An extremely rare thallium mineral in crystallized form, as shiny dark red crystals (middle-upper part of the photo). From: Monte Arsiccio Mine, Apuan Alps, Tuscany, Italy. — Photo: David Hospital · CC BY-SA 4.0
Routhierite
A rare thallium-copper-mercury-arsenic sulfosalt described in 1974 from the Jas Roux deposit in the French Alps.
Intro adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA).
Routhierite is an IMA-recognized mineral species in the sulfosalt class, with the chemical formula TlCuHg₂As₂S₆.
It crystallizes in the tetragonal crystal system (space group I-42m). It is a member of the Routhierite structural group.
Key properties: specific gravity 5.83; Metallic luster.
IMA symbol Rtr, IMA status: approved, named in 1973.
Found in hydrothermal deposits in dolostone (Jas Roux, France).
It is found associated with Realgar, stibnite, pierrotite, sphalerite, pyrite, smithite (Jas Roux, France); pyrite, stibnite, realgar, cinnabar, parapierrotite, molybdenite, sphalerite.
The name refers to Pierre Routhier (1916–), Professor of Economic Geology, University of Paris, Paris, France.