Greyish crystal aggregates of the extremely rare bismuth tellurite smirnite from the type locality in Armenia (Zod Mine, Vardenis, Gegharkunik Province, Armenia). Ex Vandenbroucke Museum collection from Waregem, Belgium. — Photo: David Hospital · CC BY-SA 4.0
Smirnite
Smirnite is an IMA-recognized mineral species in the oxides & hydroxide class, with the chemical formula Bi³⁺₂Te⁴⁺O₅.
It crystallizes in the orthorhombic crystal system (space group Abm2).
Key properties: specific gravity 7.78; optically biaxial.
IMA symbol Smr, IMA status: approved, named in 1982.
Found as a secondary mineral in tellurium-bearing hydrothermal ore deposits.
It is found associated with Tellurobismuthite, tetradymite, volynskite, galena, quartz.
The mineral was named to honor Vladimir Ivanovich Smirnov (1910–1988), Russian investigator of ore deposits, Moscow University, Moscow, Russia.