Silver compounds as minerals in the eastern Karkonosze granitoid pluton, Sudetes, Poland

Abstract

Twenty silver minerals of the sulphide, arsenide, selenide, telluride, sulphosalt and chloride groups were found in 13 locations in the Variscan Karkonosze granitoid pluton. Previously only one of these minerals was known from this area. The findings include species characterized in publications as rare or exceptionally rare, e.g., muthmannite and tsnigriite. They occur in pegmatites and quartz veins; their parageneses are described. The studies include determination of chemical compositions, formulae calculations and recording of XRD patterns. Inclusion studies in paragenetic quartz indicate that they crystallized from epithermal fluids with a common but low component of CO2. The results suggest that the minerals formed from trace elements (Ag included) in the Karkonosze granitoid due to very local degrees of recrystallization of the host granitoid.