Dzierżanowskite, CaCu₂S₂ – a new natural thiocuprate from Jabel Harmun, Judean Desert, Palestine Autonomy, Israel

Abstract

Dzierżanowskite, , a thiocuprate, was found in larnite pseudoconglomerate rocks of the Hatrurim Complex at Jabel Harmun, Palestinian Autonomy, Israel. Dzierżanowskite occurs in larnite pebbles, which are embedded in a low-temperature mineral matrix. Associated minerals are larnite, brownmillerite, fluorellestadite, ye'elimite, gehlenite, periclase, ternesite, nabimusaite, vorlanite, vapnikite, fluormayenite, fluorkyuygenite, oldhamite, jasmundite, covellite, chalcocite and pyrrhotite. Electron microprobe analyses yield an average composition of Cu 55.25, Fe 0.13, S 27.46 and Ca 16.99, total 99.83 wt.%. The empirical formula of dzierżanowskite, based on 5 atoms, is Ca0.98Cu2.02Fe0.01S1.99. Dzierżanowskite forms grains up to 15 μm in size or rims on oldhamite and laminar intergrowths with chalcocite and covellite. Dzierżanowskite is dark orange, has a cream streak and a submetallic lustre. In reflected light it is grey, with a cream tint and characteristic yellow-orange internal reflections. The calculated density of dzierżanowskite is 4.391 g cm -3. Three bands at 300, 103 and 86 cm -1 are observed in the Raman spectrum. The strongest lines of the calculated powder diffraction pattern are [d, Å (I) hkl]: 2.358(100) 102, 1.970(93)110, 3.023(78) 011, 6.523(36) 001, 3.412 (28) 100, 1.834(28) 103. Dzierżanowskite was also found in unusual jasmundite rocks, forming small ‘paleofumaroles’ within areas of low-temperature hydrothermal rocks bearing larnite pseudoconglomerates at Jabel Harmun. Dzierżanowskite is a superimposed phase of the high-temperature alteration of pyrometamorphic rocks subjected to by-products (melts/fluids and gases) of pyrometamorphism originating in the deeper levels of combustion.

New Mineral with Modular Structure Derived from Hatrurite from the Pyrometamorphic Rocks of the Hatrurim Complex: Ariegilatite, BaCa12(SiO4)4(PO4)2F2O, from Negev Desert, Israel

“…Minerals of the dargaite-nabimusaite series (and also gazeevite), as well as minerals of the ternesite-silicocarnotite series and jasmundite are high-temperature alteration products of minerals of an early clinker-like association of larnite rocks. These alterations took place under the influence of pyrometamorphism by-products, such as gases and fluids generated by closely-spaced combustion foci [1,28,29].…”

A hibonite-spinel-corundum-hematite assemblage in plagioclase-clinopyroxene pyrometamorphic rocks, Hatrurim Basin, Israel: mineral chemistry, genesis and formation temperatures

“…Gross and Y. Bentor (Bentor et al , 1963; Gross, 1977 and others). In last decade more than 20 new minerals have been found within the Hatrurim Formation: barioferrite; shulamitite; murashkoite; zadovite; gurimite; vapnikite; nabimusaite; aradite; gazeevite; fluormayenite; fluorkyuygenite; negevite; halamishite; zuktamrurite; silicocarnotite; flamite; tululite and others (Murashko et al , 2011; Sharygin et al , 2013; Galuskin et al , 2014; 2015 a – c ; 2016; 2017; Galuskina et al , 2014; 2017 a , b ; Britvin et al , 2015; Sokol et al , 2015; Khoury et al , 2016). Most of these were identified in larnite and spurrite rocks and Ca-rich paralavas; and some could be used as indicator minerals to estimate the history of the rock formation.…”

Deynekoite, Ca9□Fe3+(PO4)7 – a new mineral of the merrillite group from phosphide-bearing contact facies of paralava, Hatrurim Complex, Daba-Siwaqa, Jordan

“…The Hatrurim Complex is distributed along the Dead Sea rift as a series of outcrops of pyrometamorphic rocks in the territories of Israel, Palestine and Jordan (Bentor, 1960;Gross, 1977Gross, , 1984Vapnik et al, 2007;Novikov et al, 2013) (Galuskina et al, 2017a;Galuskin et al, , 2019Galuskin et al, , 2021Galuskin et al, , 2023a. In the Hatrurim Complex, molten rocks that are diverse in composition form veins, lenses and oval bodies of paralavas and slag-like rocks from a few centimetres to tens of metres in size (Galuskin et al, 2015;Galuskina et al, 2017aGaluskina et al, , 2017bGaluskina et al, , 2017cKrzątała et al, 2020;Krüger et al, 2021;Murashko et al, 2022). It is the paralavas, which feature relatively coarser-grained rocks compared to other types of pyrometamorphic rocks, that are associated with the discovery of a significant number of new minerals.…”

“…Spurrite marble, larnite pseudoconglomerate and gehlenite hornfels dominate; however, there are also exotic rock types containing such rock-forming minerals as ye'elimite, Ca 4 Al 6 (SO 4 )O 12 ; fluormayenite, Ca 12 Al 14 O 32 F 2 ; nabimusaite, KCa 12 (SiO 4 ) 4 (SO 4 ) 2 O 2 F; ariegilatite, BaCa 12 (SiO 4 ) 4 (PO 4 ) 2 F 2 O; jasmundite, Ca 11 (SiO 4 ) 4 O 2 S; ternesite, Ca 5 (SiO 4 ) 2 (SO 4 ); levantite, KCa 3 Al 2 (SiO 4 )(Si 2 O 7 )(PO 4 ); silicocarnotite, Ca 5 (PO 4 ) 2 (SiO 4 ); oldhamite, CaS 2 ; khesinite, Ca 4 (Mg 2 Fe 3+ 10 )O 4 (Fe 3+ 20 Si 2 )O 36 ; and others (Galuskina et al , 2017a; Galuskin et al , 2016, 2019, 2021, 2023a). In the Hatrurim Complex, molten rocks that are diverse in composition form veins, lenses and oval bodies of paralavas and slag-like rocks from a few centimetres to tens of metres in size (Galuskin et al , 2015; Galuskina et al , 2017a, 2017b, 2017c; Krzątała et al , 2020; Krüger et al , 2021; Murashko et al , 2022). It is the paralavas, which feature relatively coarser-grained rocks compared to other types of pyrometamorphic rocks, that are associated with the discovery of a significant number of new minerals.…”