| Stützite | |
| Category: | Telluride mineral |
| Formula: | Ag5−xTe3 (with x = 0.24 to 0.36) |
| Imasymbol: | Stz[1] |
| Strunz: | 2.BA.30e |
| System: | Hexagonal |
| Class: | Dihexagonal dipyramidal (6/mmm) H-M symbol: (6/m 2/m 2/m) |
| Symmetry: | P6/mmm |
| Unit Cell: | a = 13.38, c = 8.45 [Å]; Z = 7 |
| Color: | Dark lead-gray |
| Habit: | Massive, compact, granular |
| Cleavage: | None observed |
| Fracture: | Subconchoidal |
| Tenacity: | Brittle |
| Mohs: | 3.5 |
| Luster: | Metallic |
| Diaphaneity: | Opaque |
| Gravity: | 8.0 |
| Alteration: | Tarnishes rapidly to a dark bronze to iridescence |
| Other: | Anisotrpism in polished section: Moderate, in gray reddish brown-blue |
| References: | [2] [3] [4] |
Stützite or stuetzite is a silver telluride mineral with formula: Ag5−xTe3 (with x = 0.24 to 0.36)[2] or Ag7Te4.[5]
It was first described in 1951 from a museum specimen from Sacarimb, Romania. It was named for Austrian mineralogist Andreas Xaverius Stütz (1747–1806).[2] [3]
It occurs with other sulfide and telluride minerals in hydrothermal ore occurrences. Associated minerals include sylvanite, hessite, altaite, petzite, empressite, native tellurium, native gold, galena, sphalerite, colusite, tennantite and pyrite.[2]