Metallic silvery crystal aggregates of the rare Ag-Bi sulphide mineral pavonite from a locality in New Mexico (Hachita, Grant County, New Mexico, United States of America). Ex Vandenbroucke Museum collection specimen, from Waregem, Belgium. — Photo: David Hospital · CC BY-SA 4.0
Pavonite
Pavonite is an IMA-recognized mineral species in the sulfosalt class, with the chemical formula AgBi₃S₅.
It crystallizes in the monoclinic crystal system (space group C2/m). It is a member of the Pavonite structural group.
Key properties: Mohs hardness 2; specific gravity 6.8; Metallic luster.
IMA symbol Pav, grandfathered status — known before the IMA’s founding, named in 1954.
Found in hydrothermal base-metal sulfide vein deposits.
It is found associated with Cupropavonite, bismuthinite, chalcopyrite, aikinite, hodrušhite.
The name comes from the Latin pavo, peacock, honoring Professor Martin Alfred Peacock (1898–1950), Canadian mineralogist, University of Toronto, Toront, Canada.