Pilsenite
A valid IMA mineral species - grandfathered
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About Pilsenite
Formula:
Bi4Te3
Colour:
Lead-gray
Lustre:
Metallic
Hardness:
1½ - 2½
Specific Gravity:
8.4 (Calculated)
Crystal System:
Trigonal
Member of:
Name:
Named after the type locality, Nagybörzsöny (original German name: Deutsch-Pilsen), Hungary.
Material described by Huot in 1841 was named wehrlite and thought to contain Bi, Te, and Ag. Kenngot, in 1853, used the name pilsenite for similar material. It was later found that wehrlite was a mixture of Bi4Te3 and hessite, Ag2Te. Ozawa and Shimazaki (1982) described the Bi4Te3 phase re-using the name pilsenite for the new phase and discrediting wehrlite.
Material described by Huot in 1841 was named wehrlite and thought to contain Bi, Te, and Ag. Kenngot, in 1853, used the name pilsenite for similar material. It was later found that wehrlite was a mixture of Bi4Te3 and hessite, Ag2Te. Ozawa and Shimazaki (1982) described the Bi4Te3 phase re-using the name pilsenite for the new phase and discrediting wehrlite.
Type Locality:
This page provides mineralogical data about Pilsenite.
Unique Identifiers
Mindat ID:
3213
Long-form identifier:
mindat:1:1:3213:7
Similar Names
| Polzenite | A synonym of 'Hauyne melilitite' |
IMA Classification of Pilsenite
Approved, 'Grandfathered' (first described prior to 1959)
IMA status notes:
Redefined by the IMA
First published:
1841
Approval history:
Redefined: IMA 1982 s.p.
Classification of Pilsenite
2.DC.05
2 : SULFIDES and SULFOSALTS (sulfides, selenides, tellurides; arsenides, antimonides, bismuthides; sulfarsenites, sulfantimonites, sulfbismuthites, etc.)
D : Metal Sulfides, M: S = 3 :4 and 2:3
C : Variable M:S
2 : SULFIDES and SULFOSALTS (sulfides, selenides, tellurides; arsenides, antimonides, bismuthides; sulfarsenites, sulfantimonites, sulfbismuthites, etc.)
D : Metal Sulfides, M: S = 3 :4 and 2:3
C : Variable M:S
2.6.2.5
2 : SULFIDES
6 : AmBnXp, with (m+n):p = 4:3
2 : SULFIDES
6 : AmBnXp, with (m+n):p = 4:3
3.7.27
3 : Sulphides, Selenides, Tellurides, Arsenides and Bismuthides (except the arsenides, antimonides and bismuthides of Cu, Ag and Au, which are included in Section 1)
7 : Sulphides etc. of V, As, Sb and Bi
3 : Sulphides, Selenides, Tellurides, Arsenides and Bismuthides (except the arsenides, antimonides and bismuthides of Cu, Ag and Au, which are included in Section 1)
7 : Sulphides etc. of V, As, Sb and Bi
Mineral Symbols
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Pse | 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 Pilsenite
Metallic
Transparency:
Opaque
Colour:
Lead-gray
Hardness:
1½ - 2½ on Mohs scale
Cleavage:
Perfect
Density:
8.4 g/cm3 (Calculated)
Optical Data of Pilsenite
Anisotropism:
Noticeable
Reflectivity:
| Wavelength | R1 (%) | R2 (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 400nm | 61.6% | 62.9% |
| 420nm | 62.3% | 63.4% |
| 440nm | 62.8% | 64.0% |
| 460nm | 63.2% | 64.4% |
| 480nm | 63.5% | 64.8% |
| 500nm | 63.7% | 65.3% |
| 520nm | 63.9% | 65.8% |
| 540nm | 64.1% | 66.2% |
| 560nm | 64.3% | 66.7% |
| 580nm | 64.4% | 67.0% |
| 600nm | 64.5% | 67.3% |
| 620nm | 64.5% | 67.4% |
| 640nm | 64.5% | 67.6% |
| 660nm | 64.6% | 67.7% |
| 680nm | 64.6% | 67.7% |
| 700nm | 64.6% | 67.8% |
Graph shows reflectance levels at different wavelengths (in nm). Peak reflectance is 67.8%.
