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Abstract

The crystal structures of three minerals (arsenosulvanite, V,As-germanite, and colusite) of the general crystal chemical formula Cu2 - xM V2M Cu26 - yCu_{2 - x}^M V_2^M Cu_{26 - y} (As, Ge, Sn, Sb, V)6S32, where CuM, VM are cations at interstitial positions, 0.2 P[`4]3nP\bar 43n , a = 10.527; 10.600; 10.653 T¢T' S4]Cu6 ( T¢T' = V, Cu) complexes not directly interacting with each other and lying inside the Laves polyhedra. In the structures of arsenosulvanite and V,As-germanite, a sulvanite framework consisting of interpenetrating Laves polyhedra T¢T' T3S4 ( T¢T' = V, Cu; T = Cu, As, Ge) has been found. The sulvanite framework is statistically distributed over the sphalerite matrix. The variable composition of the minerals is due to heterovalent isomorphism in the sphalerite position 6c. Charge disbalance arising from substitution of the pentavalent arsenic cations by cations of lower valence is compensated by the appearance of additional Cu2+ cations. The nonstoichiometry of the compositions is explained by the presence of vacancies in the interstitial and sphalerite positions.

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