ABSTRACT
The structure refinement and XANES study of two gold-silver-tellurides [Au1+xAgxTe2, krennerite (x = 0.11-0.13) and sylvanite (x = 0.29-0.31)] are presented and the structures are compared with the prototype structure of calaverite (x = 0.08-0.10). Whereas the latter is well known for being incommensurately modulated at ambient conditions, neither krennerite nor sylvanite present any modulation. This is attributed to the presence of relatively strong Te-Te bonds (bond distances < 2.9â Å) in the two minerals, which are absent in calaverite (bond distances > 3.2â Å). In both tellurides, trivalent gold occurs in slightly distorted square planar coordination, whereas monovalent gold, partly substituted by monovalent silver, presents a 2+2+2 coordination, corresponding to distorted rhombic bipyramids. The differentiation between bonding and non-bonding contacts is obtained by computation of the Effective Coordination Number (ECoN). The CHARge DIstribution (CHARDI) analysis is satisfactory for both tellurides but suggests that the Te-Te bond in the [Te3]2- anion is not entirely homopolar. Both tellurides can therefore be described as Madelung-type compounds, despite the presence of Te-Te in both structures.
ABSTRACT
Petzite, Ag3AuTe2, crystallizes in the space group I4132, which is a Sohncke type of space group where chiral crystal structures can occur. The structure refinement of petzite reported long ago [Frueh (1959). Am. Mineral. 44, 693-701] did not provide any information about the absolute structure. A new single-crystal X-ray diffraction refinement has now been performed on a sample from Lake View Mine, Golden Mile, Kalgoorlie, Australia, which has resulted in a reliable absolute structure [a Flack parameter of 0.05â (3)], although this corresponds to the opposite enantiomorph reported previously. The minimum Te-Te distance is 3.767â (3)â Å, slightly shorter than the van der Waals bonding distance, which suggests a weak interaction between the two chalcogens. XANES spectra near the Au and Te LIII edges suggest that the chemical-bonding character of Au in petzite is more metallic than in other gold minerals.
