Mercury-bearing Tetrahedrite

Where it forms, where it's found

54recorded occurrences

Source · OpenStreetMap

Safety & handling

Chemical composition

Constituent elements: Mass composition breakdown
Element Atoms At. mass g/mol Mass g/mol Mass share
29CuCopper Copper 10 63.546 635.460
29.11%
51SbAntimony Antimony 4 121.760 487.040
22.31%
16SSulfur Sulfur 13 32.060 416.780
19.09%
80HgMercury Mercury 2 200.592 401.184
18.38%
30ZnZinc Zinc 2 65.380 130.760
5.99%
26FeIron Iron 2 55.845 111.690
5.12%
Total 2182.914 100.00%
Mass share = atoms × atomic mass ÷ molar mass × 100
From Mindat formula

Mass composition breakdown
Element	Atoms	At. mass g/mol	Mass g/mol	Mass share
29CuCopper	Copper	10	63.546	635.460	29.11%
51SbAntimony	Antimony	4	121.760	487.040	22.31%
16SSulfur	Sulfur	13	32.060	416.780	19.09%
80HgMercury	Mercury	2	200.592	401.184	18.38%
30ZnZinc	Zinc	2	65.380	130.760	5.99%
26FeIron	Iron	2	55.845	111.690	5.12%
	Total	2182.914	100.00%

Synonyms

Graugiltigerz (of Hausmann)
Hermesit
Mercurian Tetrahedrite
Merkurfahlerz
Quecksilberfahlerz
Schwartzite
Schwarzwerz
Schwatzit
Schwatzite
Schwazit
Schwazita
Schwazite
Spaniolith

Literature, links & citation

Citations

1872Untchi, G. (1872). [with old analyses of "schwazite" showing no or negligible Hg] [http://www.zobodat.at/pdf/MittNatVerSt_9_0047-0063.pdf]
1944Palache, Charles, Berman, Harry, Frondel, Clifford (1944) The System of Mineralogy (7th ed.) Vol. 1 - Elements, Sulfides, Sulfosalts, Oxides. John Wiley and Sons, New York.
1980Kaplunnik, L.N, Pobedimskaya, E.A., Belov, N.V. (1980): Crystal structure of “schwatzite”, (Cu4.4Hg1.6)Cu6Sb4S12. Soviet Physics - Crystallography 25, 508-509. [= tetraedrite-(Hg)]
1998Arlt, T., Diamond, L. W. (1998) Composition of tetrahedrite-tennantite and ‘schwazite’ in the Schwaz silver mines, North Tyrol, Austria. Mineralogical Magazine, 62 (6) 801-820 doi:10.1180/002646198548188 DOI: 10.1180/002646198548188
1999Arlt, Thilo; Diamond, Larryn (1999) Mineralnamen und Mineralogiegeschichte. Gab es je Schwazit in Schwaz? [Mineral names and mineralogical history. Was there ever Schwazite in Schwaz?]. Lapis, 24 (12). 45-46; 58

Cite this entry

@misc{mineral2026,
  author    = {Mineral Index editorial board},
  title     = {Mercury-bearing Tetrahedrite — Mineral Index},
  year      = {2026},
  url       = {https://mineralindex.org/minerals/mercury-bearing-tetrahedrite-7719},
  note      = {Accessed 2026-05-11}
}