Krennerite

 ( Silver Minerals ) 

Krennerite is an orthorhombic gold tellurium mineral which can contain variable amounts of silver in the structure. The formula is AuTe₂, but specimen with gold substituted by up to 24% with silver have been found (Au_0.77Ag_0.24Te₂). Both of the chemically similar gold-silver tellurides, calaverite and sylvanite, are in the monoclinic crystal system, whereas krennerite is orthorhombic.

The color varies from silver-white to brass-yellow. It has a specific gravity of 8.62 and a mohs hardness of 2.5. It occurs in high temperature, hydrothermal environments.

Krennerite was discovered in 1878 near the village of Săcărâmb, Romania, and first described by the Hungarian mineralogist Joseph Krenner (1839–1920).

• List of minerals
• List of minerals named after people

• G. Tunnell and K. J. Murata, American Mineralogist 35, 359–384 (1950).
• Structure of Krennerite retrieved 6-26-05
• Euromineral retrieved 6-26-05