Chalcopyrite

Chalcopyrite
Missing image
ChalcopyriteUSGOV.jpg
Chalcopyrite
General
CategoryMineral
Chemical formulacopper iron sulfide:CuFeS2
Identification
Color Brass yellow, may have iridescent purplish tarnish.
Crystal habit predominantly the disphenoid and resembles a tetrahedron. Crystals sometines twinned. Also commonly massive, and sometimes botryoidal.
Crystal system tetragonal bar 4 2m
Cleavage [112] Indistinct
Fracture conchoidal and brittle
Mohs Scale hardness 3.5
Lustermetallic
Refractive indexopaque
Pleochroism N/A
Streakdark green
Specific gravity 4.1 - 4.3
Fusibility2
Solubility?
Other Characteristicsmagnetic on heating
Major varieties

Chalcopyrite is a copper iron sulfide mineral that crystallizes in the tetragonal system. It has chemical composition CuFeS2. It has a brassy to golden yellow color and hardness of 3.5 to 4 on the Mohs scale. Due to its color it is often confused with pyrite though this mineral has a cubic and not a tetragonal crystal system and chalcopyrite is more often massive and less brittle. Chalcopyrite is also a darker yellow in color.

Chalcopyrite is one of the most important copper ores. Chalcopyrite ore occurs in a variety of ore types, from huge masses as at Timmins, Ontario, to irregular veins and disseminations associated with granitic to dioritic intrusives as in the porphyry copper deposits of the American cordillera and the Andes.

Missing image
Chalcopyrite.owl.arp.600pix.jpg
Chalcopyrite carved owl on a base of quartz crystals, 2.5 inches (6 cm) high.

References

nl:Chalcopyriet ja:黄銅鉱

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