Experimental investigation of the Ag-TI-Bi-Sb-S system

Polymetallic ore deposits of low temperature origin often contain thallium as a minor element. By means of modern analytical methods numerous new T1 minerals are described, but their coexistence and equilibria are not investigated yet. The equilibria at 200°C of the quasi-quaternary system Ag2S-Tl2S-Sb2-Sb2S3-Bi2S3 and the corresponding subsystems were studied. The system Ag2S-Tl2S-Sb2S3-Bi2S3 contains only one quasiquaternary phase, AgTlSbBiS4, which is connected by tie-lines with all quasiternary phases in the system (Ag4Sb3BiS8 and Ag3Tl3Sb2S6) and with most quasibinary phases: SbBiS3, weissbergite (TlSbS2), (TlBiS2, pyrargyrite (Ag3SbS3), miargyrite (AgSbS2) and matildite (AgBiS2). This phase diagram makes it possible to investigate all important naturally occurring parageneses of Ag and Tl sulphosalts containing Sb and Bi. © 1995 Springer-Verlag