Metallic inclusions of the very rare Ag-Hg intermetallic schachnerite from a locality in Sweden (Sala, Västmanland County, Sweden). Ex Vandenbroucke Museum collection from Waregem, Belgium. — Photo: David Hospital · CC BY 4.0
Schachnerite
Schachnerite is an IMA-recognized mineral species in the native element class, with the chemical formula Ag₁.₁Hg₀.₉.
It crystallizes in the hexagonal crystal system.
Key properties: Metallic. Anisotropism: Very weak. Rc~: n.d luster.
IMA symbol Shn, IMA status: approved, named in 1971.
Found in the zone of oxidation, formed by the alteration of moschellandsbergite.
It is found associated with Paraschachnerite, mercurian silver, acanthite, cinnabar, ankerite, "limonite" (Landsberg, Germany); paraschachnerite, mercurian silver, sphalerite.
The name refers to Professor Doris Schachner, ore mineralogist, Institute for Mineralogy and Ore Deposits, Rhine Westphalian Technical School, Aachen, Germany.