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Buckhornite

A valid IMA mineral species

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Buckhornite, etc.

Buckhorn Mine, Jamestown, Jamestown Mining District, Boulder County, Colorado, USA

Buckhornite, etc.

Buckhorn Mine, Jamestown, Jamestown Mining District, Boulder County, Colorado, USA

Buckhornite

Buckhorn Mine, Jamestown, Jamestown Mining District, Boulder County, Colorado, USA

Buckhornite, etc.

Buckhorn Mine, Jamestown, Jamestown Mining District, Boulder County, Colorado, USA

Buckhornite, etc.

Buckhorn Mine, Jamestown, Jamestown Mining District, Boulder County, Colorado, USA

Buckhornite

Buckhorn Mine, Jamestown, Jamestown Mining District, Boulder County, Colorado, USA

Buckhornite, etc.

Buckhorn Mine, Jamestown, Jamestown Mining District, Boulder County, Colorado, USA

Buckhornite, etc.

Buckhorn Mine, Jamestown, Jamestown Mining District, Boulder County, Colorado, USA

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About BuckhorniteHide

Formula:

AuPb₂BiTe₂S₃

Colour:

Black

Lustre:

Metallic

Hardness:

2½

Specific Gravity:

8.43 (Calculated)

Crystal System:

Orthorhombic

Name:

Named for the type locality at the Buckhorn mine, Jamestown, Colorado, USA.

Type Locality:

ⓘ Buckhorn Mine, Jamestown, Jamestown Mining District, Boulder County, Colorado, USA

The AuPbS analogue of jaszczakite. Compositionally similar to 'UM1986-39-S:AuBiPbTe'.

Unique IdentifiersHide

Mindat ID:

795

Long-form identifier:

mindat:1:1:795:7

IMA Classification of BuckhorniteHide

IMA status:

Approved

IMA Formula:

(Pb₂BiS₃)(AuTe₂)

Approval year:

1988

First published:

1992

Type description reference:

Francis, C.A., Criddle, A.J., Stanley, C.J., Lange, D.E., Shieh, S., Francis, J.G. (1992) Buckhornite, AuPb2BiTe2S3, a new mineral species from Boulder County, Colorado, and new data for aikinite, tetradymite, and calaverite. The Canadian Mineralogist: 30: 1039-1047.

Classification of BuckhorniteHide

Strunz-mindat (2026):

2.HB.20b

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

Dana 8th ed.:

2.11.11.1

2 : SULFIDES
11 : A_mB_nX_p, with (m+n):p = 2:3

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
Bhr	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 BuckhorniteHide

Lustre:

Metallic

Transparency:

Opaque

Colour:

Black

Streak:

Grey

Hardness:

2½ on Mohs scale

Hardness:

VHN₁₀=46 - 60 kg/mm² - Vickers

Tenacity:

Sectile

Cleavage:

Perfect
on {100}.

Comment:

Sectile and flexible

Density:

8.43 g/cm³ (Calculated)

Optical Data of BuckhorniteHide

Type:

Biaxial

Anisotropism:

Distinct; blue to mauve

Bireflectance:

Moderate to strong

Reflectivity:

Wavelength	R₁ (%)	R₂ (%)	^imR₁ (%)	^imR₂ (%)
400nm	50.7%	52.4%	35.6%	38.0%
440nm	50.7%	53.3%	36.0%	39.6%
470nm	49.8%	52.7%	34.8%	38.6%
480nm	49.3%	52.3%	34.2%	38.1%
520nm	47.3%	50.4%	31.9%	35.7%
546nm	45.7%	48.9%	30.3%	34.1%
560nm	44.9%	48.0%	29.5%	33.2%
589nm	43.5%	46.5%	28.1%	31.6%
600nm	43.1%	46.0%	27.7%	31.2%
640nm	42.1%	44.7%	26.8%	30.0%
650nm	41.8%	44.5%	26.6%	29.7%
660nm	41.7%	44.2%	26.3%	29.4%
700nm	40.9%	43.3%	25.6%	28.5%

Graph shows reflectance levels at different wavelengths (in nm). Peak reflectance is 53.3%.
R₁ shown in black, R₂ shown in red, ^imR₁ shown in green, ^imR₂ shown in blue

Pleochroism:

Visible

Comments:

Distinct; brownish gray to pale bluish gray

Chemistry of BuckhorniteHide

Mindat Formula:

AuPb₂BiTe₂S₃

Element Weights:

Element	% weight
Pb	35.366 %
Te	21.780 %
Bi	17.835 %
S	8.210 %

Calculated from ideal end-member formula.

