Maldonite (original) (raw)

Colour:

silver white with pink tint

Name:

Named for the type locality, Maldon (Australia).

Thermodynamically unstable below ~116°C, but is found in a metastable state in nature.
Maldonite is the only stable binary alloy phase in the system Au-Bi.

Long-form identifier:

mindat:1:1:2553:5

9376b516-4c36-43db-b84a-be15386ae13e

Approved, 'Grandfathered' (first described prior to 1959)

Type description reference:

2.AA.40

2 : SULFIDES and SULFOSALTS (sulfides, selenides, tellurides; arsenides, antimonides, bismuthides; sulfarsenites, sulfantimonites, sulfbismuthites, etc.)
A : Alloys
A : Alloys of metalloids with Cu, Ag, Au

1.1.3.1

1 : NATIVE ELEMENTS AND ALLOYS
1 : Metals, other than the Platinum Group

1.50

1 : Elements and Alloys (including the arsenides, antimonides and bismuthides of Cu, Ag and Au)

As of 2021 there are now IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols (abbreviations) for each mineral species, useful for tables and diagrams.

Please only use the official IMA–CNMNC symbol. Older variants are listed for historical use only.

Colour:

Silver white with pink tint

Comment:

Tarnishes to black

Hardness:

VHN100=147 - 264 kg/mm2 - Vickers

Cleavage:

Distinct/Good
001 & 110

Fracture:

Hackly, Conchoidal

Density:

15.46 g/cm3 (Measured) 15.70 g/cm3 (Calculated)

Reflectivity:

Graph shows reflectance levels at different wavelengths (in nm). Top of box is 100%. Peak reflectance is 60.1%.

Colour in reflected light:

White, blue tint

Class (H-M):

m_3_m _(_4/_m_32/m ) - Hexoctahedral

Cell Parameters:

a = 7.97 Å

Unit Cell V:

506.26 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)

Morphology:

octahedral crystals or massive

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ID	Species	Reference	Link	Year	Locality	Pressure (GPa)	Temp (K)
0010552	Maldonite	Jurriaanse T (1935) The crystal structure of Au2Bi Zeitschrift fur Kristallographie 90 322-329		1935	synthetic	0	293

CIF Raw Data - click here to close

Geological Setting of Type Material:

Gold reef associated with Devonian granites

Reference:

Ulrich, G.H.F. (1870) Maldonite or bismuthic gold. in Contributions to the Mineralogy of Victoria, John Ferres (Melbourne): 1-32.

Other Members of this group:

Associated Minerals Based on Photo Data:

Health Risks:

No information on health risks for this material has been entered into the database. You should always treat mineral specimens with care.

This map shows a selection of localities that have latitude and longitude coordinates recorded. Click on the symbol to view information about a locality. The symbol next to localities in the list can be used to jump to that position on the map.

- This locality has map coordinates listed. - This locality has estimated coordinates. ⓘ - Click for references and further information on this occurrence. ? - Indicates mineral may be doubtful at this locality. - Good crystals or important locality for species. - World class for species or very significant. (TL) - Type Locality for a valid mineral species. (FRL) - First Recorded Locality for everything else (eg varieties). Struck out - Mineral was erroneously reported from this locality. Faded * - Never found at this locality but inferred to have existed at some point in the past (e.g. from pseudomorphs).

All localities listed without proper references should be considered as questionable.