luzonite

Luzonite is the tetragonal dimorph and low temperature polymorph of enargite. It forms a series with famatinite.

Maucher (1908a) identified "… stibioluzonite or arsenic-rich famatinite" as a significant component of sulphide ore in the upper part of the first oxidation zone. He commented that the reddish appearance of the mineral seemed consistent with famatinite but that some of his blowpipe analyses suggested an abundance of arsenic. (Note that stibioluzonite is not an IMA-approved species.)

Strunz and Tennyson (1967) mentioned luzonite "… often with a low Sb content" as a component of the sulphide ores.

Geier (1973/74) confirmed the presence of luzonite as an accessory mineral during a study of sulphide ores from between 20 and 26 levels.

Bartelke (1976) described yellowish to steel-grey inclusions in sulphide ores, visible only under the ore microscope. He noted the minor presence of antimony in some of the luzonite and considered the occurrence of stibioluzonite at Tsumeb a possibility.

Ramdohr (1980) confirmed the presence of both luzonite and stibioluzonite at Tsumeb.

Hughes (1987), however, regarded stibioluzonite as a doubtful composition for Tsumeb, but confirmed the presence of luzonite as a "significant trace" mineral in the hypogene assemblage.

Lombaard et al. (1986) considered luzonite very rare at Tsumeb.

Gebhard (1999) reported the discovery of a large (30 x 10 mm) crystal of germanite in the third oxidation zone, probably from 45 Level. On the surface of the germanite were "… hundreds of bronze-coloured, highly lustrous, less than 1 mm crystals of luzonite." According to Gebhard (1999) this is the only known occurrence of luzonite crystals at Tsumeb.

enargite; famatinite (?); germanite