R1 shown in black, R2 shown in red
Chemistry of Pilsenite
Mindat Formula:
Bi4Te3
Elements listed:
Common Impurities:
Ag,Pb,Fe,S
Crystallography of Pilsenite
Crystal System:
Trigonal
Class (H-M):
3m(32/m) - Hexagonal Scalenohedral
Space Group:
R3m
Cell Parameters:
a = 4.451(1) Å, c = 41.888(5) Å
Ratio:
a:c = 1 : 9.411
Unit Cell V:
718.68 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Z:
3
Crystal Structure
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Data courtesy of the American Mineralogist Crystal Structure Database. Click on an AMCSD ID to view structure
| ID | Species | Reference | Link | Year | Locality | Pressure (GPa) | Temp (K) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0009659 | Pilsenite | Yamana K, Kihara K, Matsumoto T (1979) Bismuth tellurides: BiTe and Bi4Te3 Acta Crystallographica B35 147-149 |  | 1979 | synthetic | 0 | 293 |
CIF Raw Data - click here to close
X-Ray Powder Diffraction
Powder Diffraction Data:
| d-spacing | Intensity |
|---|---|
| 4.68 Å | (m) |
| 3.25 Å | (vs) |
| 2.36 Å | (s) |
| 2.22 Å | (s) |
| 1.998 Å | (s) |
| 1.833 Å | (s) |
| 1.485 Å | (s) |
Geological Environment
Paragenetic Mode(s):
| Paragenetic Mode | Earliest Age (Ga) |
|---|---|
| High-? alteration and/or metamorphism | |
| 33 : Minerals deposited by hydrothermal metal-rich fluids (see also [#12]) |
Type Occurrence of Pilsenite
Place of Conservation of Type Material:
Eötfös Lorand University, Budapest, Hungary, A563 (type).
Other Language Names for Pilsenite
Relationship of Pilsenite to other Species
Member of:
Other Members of Tetradymite Group:
| Baksanite | Bi6Te2S3 | Trig. 3m(32/m) : P3m1 |
| Dulanggouite | Bi6Te3 | Trig. 3m(32/m) : P3m1 |
| Ehrigite | Bi8Te3 | Trig. 3m(32/m) : R3m |
| Hedleyite | Bi7Te3 | Trig. 3m(32/m) : R3m |
| Ikunolite | Bi4S3 | Trig. 3m(32/m) : R3m |
| Ingodite | Bi2TeS | Trig. |
| Joséite-A | Bi4TeS2 | Trig. 3m(32/m) : R3m |
| Joséite-B | Bi4Te2S | Trig. 3m(32/m) : R3m |
| Kawazulite | Bi2Te2Se | Trig. 3m(32/m) : R3m |
| Laitakarite | Bi4(Se,S)3 | Trig. 3m(32/m) : R3m |
| Paraguanajuatite | Bi2Se3 | Trig. 3m(32/m) : R3m |
| Skippenite | Bi2TeSe2 | Trig. |
| Sulphotsumoite | Bi3Te2S | Trig. 3m(32/m) : P31m |
| Tellurantimony | Sb2Te3 | Trig. 3m(32/m) : R3m |
