MAIKAINITE CU20(FE,CU 6MO2GE6S32 AND OVAMBOITE CU20(FE,CU,ZN )6W2GE6S32: NEW MINERALS IN MASSIVE SULFIDE BASE METAL ORES

Abstract

In addition to molybdenite, tungstenite, and iordisit, complex sulfides of Mo and W (hemusite, kiddcreekite, castanite, Mo- and W-containing colusite, Ge-colusIte, and germanite) have been detected in hydrothermal ores. The standard pink germanite contains trace~ of Mo and W, while the yellowish modification contams as much as 1-3% Wand/or Mo [2-15]. In ores from. ~assive sulfide base metal deposits (Tsumeb, Namibia; Maikain, Kazakhstan), researchers have found complex sulfides of Cu(Fe,Zn), Ge(As,Ga), and (Mo:W) [4, 12] associated with bornite, sphalerite, tennanttte, gerrnanite CU20(Cu,Fe,Zn)6Fe2(Ge,As,Ga)6Se32 [3],. C!e-colusite CU20(Cu,Fe,Zn)6V2(Ge,As)6Se32 [5], remente, Ge-mawsonite, Ge-briartite, sulvanite, and others. The Mo-dominated mineral was named maikainite ~ter the locality of its first finding, whereas the W-dommated modification was named ovamboite after the Ovamboland region hosting the Tsumeb deposit (Namibia).