Aktashite Cu6Hg3As4S12 from the Aktash deposit, Altai, Russia: Refinement and crystal chemical analysis of the structure

The composition and structure of aktashite from the Aktash deposit, Gorny Altai, Russia, have been studied by electron microprobe and X-ray structural analysis. On the basis of close compositions and crystal structures, the identity of aktashite from the Gal-Khaya and Aktash deposits has been demonstrated. Crystals of aktashite are of trigonal symmetry; the unit-cell dimensions are: a = 13.7500(4), c = 9.3600(3) Å, V = 532.54(8) Å3, space group R3, Z = 3 for the composition of Cu6Hg3As4S12, R = 0.043. The structure of aktashite as a framework of vertex-shared HgS4− and CuS4− tetrahedrons of the same orientation is intimately related to the sphalerite-type structure. The earlier identified uncommon cluster group [As4] has been verified and its parameters have been refined. It is shown that the structure may be represented as construction blocks (As4S12)12− packed according to the law of the distorted cubic I-cell.