Elements listed:

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

Common Impurities:

Crystallography of BuckhorniteHide

Crystal System:

Orthorhombic

Class (H-M):

mmm(2/m2/m2/m) - Dipyramidal

Space Group:

Pmmm

Setting:

Pmmm

Cell Parameters:

a = 4.09 Å, b = 12.24 Å, c = 9.32 Å

Ratio:

a:b:c = 0.334 : 1 : 0.761

Unit Cell V:

466.57 Å³ (Calculated from Unit Cell)

Crystal StructureHide

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Unit Cell | Unit Cell Packed
2x2x2 | 3x3x3 | 4x4x4

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CIF File Best | x | y | z | a | b | c

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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)
0011084	Buckhornite	Effenberger H, Culetto F J, Topa D, Paar W H (2000) The crystal structure of synthetic buckhornite, [Pb2BiS3][AuTe2] Zeitschrift fur Kristallographie 215 10-16		2000	synthetic	0	293

CIF Raw Data - click here to close

data_global
_chemical_name_mineral 'Buckhornite'
loop_
_publ_author_name
'Effenberger H'
'Culetto F J'
'Topa D'
'Paar W H'
_journal_name_full 'Zeitschrift fur Kristallographie'
_journal_volume 215 
_journal_year 2000
_journal_page_first 10
_journal_page_last 16
_publ_section_title
;
 The crystal structure of synthetic buckhornite, [Pb2BiS3][AuTe2]
;
_database_code_amcsd 0011084
_chemical_compound_source 'Synthetic'
_chemical_formula_sum 'Au (Pb2 Bi) Te2 S3'
_cell_length_a 4.108
_cell_length_b 12.308
_cell_length_c 9.331
_cell_angle_alpha 90
_cell_angle_beta 90
_cell_angle_gamma 90
_cell_volume 471.787
_exptl_crystal_density_diffrn      8.248
_symmetry_space_group_name_H-M 'P m m n'
loop_
_space_group_symop_operation_xyz
  'x,y,z'
  'x,1/2-y,z'
  '-x,1/2+y,-z'
  '1/2-x,y,z'
  '1/2+x,-y,-z'
  '1/2+x,1/2+y,-z'
  '1/2-x,1/2-y,z'
  '-x,-y,-z'
loop_
_atom_site_label
_atom_site_fract_x
_atom_site_fract_y
_atom_site_fract_z
_atom_site_occupancy
_atom_site_U_iso_or_equiv
Au   0.25000   0.25000  -0.00450   1.00000   0.02010
PbMe1   0.25000   0.07838   0.31660   0.66667   0.03140
BiMe1   0.25000   0.07838   0.31660   0.33333   0.03140
PbMe2   0.75000   0.25000   0.64820   0.66667   0.02830
BiMe2   0.75000   0.25000   0.64820   0.33333   0.02830
Te   0.75000   0.10710  -0.00750   1.00000   0.02170
S1   0.75000   0.25000   0.36540   1.00000   0.02200
S2   0.75000   0.91230   0.38350   1.00000   0.02000
loop_
_atom_site_aniso_label
_atom_site_aniso_U_11
_atom_site_aniso_U_22
_atom_site_aniso_U_33
_atom_site_aniso_U_12
_atom_site_aniso_U_13
_atom_site_aniso_U_23
Au 0.01570 0.01950 0.02530 0.00000 0.00000 0.00000
PbMe1 0.02860 0.02770 0.03770 0.00000 0.00000 0.00170
BiMe1 0.02860 0.02770 0.03770 0.00000 0.00000 0.00170
PbMe2 0.02680 0.02660 0.03150 0.00000 0.00000 0.00000
BiMe2 0.02680 0.02660 0.03150 0.00000 0.00000 0.00000
Te 0.01800 0.02210 0.02500 0.00000 0.00000 0.00020
S1 0.02200 0.01700 0.02700 0.00000 0.00000 0.00000
S2 0.01400 0.01900 0.02500 0.00000 0.00000 0.00200

X-Ray Powder DiffractionHide

Powder Diffraction Data:

d-spacing	Intensity
3.739 Å	(s)
3.108 Å	(vs)
2.763 Å	(vvs)
2.456 Å	(vs)
2.390 Å	(vvs)
2.044 Å	(s)
1.7084 Å	(s)

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])

Type Occurrence of BuckhorniteHide

Type Locality:

ⓘ Buckhorn Mine, Jamestown, Jamestown Mining District, Boulder County, Colorado, USA

General Appearance of Type Material:

In vugs in pyrite as splendent black blades up to 1.5 x 0.2 x 0.01 mm.

Place of Conservation of Type Material:

Harvard Mineralogical Museum, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA, catalogue H126786.
The Natural History Museum, London, UK, BM 1991,51 and BM 1991,52.
National Museum of Natural History (Smithsonian Institution), Washington, D.C., USA.

Geological Setting of Type Material:

In hydrothermal Au–Te-bearing deposits.

Associated Minerals at Type Locality:

Aikinite	Calaverite	Chalcopyrite	Covellite	Native Gold
Tetradymite

Reference:

Synonyms of BuckhorniteHide

IMA1988-022

Other Language Names for BuckhorniteHide

Dutch:Buckhorniet

German:Buckhornit

Russian:Букхорнит

Simplified Chinese:硫碲铋铅金矿

Spanish:Buckhornita

Common AssociatesHide

Associations Based on Photo Data:

2 photos of Buckhornite associated with Aikinite	CuPbBiS₃
2 photos of Buckhornite associated with Native Gold	Au
1 photo of Buckhornite associated with Pyrite	FeS₂

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.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.20c	Museumite	[Pb₂(Pb,Sb)₂S₈][(Te,Au)₂]	Mon. 2
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 BuckhorniteHide

mindat.org URL:

https://www.mindat.org/min-795.html
Please feel free to link to this page.

