Black crystal aggregate of the extremely rare thallium-mercury sulphosalt vaughanite from the TL in Hemlo gold deposit (Hemlo Gold Deposit, Hemlo, Thunder Bay District, Ontario, Canada). Ex Vandenbroucke Museum collection from Waregem, Belgium. — Photo: David Hospital · CC BY-SA 4.0
Vaughanite
Vaughanite is an IMA-recognized mineral species in the sulfosalt class, with the chemical formula TlHgSb₄S₇.
It crystallizes in the triclinic crystal system.
Key properties: Mohs hardness 3–3.5; specific gravity 5.56; Black streak; Metallic luster.
IMA symbol Vgh, IMA status: approved, named in 1987.
A very rare primary mineral found in drill core from an epithermal-hydrothermal gold deposit.
It is found associated with Pääkkönenite, stibarsen, realgar, arsenic, chalcostibite, quartz, calcite.
The mineral was named to honor Professor David John Vaughan (1946–), Manchester University, Manchester, England, for his contributions to ore mineralogy.