Mineral Species
Berzelianite
Type Locality
No
Composition
Cu2Se
Crystal System
Cubic
Status at Tsumeb
Questionable
Entry Number
Species; TSNB47
General Notes
Selenides are extremely rare at Tsumeb, although it should be noted that a complete solid solution series between berzelianite and digenite (which is common at the locality) has been demonstrated (Pirard and Hatert 2008).
Berzelianite was first reported from Tsumeb by Joy Désor in 2020 (Berzelianite from Tsumeb Mine (Ongopolo Mine), Tsumeb, Oshikoto Region, Namibia (mindat.org); accessed December 2022) who identified the mineral by XRD (microdiffraction) and SEM/EDS. It occurs as tarnished brown crusts on cuprite and copper. Cerussite, malachite and smithsonite are also associated.
There is no mention of berzelianite from Tsumeb in the peer-reviewed literature and, while the identification of berzelianite appears to be sound, the indicated paragenesis is not unequivocally from Tsumeb.
Questionable status is retained for berzelianite pending further verification.
Associated Minerals
cerussite (?); copper (?); cuprite (?); malachite (?); smithsonite (?)
