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Willyamite

A valid IMA mineral species - grandfathered
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07233960017271927576127.jpg
Willyamite, etc.

Oberhüttensee, Forstau, St. Johann im Pongau District, Salzburg, Austria
09819510017688723618708.jpg
Willyamite

Consols Mine, Broken Hill, Broken Hill district, Yancowinna Co., New South Wales, Australia
06119520017271927644027.jpg
Willyamite

Broken Hill, Broken Hill district, Yancowinna Co., New South Wales, Australia
07233960017271927576127.jpg
Willyamite, etc.

Oberhüttensee, Forstau, St. Johann im Pongau District, Salzburg, Austria
01017780017688595614059.jpg
Willyamite

Consols Mine, Broken Hill, Broken Hill district, Yancowinna Co., New South Wales, Australia
06119520017271927644027.jpg
Willyamite

Broken Hill, Broken Hill district, Yancowinna Co., New South Wales, Australia
07233960017271927576127.jpg
Willyamite, etc.

Oberhüttensee, Forstau, St. Johann im Pongau District, Salzburg, Austria
09819510017688723618708.jpg
Willyamite

Consols Mine, Broken Hill, Broken Hill district, Yancowinna Co., New South Wales, Australia
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About WillyamiteHide

Formula:
CoSbS
May contain variable amounts of Ni substituting for Co.
Colour:
Tin-white, steel-gray
Lustre:
Metallic
Hardness:
5 - 5½
Specific Gravity:
6.76
Member of:
Cobaltite Group
Name:
For the type locality, Willyama Township, New South Wales, Australia. Willyama was the original Aboriginal name of Broken Hill.
Cobaltite Group. Ullmannite-Willyamite Series.

Compare costibite and paracostibite, both CoSbS.


Unique IdentifiersHide

Mindat ID:
4295
Long-form identifier:
mindat:1:1:4295:2

IMA Classification of WillyamiteHide

IMA status:
Approved, 'Grandfathered' (first described prior to 1959)
IMA status notes:
Redefined by the IMA
IMA Formula:
Co3+(SbS)3-
First published:
1893
Type description reference:
Cabri, L.J., Harris, D.C., Stewart, J.M., Rowland, J.F. (1970): Willyamite redefined. Proceedings of the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy 233, 95-100.

Classification of WillyamiteHide

Strunz-mindat (2026):
2.EB.25

2 : SULFIDES and SULFOSALTS (sulfides, selenides, tellurides; arsenides, antimonides, bismuthides; sulfarsenites, sulfantimonites, sulfbismuthites, etc.)
E : Metal Sulfides, M: S <= 1:2
B : M:S = 1:2, with Fe, Co, Ni, PGE, etc.
Dana 8th ed.:
2.12.3.4

2 : SULFIDES
12 : AmBnXp, with (m+n):p = 1:2
Hey's CIM Ref.:
3.11.39

3 : Sulphides, Selenides, Tellurides, Arsenides and Bismuthides (except the arsenides, antimonides and bismuthides of Cu, Ag and Au, which are included in Section 1)
11 : Sulphides etc. of Ni

Mineral SymbolsHide

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

SymbolSourceReference for Standard
WlyIMA–CNMNCWarr, L.N. (2021). IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols. Mineralogical Magazine, 85(3), 291-320. doi:10.1180/mgm.2021.43

Physical Properties of WillyamiteHide

Lustre:
Metallic
Transparency:
Opaque
Colour:
Tin-white, steel-gray
Hardness:
5 - 5½ on Mohs scale
Comment:
Slightly harder than ullmannite.
Tenacity:
Brittle
Fracture:
Irregular/Uneven
Density:
6.76(3) g/cm3 (Measured)    

Chemistry of WillyamiteHide

Mindat Formula:
CoSbS

May contain variable amounts of Ni substituting for Co.
Element Weights:
Element% weight
Sb57.229 %
Co27.700 %
S15.071 %

Calculated from ideal end-member formula.
Sb
Co
S
Elements listed:
Co, S, Sb - search for minerals with similar chemistry
Common Impurities:
Fe,As

Crystallography of WillyamiteHide

Cell Parameters:
a = 5.86 Å
Z:
4
Morphology:
Zoned crystals to several mm.
Comment:
Symmetry and space group unknown, but probably monoclinic or triclinic. Pseudocubic; a ~ b ~ c within error limits.

