Black crystal aggregates of the very rare bismuth selenide telluride mineral kawazulite from Blue Bell Mine, Zzyzx, Soda Mountains, San Bernardino County, California, United States of America. — Photo: David Hospital · CC BY-SA 4.0
Kawazulite
Kawazulite is an IMA-recognized mineral species in the sulfide class, with the chemical formula Bi₂Te₂Se.
It crystallizes in the hexagonal crystal system (space group R-3m). It is a member of the Tetradymite structural group.
Key properties: Mohs hardness 1.5; specific gravity 7.5; Pale steel-gray streak; Metallic luster.
IMA symbol Kaw, IMA status: approved, named in 1968.
Of hydrothermal origin, in a quartz veins (Kawazu and Suttsu mines, Japan); in a breccia pipe cutting dacitic ignimbrites (Mazenod Lake, Canada).
It is found associated with Selenian tellurium (Kawazu mine, Japan); tellurobismuthite, uraninite, hematite, yarrowite (Mazenod Lake, Canada); selenian bismuthinite, selenian pavonite.
The name refers to the Kawazu mine, Japan.