Watanabeite
A valid IMA mineral species
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About Watanabeite
Takeo Watanabe
Formula:
Cu4(As,Sb)2S5
May contain minor Pb (status of this variety, the crystal structure of which was determined by Biagioni et al. (2024), is unclear) - compare zhonghongite.
Colour:
Silver-grey, lead-grey
Lustre:
Metallic
Hardness:
4 - 4½
Specific Gravity:
4.66
Crystal System:
Orthorhombic
Name:
Named in honor of Takeo Watanabe (武男渡辺) (23 June 1907, Tokyo, Japan - 18 December 1986, Nerima, Tokyo, Japan), professor of mineralogy, University of Tokyo (1944-1968), Nagoya University (1968-1971), President of the Akita University (1971-1976), who first reported the occurrence of native tellurium and sylvanite from the Teine mine. He also served as president of the Society of Mining Geologists of Japan, the Geological Society of Japan, and the Mineralogical Society of Japan. He described kotoite and jimboite.
See also Unnamed (Sb-analogue of Watanabeite).
Chemically and structurally related to zhonghongite and tennantite/tetraedrite.
Chemically and structurally related to zhonghongite and tennantite/tetraedrite.
Unique Identifiers
Mindat ID:
4246
Long-form identifier:
mindat:1:1:4246:4
IMA Classification of Watanabeite
Approved
IMA Formula:
Cu1+4(As3+,Sb3+)2S2-5
Approval year:
1991
First published:
1993
Classification of Watanabeite
2.GC.15
2 : SULFIDES and SULFOSALTS (sulfides, selenides, tellurides; arsenides, antimonides, bismuthides; sulfarsenites, sulfantimonites, sulfbismuthites, etc.)
G : Sulfarsenites, sulfantimonites, sulfbismuthites
C : Poly-sulfarsenites
2 : SULFIDES and SULFOSALTS (sulfides, selenides, tellurides; arsenides, antimonides, bismuthides; sulfarsenites, sulfantimonites, sulfbismuthites, etc.)
G : Sulfarsenites, sulfantimonites, sulfbismuthites
C : Poly-sulfarsenites
3.5.15.1
3 : SULFOSALTS
5 : 2.5 < ø < 3
3 : SULFOSALTS
5 : 2.5 < ø < 3
Mineral Symbols
As of 2021 there are now IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols (abbreviations) for each mineral species, useful for tables and diagrams.
Please only use the official IMA–CNMNC symbol. Older variants are listed for historical use only.
Please only use the official IMA–CNMNC symbol. Older variants are listed for historical use only.
| Symbol | Source | Reference for Standard |
|---|---|---|
| Wa | IMA–CNMNC | Warr, L.N. (2021). IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols. Mineralogical Magazine, 85(3), 291-320. doi:10.1180/mgm.2021.43 |
| Wa | The Canadian Mineralogist (2019) | The Canadian Mineralogist (2019) The Canadian Mineralogist list of symbols for rock- and ore-forming minerals (December 30, 2019). download |
Physical Properties of Watanabeite
Metallic
Transparency:
Opaque
Colour:
Silver-grey, lead-grey
Streak:
Lead-grey
Hardness:
4 - 4½ on Mohs scale
Hardness:
VHN100=253 - 306 kg/mm2 - Vickers
Tenacity:
Brittle
Cleavage:
None Observed
Fracture:
Irregular/Uneven
Density:
4.66(2) g/cm3 (Measured) 4.66 g/cm3 (Calculated)
Optical Data of Watanabeite
Anisotropism:
Weak
Reflectivity:
| Wavelength | R1 (%) | R2 (%) | imR1 (%) | imR2 (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 470nm | 32.5% | 31.5% | 17.7% | 17.0% |
| 546nm | 32.0% | 31.1% | 17.0% | 16.3% |
| 589nm | 31.1% | 30.3% | 16.1% | 15.5% |
| 650nm | 30.0% | 29.3% | 15.0% | 14.5% |
Graph shows reflectance levels at different wavelengths (in nm). Peak reflectance is 32.5%.
R1 shown in black, R2 shown in red, imR1 shown in green, imR2 shown in blue
Colour in reflected light:
Grey
Pleochroism:
Not Visible
Chemistry of Watanabeite
Mindat Formula:
Cu4(As,Sb)2S5
May contain minor Pb (status of this variety, the crystal structure of which was determined by Biagioni et al. (2024), is unclear) - compare zhonghongite.
May contain minor Pb (status of this variety, the crystal structure of which was determined by Biagioni et al. (2024), is unclear) - compare zhonghongite.
Element Weights:
Elements listed:
Crystallography of Watanabeite
Crystal System:
Orthorhombic
Cell Parameters:
a = 14.51(1) Å, b = 13.30(1) Å, c = 17.96(1) Å
Ratio:
a:b:c = 1.091 : 1 : 1.35
Unit Cell V:
3,465.97 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Z:
16
Comment:
Symmetry uncertain and space group unknown.