X-Ray Powder DiffractionHide

Powder Diffraction Data:
d-spacingIntensity
2.621 Å(100)
2.390 Å(70)
1.767 Å(60)
1.565 Å(50)
1.625 Å(40)
1.278 Å(40)
1.087 Å(40)

Geological EnvironmentHide

Paragenetic Mode(s):
Paragenetic ModeEarliest Age (Ga)
High-? alteration and/or metamorphism
33 : Minerals deposited by hydrothermal metal-rich fluids (see also [#12])
Geological Setting:
Calcite - siderite veins.

Type Occurrence of WillyamiteHide

Type Locality:
ⓘ Consols Mine (ABH Consols Mine; Australian Broken Hill Consols Mine), Broken Hill, Broken Hill district, Yancowinna Co., New South Wales, Australia
General Appearance of Type Material:
Crystals several mm on a side, showing zonal growth patterns.
Place of Conservation of Type Material:
National Museum of Natural History, Washington, D.C., USA, R849A.
Associated Minerals at Type Locality:
CalciteCostibiteDyscrasiteSiderite
Reference:
Cabri, L.J., Harris, D.C., Stewart, J.M., Rowland, J.F. (1970): Willyamite redefined. Proceedings of the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy 233, 95-100.

Other Language Names for WillyamiteHide

Relationship of Willyamite to other SpeciesHide

Member of:
Cobaltite Group
Other Members of Cobaltite Group:
AndrieslombaarditeRhSbSIso. 23 : P213
ChangchengiteIrBiSIso. 23 : P213
CobaltiteCoAsSOrth. mm2 : Pca21
GersdorffiteNiAsSIso. 23 : P213
GuixiangiteNiBiSIso. 23 : P213
Hollingworthite(Rh,Pt,Pd)AsSIso. m3(2/m3) : Pa3
Irarsite(Ir,Ru,Rh,Pt)AsSIso. m3(2/m3) : Pa3
JolliffeiteNiAsSeIso. m3(2/m3) : Pa3
KalungaitePdAsSeIso. m3(2/m3) : Pa3
MaslovitePtBiTeIso. 23 : P213
MayingiteIrBiTeIso. m3(2/m3) : Pa3
MicheneritePdBiTeIso. 23 : P213
MilotaitePdSbSeIso. 23 : P213
PadmaitePdBiSeIso. 432
'Platarsite'Pt(As,S)2Iso. m3(2/m3) : Pa3
SulfopadmaitePdBiSIso. 23 : P213
TestibiopalladitePdSbTeIso.
TolovkiteIrSbSIso.
UllmanniteNiSbSIso. 23 : P213
'UM1991-19-Se:AsCo'(Co,Ni)AsSeIso. m3(2/m3) : Pm3
Forms a series with:
UllmanniteUllmannite-Willyamite Series

Common AssociatesHide

Associations Based on Photo Data:
4 photos of Willyamite associated with QuartzSiO2
3 photos of Willyamite associated with GalenaPbS
2 photos of Willyamite associated with ChalcopyriteCuFeS2
2 photos of Willyamite associated with SphaleriteZnS
2 photos of Willyamite associated with SideriteFeCO3
1 photo of Willyamite associated with UllmanniteNiSbS

