CRYSTALLOGRAPHIC ANALYSIS OF SULFIDES RELATED TO BISMUTHINITE Bi2S3

The crystallographic analysis of Bi2S3, CuPbBi5S9, CuPbBi3S6, and CuPbBiS3 compounds, representing a series with a successive replacement of a part of Bi atoms by Pb+Cu, shows that they are characterized by a stable combination of a pseudotetragonal cation framework with a pseudohexagonal anion one, which is common for all structures, within orthorhombic unit cells with n sizes of 11.2 angstrom, 4 angstrom, and 11.5 angstrom. The Bi2S3 cation framework is retained for the heavy Bi+Pb, and additional light Cu fill the available vacant sites without changing its geometry but varying the crystallographic symmetry within the orthorhombic crystal symmetry and unit cells of n standard blocks (11.2x4x11.5 angstrom(3)).