| Tellurobismuthite | Bi2Te3 | Trig. 3m(32/m) : R3m |
| Telluronevskite | Bi3TeSe2 | Trig. 3m(32/m) : P3m1 |
| Tetradymite | Bi2Te2S | Trig. 3m(32/m) : R3m |
| Tsumoite | BiTe | Trig. 3m(32/m) : P31m |
| Vihorlatite | Bi24Se17Te4 | Trig. 3m(32/m) : P3m1 |
| Zipserite | Bi5S4 | Trig. 3m(32/m) : R3m |
Common Associates
Associations Based on Photo Data:
Related Minerals - Strunz-mindat Grouping
| 2.DC.05 | Laitakarite | Bi4(Se,S)3 |
| 2.DC.05 | Paraguanajuatite | Bi2Se3 |
| 2.DC.05 | Telluronevskite | Bi3TeSe2 |
| 2.DC.05 | Hedleyite | Bi7Te3 |
| 2.DC.05 | Hitachiite | Pb5Bi2Te2S6 |
| 2.DC.05 | Tellurantimony | Sb2Te3 |
| 2.DC.05 | 'Joséite' | Bi4TeS2 |
| 2.DC.05 | Tellurobismuthite | Bi2Te3 |
| 2.DC.05 | Joséite-A | Bi4TeS2 |
| 2.DC.05 | Joséite-B | Bi4Te2S |
| 2.DC.05 | Nevskite | Bi(Se,S) |
| 2.DC.05 | Tetradymite | Bi2Te2S |
| 2.DC.05 | 'Protojoséite' | Bi3(Te,S)2 |
| 2.DC.05 | Skippenite | Bi2TeSe2 |
| 2.DC.05 | Kawazulite | Bi2Te2Se |
| 2.DC.05 | 'UM1983-09-S:BiPbTe' | PbBi3S2Te |
| 2.DC.05 | 'Sztrókayite' | Bi3TeS2 |
| 2.DC.05 | Baksanite | Bi6Te2S3 |
| 2.DC.05 | 'Joséite-C' | Bi16Te3S9 |
| 2.DC.05 | Vihorlatite | Bi24Se17Te4 |
| 2.DC.05 | Tsumoite | BiTe |
| 2.DC.05 | Ikunolite | Bi4S3 |
| 2.DC.05 | Ehrigite | Bi8Te3 |
| 2.DC.05 | Ingodite | Bi2TeS |
| 2.DC.05 | Sulphotsumoite | Bi3Te2S |
| 2.DC.15 | 'Castaingite' | CuMo2S5 |
Other Information
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 Pilsenite
mindat.org URL:
https://www.mindat.org/min-3213.html
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References for Pilsenite
Reference List:
Ramdohr, Paul (1969) The Ore Minerals and their Intergrowths. Pergamon Press, Oxford. 1174pp. doi:10.1016/c2013-0-10027-xpp.438-439
Dunn, Pete J., Grice, Joel D. Fleischer, Michael, Pabst, Adolf (1984) New mineral names. American Mineralogist, 69 (1-2) 210-215
Criddle, A. J., Stanley, C. J. (1993) Data file. In Quantitative Data File for Ore Minerals. Springer Netherlands. p.1-635. doi:10.1007/978-94-011-1486-8_1p.436
Localities for Pilsenite
Showing 108 localities.
symbol to view information about a locality.
The Locality List
- 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).
All localities listed without proper references should be considered as questionable.
