New ternary indides R10Co9In20 (R=Er, Tm, Lu) have been found in the systems {Er, Tm, Lu}-Co-In at 870 K. The crystal structure of Tm10Co9In20 has been refined using single-crystal X-ray data: Ho10Ni9In20 structure type, P4/nmm space group, Z=2, a=13.166(5) Angstrom, c=9.097(4) Angstrom, V=1577(2) Angstrom(3), R=0.0315 for 335 unique reflections hkl (DARTCH-1 diffractometer, MoKalpha radiation). The coordination polyhedra of the Tm atoms have 16 and 17 vertices, those of the In atoms 12 and 13 vertices and those of the Co atoms 8 and 10 vertices. The structure can be described as a stacking of polyhedra formed by In atoms. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science S.A. All rights reserved.