Rosickýite, (monoclinic g-Sulfur), from La Presta Asphalt Mine, Neuchâtel, Switzerland : New X-ray powder diffraction diagram

Meisser N., Schenk K. J.,. & Spangenberg J.E.

Rosickýite, (monoclinic g-Sulfur), from La Presta Asphalt Mine, Neuchâtel, Switzerland : New X-ray powder diffraction diagram.

Schweiz. Mineral. Petrogr. Mitt., 80, 299-303

Abstract

Rosickýite, the natural monoclinic g- form of sulphur, exists in only a few localities around the globe. In the old asphalt mine from La Presta, Neuchâtel, Switzerland, rosickýite occurs locally as small, but very well formed crystals suitable for crystallographical studies. It appears as alteration product of pyrite-rich asphalt. Rosickýite from La Presta mine is pure molecular sulphur, as revealed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Astonishingly, X-ray powder diffraction data of La Presta rosickýite does not match the one previously published for this species. A single crystal study was undertaken therefore and a new indexed X-ray powder diffraction diagram of natural rosickýite is proposed.

Keywords: Rosickýite, monoclinic sulphur, asphalt, Presta Mine, Neuchâtel, Switzerland.