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Altaite
Lead telluride — a yellowish-white isometric mineral in the galena group, unusually dense for its pale color.
Intro adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA).
Altaite is an IMA-recognized mineral species in the sulfide class, with the chemical formula PbTe.
It crystallizes in the cubic crystal system (space group Fm3m). It is a member of the Rocksalt structural group.
Key properties: Mohs hardness 3; specific gravity 8.19; tin-white streak; Metallic. R: (400) 59.6, (420) 62.6, (440) 65.2, (460) 67.5, (480) 69.3, (500) 70.6, (520) 71.2, (540) 71.1 luster.
IMA symbol Alt, grandfathered status — known before the IMA’s founding, named in 1845.
is typically found in hydrothermal vein Au–Te-bearing deposits.
It is found associated with Gold, silver, antimony, tellurium, tellurantimony, galena, pyrite, hessite, nagyágite, tetrahedrite, sylvanite, petzite, calaverite, arsenopyrite, sphalerite.
The name commemorates the locality in the Altai Mountains, Kazakhstan.