| Playfairite | |
| Category: | Sulfosalt minerals, Sulfides |
| Formula: | Pb16Sb18S43 |
| Imasymbol: | Pyf[1] |
| Dana: | 3.6.4.1 |
| Strunz: | 2.LB.30 (10 ed) 2/E.20-40 (8 ed) |
| System: | Monoclinic Unknown space group |
| Color: | Lead gray to black |
| Cleavage: | Perfect |
| Mohs: | 3.5-4 |
| Luster: | Metallic |
| Pleochroism: | Strong reflection |
| Streak: | Black |
| Gravity: | 5.72 |
| References: | [2] |
Playfairite is a rare sulfosalt mineral with chemical formula Pb16Sb18S43 in the monoclinic crystal system,[3] [4] named after the Scottish scientist and mathematician John Playfair.[5] It was discovered in 1966 by the Canadian mineralogist John Leslie Jambor.[2] [6] Lead gray to black in color, its luster is metallic. Playfairite shows strong reflection pleochroism from white to brownish gray. Playfairite has a hardness of 3.5 to 4 on Mohs scale and a specific gravity of approximately 5.72.
The type locality is Taylor Pit (Concession XIV; Lot 13), Huntingdon Township, Hastings County in Ontario, Canada.[3] Small deposits have also been found in Les Cougnasses Mine, Orpierre in the Haut-Alpes in France, Khaidarkan Sb-Hg deposit (Chaidarkan), Fergana Valley, Alai Range, Osh Oblast, Kyrgyzstan and Reese River District, Lander County, Nevada, USA.[3]