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External Links:

Look for Buckhornite on Webmineral

Look for Buckhornite on Wikipedia

Look for Buckhornite 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 BuckhorniteHide

Reference List:

Jambor, John L., Puziewicz, Jacek (1993) New Mineral Names. American Mineralogist, 78 (9-10) 1108-1112

Johan, Z., Dódony, I., Moravek, P., Pasava, J. (1994) Buckhornite, Pb2AuBiTe2S3,from the Jilove gold deposit, Czech Republic. C. Rendu Acad. Sci. Paris, Ser. II, 318, 1225-1231 (in French, extended English abs.).

Jambor, J.L., Roberts, A.C. (1995) New mineral names. American Mineralogist: 80: 184-188.p.188

Mandarino, Joseph A. (1997) New Minerals 1990-1994. The Mineralogical Record Inc., Tuscon, Arizona. 220pp.

Effenberger, H., Culetto, F. J, Topa, D., Paar, W. H. (2000) The crystal structure of synthetic buckhornite, [Pb2BiS3][AuTe2]. Zeitschrift für Kristallographie - Crystalline Materials, 215 (1) 10-16 doi:10.1524/zkri.2000.215.1.10

Jambor, J.L. and Roberts, A.C. (2001) New mineral names. American Mineralogist: 86: 197-200.

(2005) Buckhornite. Handbook of Mineralogy. Mineralogical Society of America

Localities for BuckhorniteHide

Showing 21 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.


Armenia
Kotayk Province Hrazdan ⓘ Megradzor	extraLapis no. 2
ⓘ Megradzor deposit	Kolpakova et al. (2001) +1 other reference

Australia
Western Australia Coolgardie Shire Kambalda St. Ives gold camp ⓘ Bellerophon-Nelson Gold Mine	Xue et al. (2014)

Bulgaria
Pazardzhik Province Panagyurishte Municipality Elshitsa ⓘ Elshitsa mine	Cook et al. (2002)
Levski ⓘ Radka Mine	Bogdanov et al. (2004) +1 other reference

China
Fujian Sanming Youxi County ⓘ Shuangqishan Mine ?	Ma et al. (2022)
Hainan Ledong Co. ⓘ Baolun Au Mine	Yu et al. (2020)
Henan Luoyang Song County ⓘ Huangshui'an Mo-(Pb) deposit	Yang et al. (2024)
Niutougou Au deposit ⓘ Songligou Au deposit	王鹏 et al. (2016)
Sanmenxia Lingbao City ⓘ Dahu Mine (Dahuyu Mine)	Jian et al. (2015)
ⓘ Fancha gold deposit	Liu et al. (2020)
Qinling Mine ⓘ Yangzhaiyu Au-Pb-Te deposit	Jian et al. (2014)
ⓘ Tonggou Au deposit (incl. Chucha-Luanshi Au deposit)	Shuzhang Tian et al. (1993) +1 other reference
Jiangxi Ganzhou Yudu Co. Yinkeng polymetallic ore field ⓘ Yinkeng Mine	Mingxing Shi and Guirong Gao (2006)

Czech Republic
Central Bohemian Region Prague-West District Jílové u Prahy Studené ⓘ Pepř mine	Litochleb et al. (2000)
Petrov Bohuliby ⓘ Bohuliby deposit	Litochleb et al. (2000)

Norway
Troms og Finnmark Kautokeino ⓘ Bidjovagge gold-copper deposit	Cook et al. (1999)

Romania
Hunedoara County Certeju de Sus ⓘ Săcărâmb	Cook et al. (2005)

Russia
Tuva Sut-Kholsky District ⓘ Aryskanskoye deposit	R. V. Kuzhuget et al. (2017)

USA (TL)
Colorado Boulder County Jamestown Mining District Jamestown ⓘ Buckhorn Mine (TL)	Eckel et al. (1997)
Montana Jefferson County Whitehall Mining District (Cardwell Mining District) ⓘ Golden Sunlight Mine	Barrick Gold Corporation

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Buckhornite

About BuckhorniteHide

Unique IdentifiersHide

IMA Classification of BuckhorniteHide

Classification of BuckhorniteHide

Mineral SymbolsHide

Physical Properties of BuckhorniteHide

Optical Data of BuckhorniteHide

Chemistry of BuckhorniteHide

Crystallography of BuckhorniteHide

Crystal StructureHide

X-Ray Powder DiffractionHide

Geological EnvironmentHide

Type Occurrence of BuckhorniteHide

Synonyms of BuckhorniteHide

Other Language Names for BuckhorniteHide

Common AssociatesHide

Related Minerals - Strunz-mindat GroupingHide

Other InformationHide

Internet Links for BuckhorniteHide

References for BuckhorniteHide

Localities for BuckhorniteHide

Locality ListHide

Related Minerals - Strunz-mindat Grouping Hide