General Boulangerite Information

Boulangerite is a sulfosalt mineral, lead antimony sulfide, formula Pb5Sb4S11. It was named in 1837 in honor of French mining engineer Charles Boulanger. It forms metallic grey monoclinic crystals. Sometimes the crystals form a fine feathery mass which has been called plumosite.

Chemical Formula: Pb5Sb4S11 Composition: Molecular Weight = 1,887.90 gm

Antimony 26.44 % Sb Lead 54.88 % Pb Sulfur 18.68 % S ______ 100.00 %

Empirical Formula: Environment: IMA Status: Locality: Name Origin:

Pb5Sb4.1S11 Low to moderate temperature hydrothermal veins. Valid Species (Pre-IMA) 1837 Molires, Gard, Languedoc-Roussillon, France Link to MinDat.org Location Data. Named after the French mining engineer, C. L. Boulanger (1810-1849). Later name from an occurrence near Mullan, Idaho. Boulangerite + Pronunciation

Name Pronunciation:

Physical Properties of Boulangerite

Cleavage: Color: Density: Diaphaneity: Fracture: Habit: Habit: Habit: Hardness: Luminescence: Luster: Magnetism: Streak: {001} Indistinct, {010} Indistinct Lead gray, Blue gray, Gray. 5.7 - 6.3, Average = 6 Opaque Brittle - Generally displayed by glasses and most nonmetallic minerals. Acicular - Occurs as needle-like crystals. Massive - Fibrous - Distinctly fibrous fine-grained forms. Plumose - "Mica-like" minerals forming aggregates of plume-like forms. 2.5 - Finger Nail Non-fluorescent. Metallic Nonmagnetic reddish brown

Chemical Properties of Boulangerite:

Category Sulfosalt minerals Pb5Sb4S11 02.HC.15

Formula: Pb Sb S 5 4 11 Essential elements: All elements listed in formula: Common Impurities: Pb, S, Sb Pb, S, Sb
Chemical formula Strunz classification

Cu,Zn,Sn,Fe

Boulangerite Classification:
Dana Class: 03.05.02.01 (03)Sulfides - Sulfosalts (03.05)where 2.5 < z/y < 3 - (A+)i (A++)j [By Cz], A=metals, B=semi-metals, C=non-metals (03.05.02)Dana Group
03.05.02.01 Boulangerite Pb5Sb4S11 Unk Ortho 03.05.02.02 Falkmanite Pb5Sb4S11 Mono

Strunz Class:

02.HC.15 02 - SULFIDES and SULFOSALTS (sulfides, selenides, tellurides; arsenides, antimonides, bismuthides; sulfarsenites, sulf 02.H - Sulfosalts of SnS Archetype 02.HC -With only Pb
02.HC.15 Boulangerite Pb5Sb4S11 Unk Ortho 02.HC.15 Falkmanite Pb5Sb4S11 Mono 02.HC.15 Plumosite* Pb2Sb2S5 Mono