Neyite; a new sulphosalt from Alice Arm, British Columbia

Neyite, Pb 7 Bi 6 (Cu,Ag) 2 S 17 , is a new sulfosalt mineral occurring as needles and acicular aggregates in late vuggy quartz veins with pyrite, galena, sphalerite, chalcopyrite, aikinite, cosalite, and tetrahedrite. These veins are later than the quartz-molybdenite veins of Lime Creek molybdenum deposit near Alice Arm, B.C. The mineral is lead grey with bright metallic luster and Prussian blue tarnish on exposure; it is brittle with conchoidal fracture, and has a hardness of 2.5 with specific gravity of 7.02. It has monoclinic symmetry and a = 37.5 + or - 0.1, b = 4.07 + or - 0.01, c = 41.6 + or - 0.1 A, and beta = 96.8 degrees + or - 0.3 degrees . Strongest lines of the X-ray powder diffraction pattern and reactions to standard etch tests are given.