X-Ray Powder Diffraction
Powder Diffraction Data:
| d-spacing | Intensity |
|---|---|
| 4.43 Å | (4) |
| 3.36 Å | (7) |
| 2.999 Å | (100) |
| 2.594 Å | (20) |
| 2.238 Å | (5) |
| 1.975 Å | (5) |
| 1.833 Å | (40) |
| 1.794 Å | (4) |
| 1.778 Å | (4) |
| 1.564 Å | (15b) |
| 1.497 Å | (5) |
Comments:
Pattern is similar to that of fahlore, but has many additional, very weak superstructure reflections.
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 Watanabeite
General Appearance of Type Material:
Massive silvery lead-grey ore, macroscopically indistinguishable from tetrahedrite group minerals.
Place of Conservation of Type Material:
National Science Museum, Tokyo, catalogue NSM-M26138, University Museum, University of Tokyo, and at the Natural History Museum, London, as E.1400, BM 1992,238
Associated Minerals at Type Locality:
Synonyms of Watanabeite
Other Language Names for Watanabeite
Related Minerals - Strunz-mindat Grouping
| 2.GC.05 | Hatchite | AgTlPbAs2S5 |
| 2.GC.05 | Wallisite | (Cu,Ag)TlPbAs2S5 |
| 2.GC.10 | Sinnerite | Cu6As4S9 |
| 2.GC.20 | Simonite | TlHgAs3S6 |
| 2.GC.25 | Quadratite | Ag(Cd,Pb)AsS3 |
| 2.GC.25 | Manganoquadratite | AgMnAsS3 |
| 2.GC.30 | Smithite | AgAsS2 |
| 2.GC.35 | Trechmannite | AgAsS2 |
| 2.GC.35 | Debattistiite | Ag9Hg0.5As6S12Te2 |
| 2.GC.40a | Aleksite | PbBi2Te2S2 |
| 2.GC.40d | Saddlebackite | Pb2Bi2Te2S3 |
| 2.GC.40c | Rucklidgeite | PbBi2Te4 |
| 2.GC.40 | Clogauite | PbBi4Te4S3 |
| 2.GC.40e | Babkinite | Pb2Bi2(S,Se)3 |
| 2.GC.40b | Kochkarite | PbBi4Te7 |
| 2.GC.40c | Poubaite | PbBi2(Se,Te,S)4 |
| 2.GC.45 | Tvalchrelidzeite | Hg3SbAsS3 |
| 2.GC.50 | Mutnovskite | Pb4As2S6ICl |
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 Watanabeite
mindat.org URL:
https://www.mindat.org/min-4246.html
Please feel free to link to this page.
Please feel free to link to this page.
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External Links:
Mineral Dealers:
References for Watanabeite
Reference List:
Luce, F. D., Tuttle, C. L., Skinner, B. J. (1977) Studies of sulfosalts of copper: V. Phases and phase relations in the system Cu-Sb-As-S between 350° and 500°C. Economic Geology, 72 (2). 271-289 doi:10.2113/gsecongeo.72.2.271[on synthetic watanabeite; not cited in watanabeite description!]
Shimizu, M., Kato, A., Matsubara, S., Criddle, A. J., Stanley, C. J. (1993) Watanabeite, Cu4(As,Sb)2S5, a new mineral from the Teine mine, Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan. Mineralogical Magazine, 57 (389) 643-649 doi:10.1180/minmag.1993.057.389.08
Repstock, Alexander; Voudouris, Panagiotis; Kolitsch, Uwe (2015) New occurrences of watanabeite, colusite, “arsenosulvanite” and “Cu-excess” tetrahedrite-tennantite at the Pefka high-sulfidation epithermal deposit, northeastern Greece. Neues Jahrbuch für Mineralogie - Abhandlungen, 192 (2). p.135-149. doi:10.1127/njma/2015/0276
Localities for Watanabeite
Showing 15 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.
Argentina | |
| Marquez-Zavalia et al. (2007) |
Australia | |
| Graham-Ruzicka (2014) |
China | |
| Zheng et al. (2021) |
| Zheng et al. (2024) | |
Greece | |
| Voudouris et al. (2005) |
| Repstock (2011) +2 other references | |
| Voudouris et al. (2011) | |
| Papavasiliou et al. (2017) |
India | |
| Ahmed et al. (2018) |
Iran | |
| Mousavi Motlagh et al. (2024) |
Japan (TL) | |
| Shimizu et al. (1993) +1 other reference |
Russia | |
| Sidorov +5 other references |
| Tolstykh et al. (2019) | |
| Efremov et al. (2021) |
| Eremin et al. (2023) |
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Teine Mine, Sapporo City, Ishikari Subprefecture, Hokkaidō Prefecture, Japan