Named
in honor of P.A.Dufrénoy (1792-1857), professor at the Ecole Nationale
des Mines de Paris. Dufrénoysite is monoclinic, prismatic gray and black
in color and characterized by rounded corners in the longitudinal axis, but not
in all the crystal, unlike baumhauerite. As a general rule, there is no stretch
in the crystals, a fact that helps to differentiate it from sartorite, which
it’s very similar. It is also very difficult to visually distinguish dufrénoysite
from liveingite and baumhauerite.
Therefore, it’s essential to test the
sample with X-rays for a total confirmation. A variety of fibrous dufrénoysite
was called sollyite in honor of R.H.Solly because it was though it was a different
mineral; currently sollyite is not recognized as a separate species and therefore
this name tends to disappear from the literature.
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Classic dufrénoysite
crystals. |
| Field of view 5 mm. |
| Collection and Photo: Stephan Wolfsried. |
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Photo
Copyright © Stephan
Wolfsried 11/2007
This image is copyrighted. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited. |
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Very thin dufrénoysite
acicular crystal growth. |
| Field of view
3 mm. |
| Collection and
Photo: Stephan Wolfsried. |
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Photo
Copyright © Stephan Wolfsried 6/2006
This image is copyrighted. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited. |
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