Related Minerals - Strunz-mindat GroupingHide

2.EB.SelenolauriteRuSe2Iso. m3(2/m3) : Pa3
2.EB.AndrieslombaarditeRhSbSIso. 23 : P213
2.EB.Iridarsenite(Ir,Ru)As2Mon. 2/m : P21/b
2.EB.Kanatzidisite(SbBiS3)2Te2Mon. 2/m : P21/m
2.EB.05aVaesiteNiS2Iso. m3(2/m3) : Pa3
2.EB.05aHaueriteMnS2Iso. m3(2/m3) : Pa3
2.EB.05aLauriteRuS2Iso. m3(2/m3) : Pa3
2.EB.05aGaotaiiteIr3Te8Iso. m3(2/m3) : Pa3
2.EB.05aPenroseite(Ni,Co,Cu)Se2Iso. m3(2/m3) : Pa3
2.EB.05aFukuchiliteCu3FeS8Iso. m3(2/m3) : Pa3
2.EB.05aVillamanínite(Cu,Ni,Co,Fe)S2Tric.
2.EB.05aErlichmaniteOsS2Iso. m3(2/m3) : Pa3
2.EB.05aSperrylitePtAs2Iso. m3(2/m3) : Pa3
2.EB.05aGeversitePtSb2Iso. m3(2/m3) : Pa3
2.EB.05aCattieriteCoS2Iso. m3(2/m3) : Pa3
2.EB.05aAurostibiteAuSb2Iso. m3(2/m3) : Pa3
2.EB.05aTrogtaliteCoSe2Iso. m3(2/m3) : Pa3
2.EB.05a v'Cayeuxite'
2.EB.05aKruťaiteCuSe2Iso. m3(2/m3) : Pa3
2.EB.05aPyriteFeS2Iso. m3(2/m3) : Pa3
2.EB.05aInsizwaitePtBi2Iso. m3(2/m3) : Pa3
2.EB.05bBambollaiteCu(Se,Te)2Tet.
2.EB.05aDzharkeniteFeSe2Iso. m3(2/m3) : Pa3
2.EB.10aMarcasiteFeS2Orth. mmm(2/m2/m2/m) : Pnnm
2.EB.10eParacostibiteCoSbSOrth. mmm(2/m2/m2/m) : Pbca
2.EB.10fOeniteCoSbAsOrth.
2.EB.10ePararammelsbergiteNiAs2Orth. mmm(2/m2/m2/m) : Pbca
2.EB.10aMattagamiteCoTe2Orth. mmm(2/m2/m2/m) : Pnnm
2.EB.10aFrohbergiteFeTe2Orth. mmm(2/m2/m2/m) : Pnnm
2.EB.10dCostibiteCoSbSOrth. mm2 : Pmn21
2.EB.10bAlloclasiteCo1-xFexAsSMon. 2 : P21
2.EB.10cGlaucodot(Co0.50Fe0.50)AsSOrth. mm2 : Pmn21
2.EB.10aPetříčekiteCuSe2Orth. mmm(2/m2/m2/m) : Pnnm
2.EB.10aKulleruditeNiSe2Orth. mmm(2/m2/m2/m) : Pnnm
2.EB.10aFerroseliteFeSe2Orth. mmm(2/m2/m2/m) : Pnnm
2.EB.15bSeinäjokiteFeSb2Orth.
2.EB.15aRammelsbergiteNiAs2Orth. mmm(2/m2/m2/m) : Pnnm
2.EB.15aClinosaffloriteCoAs2Mon. 2/m : P21/m
2.EB.15cPaxiteCuAs2Mon. 2/m : P21/b
2.EB.15aNisbiteNiSb2Orth. mmm(2/m2/m2/m) : Pnnm
2.EB.15aLöllingiteFeAs2Orth. mmm(2/m2/m2/m) : Pnnm
2.EB.15aSafflorite(Co,Ni,Fe)As2Orth. mmm(2/m2/m2/m) : Pnnm
2.EB.15aOmeiiteOsAs2Orth.
2.EB.15aAnduoiteRuAs2Orth.
2.EB.20ArsenopyriteFeAsSMon. 2/m : P21/b
2.EB.20Ruarsite(Ru,Os)AsSMon.
2.EB.20Osarsite(Os,Ru)AsSMon.
2.EB.20GudmunditeFeSbSMon. 2/m : P21/b
2.EB.25MayingiteIrBiTeIso. m3(2/m3) : Pa3
2.EB.25MaslovitePtBiTeIso. 23 : P213
2.EB.25ParagersdorffiteNi(As,S)2Iso. m3(2/m3) : Pa3
2.EB.25OrthogersdorffiteNiAsSOrth. mm2 : Pca21
2.EB.25SulfopadmaitePdBiSIso. 23 : P213
2.EB.25JolliffeiteNiAsSeIso. m3(2/m3) : Pa3
2.EB.25CobaltiteCoAsSOrth. mm2 : Pca21
2.EB.25GuixiangiteNiBiSIso. 23 : P213
2.EB.25TestibiopalladitePdSbTeIso.
2.EB.25 va'Antimony-bearing Gersdorffite'Ni(As,Sb)S
2.EB.25KalungaitePdAsSeIso. m3(2/m3) : Pa3
2.EB.25Hollingworthite(Rh,Pt,Pd)AsSIso. m3(2/m3) : Pa3
2.EB.25MicheneritePdBiTeIso. 23 : P213
2.EB.25GersdorffiteNiAsSIso. 23 : P213
2.EB.25MilotaitePdSbSeIso. 23 : P213
2.EB.25TolovkiteIrSbSIso.
2.EB.25'Platarsite'Pt(As,S)2Iso. m3(2/m3) : Pa3
2.EB.25ChangchengiteIrBiSIso. 23 : P213
2.EB.25KvačekiteNiSbSeIso. 23 : P213
2.EB.25KrutoviteNiAs2Iso. 23 : P213
2.EB.25PadmaitePdBiSeIso. 432
2.EB.25UllmanniteNiSbSIso. 23 : P213
2.EB.25Irarsite(Ir,Ru,Rh,Pt)AsSIso. m3(2/m3) : Pa3
2.EB.30UrvantsevitePd(Bi,Pb)2Tet. 4/mmm(4/m2/m2/m) : I4/mmm
2.EB.35RheniiteReS2Tric. 1 : P1

