romania

General Appearance of Type Material:

Anhedral to subhedral grains up to 300 µm in size in cavities and vugs of nagyagite crystals.

Place of Conservation of Type Material:

Natural History Museum, University of Florence, Italy (899/G).

Geological Setting of Type Material:

In a hydrothermal (epithermal) vein in quartz-andesite.

Associated Minerals at Type Locality:

Reference:

Synonyms of MuseumiteHide

IMA2003-039

Other Language Names for MuseumiteHide

Dutch:Museumiet

German:Museumit

Related Minerals - Strunz-mindat Grouping Hide

2.HB.	Barikaite	Ag₃Pb₁₀(Sb₈As₁₁)S₄₀	Mon. 2/m : P2₁/b
2.HB.	Carducciite	(Ag₂Sb₂)Pb₁₂(As,Sb)₁₆S₄₀	Mon. 2/m : P2₁/b
2.HB.	Sardashtite	Ag₉Cu_2.5Pb₄₁Sb_36.5As₇S₁₁₂	Mon. 2/m
2.HB.	Interliveingite	AgPb₁₈As₂₅S₅₆	Mon. 2 : P2₁
2.HB.	Reckibachite	Ag₂Pb₁₂As₁₄Sb₄S₄₀	Mon. 2/m : P2₁/b
2.HB.05a	Salzburgite	Cu_1.6Pb_1.6Bi_6.4S₁₂	Orth. mm2 : Pmc2₁
2.HB.05a	Hammarite	Cu₂Pb₂Bi₄S₉	Orth.
2.HB.05c	Jaskólskiite	Cu_xPb_2+x(Sb,Bi)_2-xS₅ (x ~ 0.15)	Orth. mmm(2/m2/m2/m)
2.HB.05	'UM1990-54-Se:BiCuPb'	CuPb(Ni,Co)_0.3Bi₃Se₆
2.HB.05a	Aikinite	CuPbBiS₃	Orth. mmm(2/m2/m2/m) : Pnma
2.HB.05a	Pekoite	CuPbBi₁₁S₁₈	Orth. mm2
2.HB.05a	Friedrichite	Cu₅Pb₅Bi₇S₁₈	Orth. mm2
2.HB.05b	Meneghinite	Pb₁₃CuSb₇S₂₄	Orth. mmm(2/m2/m2/m)
2.HB.05a	Paarite	Cu_1.7Pb_1.7Bi_6.3S₁₂	Orth. mmm(2/m2/m2/m) : Pbcn
2.HB.05a	Lindströmite	Cu₃Pb₃Bi₇S₁₅	Orth. mmm(2/m2/m2/m)
2.HB.05a	Emilite	Cu_10.7Pb_10.7Bi_21.3S₄₈	Orth. mm2 : Pmc2₁
2.HB.05a	Gladite	CuPbBi₅S₉	Orth. mmm(2/m2/m2/m)
2.HB.05a	Krupkaite	CuPbBi₃S₆	Orth. mm2
2.HB.05	'UM2000-46-S:BiCuPb'	Cu_0.33Pb_0.33Bi_7.67S₁₂
2.HB.10b	Izoklakeite	Pb₂₇(Cu,Fe,Ag)₂(Sb,Bi)₁₉S₅₇	Orth. mmm(2/m2/m2/m) : Pnnm
2.HB.10c	Eclarite	(Cu,Fe)Pb₉Bi₁₂S₂₈	Orth. mmm(2/m2/m2/m) : Pnma
2.HB.10a	Tintinaite	Pb₂₂Cu₄(Sb,Bi)₃₀S₆₉	Orth. mmm(2/m2/m2/m) : Pnnm
2.HB.10b	Giessenite	Pb₂₇Cu₂(Bi,Sb)₁₉S₅₇	Mon. 2/m
2.HB.10a	Kobellite	Pb₂₂Cu₄(Bi,Sb)₃₀S₆₉	Orth. mmm(2/m2/m2/m) : Pnnm
2.HB.15	Jamesonite	Pb₄FeSb₆S₁₄	Mon. 2/m : P2₁/b
2.HB.15	Benavidesite	Pb₄MnSb₆S₁₄	Mon. 2/m : P2₁/b
2.HB.20a	Nagyágite	[Pb₃(Pb,Sb)₃S₆](Au,Te)₃	Mon. 2/m : P2₁/m
2.HB.20b	Buckhornite	AuPb₂BiTe₂S₃	Orth. mmm(2/m2/m2/m) : Pmmm
2.HB.20e	Luxembourgite	AgCuPbBi₄Se₈	Mon. 2/m : P2₁/m
2.HB.20b	Jaszczakite	[Bi₃S₃][AuS₂]	Orth. mmm(2/m2/m2/m) : Pmmn
2.HB.20d	Berryite	Cu₃Ag₂Pb₃Bi₇S₁₆	Mon. 2/m : P2₁/m
2.HB.20e	Watkinsonite	Cu₂PbBi₄(Se,S,Te)₈	Mon. 2/m : P2₁/m
2.HB.20e	Litochlebite	Ag₂PbBi₄Se₈	Mon. 2/m : P2₁/m
2.HB.25	Meerschautite	(Ag,Cu)₆Pb_43-2xSb_44+2xS₁₁₂O_x (x ~0.5)	Mon. 2 : P2₁