Armenia | |
| Pavel M. Kartashov (n.d.) |
Australia | |
| Lehrmann (2012) |
| Lehrmann (2012) | |
| Kalleske (2010) |
| Dalstra et al. (2023) |
Belgium | |
| Hatert et al. (2014) |
Bulgaria | |
| Dimitrova (2006) |
Canada | |
| Montgomery (n.d.) |
| Sinclair (2001) |
| Peatfield (n.d.) |
| Richard Gunter Collection. |
| Healy et al. (1990) |
| Higgins (1985) +1 other reference |
| Sabina (2000) |
| Vale SA |
| Warren (2013) | |
| Vale SA |
| Dana's New Mineralogy | |
| Selway (1993) |
| Kasprowicz (2023) |
China | |
| Junwu Lu and Yuanfa Xia (2001) |
| Bin Shu et al. (2006) |
| Meng et al. (2022) |
| Vikent'ev et al. (2015, June) |
| Liu Yulin (2002) |
| Zhenkuan Luo et al. (1999) |
| Xiangping Gu et al. (2001) +1 other reference |
| Liyan Zhang (1985) |
| Baoshan Liu and Jun Lu (2006) +1 other reference |
| Yongrui Zhao and Yunqing Zhen (2006) |
| Yongrui Zhao and Yunqing Zhen (2006) | |
| Ma et al. (2024) +2 other references |
| Xiaogang Wang et al. (2010) |
| Zhimin et al. (2013) +1 other reference |
| Zhimin Zhu et al. (2009) | |
| Xiangcheng Bao (1994) |
| Yan Sun et al. (2009) | |
| Fuquan Yang et al. (2010) |
Czech Republic | |
| Litochleb et al. (2011) |
| Jiri Sejkora (2009) | |
| Sejkora et al. (2022) |
| Zachariáš et al. (2014) |
| Fojt |
Dominican Republic | |
| Torró et al. (2016) |
Ethiopia | |
| Cook et al. (2000) |
Finland | |
| Fröhlich et al. (2021) |
| Hector et al. (2023) |
| Hector et al. (2023) |
| Kojonen K: K. (2005) +1 other reference |
| Hector et al. (2023) |
| Hector et al. (2023) |
| Gervilla et al. (1998) +1 other reference |
| www.gsf.fi (2001) +1 other reference |
| Kojonen |
Georgia | |
| Kekelia et al. (2008) +1 other reference |
Greece | |
| Anthony et al. (1990) +2 other references |
Hungary (TL) | |
| Das Mohs'sche Mineralsystem (1853) +1 other reference |
| Majzlan et al. (2024) | |
Italy | |
| Piccoli et al. (2007) |
| Piccoli et al. (2007) |
| Frizzo et al. (2010) |
| Senesi et al. (2025) |
Japan | |
| Satoshi Matsubara et al. (2010) |
Kazakhstan | |
| Spiridonov (2014) |
| Baibatsha et al. (2015) +1 other reference |
Mauritania | |
| Kolb et al. (2006) +2 other references |
Poland | |
| Mikulski (2005, January) |
Portugal | |
| Fuertes-Fuente et al. (2011) |
Romania | |
| www.minerals-of-the-carpathians +1 other reference |
Russia | |
| Safina +7 other references |
| Melekestseva (2005) | |
| Izvekova et al. (2021) |
| Bazai et al. (2009) |
| Chernyavsky et al. (2012) +1 other reference | |
| V. I. Ivashchenko et al. (2007) +1 other reference |
| Murzin et al. (1999) |
| Koroteev et al. (2017) |
| Kuzhuget et al. (2020) |
| Eremin et al. (2023) |
| Эпова et al. (2025) |
| Krivitskaya et al. (2008) | |
| Prokof’ev et al. (2007) +1 other reference | |
| Prokofiev et al. (2010) | |
Slovakia | |
| Koděra et al. (1986) |
| Koděra et al. (1986) |
| Ferenc Š. et al. (in Slovak) | |
| Bálintová-Števková T. et al. (2014) |
| Koděra et al. (1986) |
South Africa | |
| Manyeruke (2007) |
Sweden | |
| Pieslinger (2023) |
| Andersson et al. (2024) |
| |
| T. Wikström | |
| Andersson et al. (2024) |
Tajikistan | |
| Yatimov et al. (2022) |
UK | |
| Day (1999) |
Ukraine | |
| Pekov (1998) |
USA | |
| Rombach et al. (2002, October) |
| Eckel et al. (1997) |
| Eckel et al. (1997) |
| Matrix 11:4 pp 181-190 |
| Mankins (2022) |
| Mankins (2022) | |
| Anthony et al. (1990) |
| Callahan |
Uzbekistan | |
| Koneev et al. (2005) +1 other reference |
| Rustam Koneev et al. (2005) |
| Ashirov et al. (2023) |
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Quartzite outcrops, Poruba pod Vihorlatom, Michalovce District, Košice Region, Slovakia