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 WillyamiteHide

References for WillyamiteHide

Localities for WillyamiteHide

Showing 38 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.
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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.
Australia
 
  • New South Wales
    • Yancowinna Co.
      • Broken Hill district
        • Broken Hill
Ramdohr (1950)
Pittman (1893) +4 other references
Ramdohr (1950)
Ramdohr (1950)
  • Queensland
    • City of Mount Isa
      • Mount Isa
Sielecki (1988)
Austria
 
  • Salzburg
    • St. Johann im Pongau District
      • Forstau
Kolitsch et al. (2019)
    • Zell am See District
      • Mittersill
Kolitsch (2020)
Canada
 
  • Ontario
    • Kenora District
      • Red Lake Gold District
Marsden (2012)
  • Québec
    • Nord-du-Québec
      • Jamésie
        • Chibougamau
Vollo (1959)
China
 
  • Shaanxi
    • Baoji
      • Taibai County
Mao et al. (2002)
Czech Republic
 
  • Central Bohemian Region
    • Kutná Hora District
Brabec (2002)
Finland
 
  • North Karelia
Weiser et al. (2008)
  • Southwest Finland
    • Somero
Eilu (2003)
Greece
 
  • Attica
    • East Attica
      • Lavreotiki
        • Plaka
          • Plaka Mines
Uwe Kolitsch and Branko Rieck (unpubl. SEM-EDS results)
Italy
 
  • Sardinia
    • Sassari Province
      • Sassari
Pirri (1992) +1 other reference
  • Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol
    • South Tyrol
      • Vinschgau (Val Venosta)
        • Martell (Martello)
Casari (1986)
Kazakhstan
 
  • Abai Region
    • Semey
Nordgold
Norway
 
  • Agder
    • Vegårshei
Naik et al. (1976)
Poland
 
  • Lower Silesian Voivodeship
    • Karkonosze County
      • Szklarska Poręba
Kozłowski et al. (2024)
Kozłowski et al. (2024)
    • Lwówek Śląski County
      • Gmina Mirsk
Piestrzela (2019)
Romania
 
  • Maramureș County
    • Târgu Lăpuș
HÎRTOPANU et al. (2025)
Russia
 
  • Krasnoyarsk Krai
    • Enisei Range (Yenisei Ridge; Enisei Ridge)
Silyanov et al. (2022)
  • Magadan Oblast
    • Omsukchansky District
      • Ducat ore field
Bryzgalov et al. (2007)
  • Zabaykalsky Krai
    • Tungokochensky District
      • Vershino-Darasunskiy
Spiridonov et al. (2010) +1 other reference
Slovakia
 
  • Banská Bystrica Region
    • Poltár District
Maťo et al. (stredné Slovensko)
    • Rimavská Sobota District
Koděra et al. (1986)
Ragan M. et al. (veporikum)
  • Košice Region
    • Gelnica District
      • Smolník
Peterec D. (1991)
    • Rožňava District
Koděra et al. (1986)
      • Drnava
Grecula (1995)
Koděra et al. (1986)
      • Rakovnica
Varček C. (1958)
Sweden
 
  • Gävleborg County
    • Ljusdal
Nysten et al. (1984)
  • Örebro County
    • Lindesberg
      • Stråssa
  • Södermanland County
    • Nyköping
      • Tunaberg
Dobbe (1991) +1 other reference
Tanzania
 
  • Tabora Region
    • Nzega District
Resolute Mining
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