Other InformationHide

Health Risks:

No information on health risks for this material has been entered into the database. You should always treat mineral specimens with care.

Internet Links for MuseumiteHide

mindat.org URL:

https://www.mindat.org/min-26575.html
Please feel free to link to this page.

Search Engines:

Look for Museumite on Google

Look for Museumite images on Google

Look for Museumite on Bing

Look for Museumite images on Bing

Look for Museumite on DuckDuckGo

Look for Museumite images on DuckDuckGo

Look for Museumite in the Rock H. Currier Digital Library

External Links:

Look for Museumite on Webmineral

Look for Museumite on Wikipedia

Look for Museumite on Mineralien Atlas

Raman and XRD data at RRUFF project

References and PDF downloads at RRUFF project

American Mineralogist Crystal Structure Database

Handbook of Mineralogy page PDF

Mineral Dealers:

Buy from D. Joyce minerals

References for MuseumiteHide

Reference List:

Moëlo, Yves, Makovicky, Emil, Mozgova, Nadejda N., Jambor, John L., Cook, Nigel, Pring, Allan, Paar, Werner, Nickel, Ernest H., Graeser, Stephan, Karup-Møller, Sven, Balic-unic, Tonči, Mumme, William G., Vurro, Filippo, Topa, Dan (2008) Sulfosalt systematics: a review. Report of the sulfosalt sub-committee of the IMA Commission on Ore Mineralogy. European Journal of Mineralogy, 20 (1) 7-62 doi:10.1127/0935-1221/2008/0020-1778

(2014) Museumite. Handbook of Mineralogy. Mineralogical Society of America

Localities for MuseumiteHide

Showing 1 localities.

This map shows a selection of localities that have latitude and longitude coordinates recorded. Click on the

symbol to view information about a locality. The

symbol next to localities in the list can be used to jump to that position on the map.

Hide all sections | Show all sections

Locality ListHide

- This locality has map coordinates listed.

- This locality has estimated coordinates. ⓘ - Click for references and further information on this occurrence. ? - Indicates mineral may be doubtful at this locality.

- Good crystals or important locality for species.

- World class for species or very significant. (TL) - Type Locality for a valid mineral species. (FRL) - First Recorded Locality for everything else (eg varieties). ~~Struck out~~ - Mineral was erroneously reported from this locality. Faded * - Never found at this locality but inferred to have existed at some point in the past (e.g. from pseudomorphs).

All localities listed without proper references should be considered as questionable.

Romania (TL)

Hunedoara County

Certeju de Sus

ⓘ Săcărâmb (TL)

Bindi et al. (2004) +1 other reference

Mindat.org® is an outreach project of the Hudson Institute of Mineralogy, a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization. Mindat® and mindat.org® are registered trademarks of the Hudson Institute of Mineralogy.
Copyright © mindat.org and the Hudson Institute of Mineralogy 1993-2026, except where stated. Most political location boundaries are © OpenStreetMap contributors. Mindat.org relies on the contributions of thousands of members and supporters. Founded in 2000 by Jolyon Ralph and Ida Chau.
Content on this site may not be used to train, fine-tune, or otherwise develop artificial intelligence or machine learning models without prior written permission - see our Terms & Conditions.
To cite: Ralph, J., Von Bargen, D., Martynov, P., Zhang, J., Que, X., Prabhu, A., Morrison, S. M., Li, W., Chen, W., & Ma, X. (2025). Mindat.org: The open access mineralogy database to accelerate data-intensive geoscience research. American Mineralogist, 110(6), 833–844. doi:10.2138/am-2024-9486.
Privacy Policy - Terms & Conditions - Contact Us / DMCA issues - Report a bug/vulnerability Current server date and time: September 1, 2026 21:45:09 Page updated: August 19, 2026 07:56:04

Go to top of page

Museumite