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Cubanite

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Henderson No. 2 mine, Chibougamau, Abitibi Co., Québec, Canada
© Michael C. Roarke

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Formula:
CuFe
 
2
S
 
3
System:OrthorhombicColour:Brass to bronze-yellow
Lustre:MetallicHardness:3½
Name:After the type locality in the country of Cuba.
Dimorph of:Isocubanite
This page provides mineralogical data about Cubanite.

Classification of Cubanite

IMA status:Valid - first described prior to 1959 (pre-IMA) - "Grandfathered"
Strunz 8th edition ID:2/C.14-20
Nickel-Strunz 10th (pending) edition ID:2.CB.55a

2 : SULFIDES and SULFOSALTS (sulfides, selenides, tellurides; arsenides, antimonides, bismuthides; sulfarsenites, sulfantimonites, sulfbismuthites, etc.)
C : Metal Sulfides, M: S = 1: 1 (and similar)
B : With Zn, Fe, Cu, Ag, etc.
Dana 8th edition ID:2.9.13.1

2 : SULFIDES
9 : AmBnXp, with (m+n):p = 1:1
Hey's CIM Ref.:3.1.22

3 : Sulphides, Selenides, Tellurides, Arsenides and Bismuthides (except the arsenides, antimonides and bismuthides of Cu, Ag and Au, which are included in Section 1)
1 : Sulphides etc. of Cu
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Type Occurrence of Cubanite

Type Locality:Barracanao (Baracoa), Oriente Province, Cuba
Year of Discovery:1843

Occurrences of Cubanite

Geological Setting:High temperature hydrothermal deposits

Physical Properties of Cubanite

Lustre:Metallic
Diaphaneity (Transparency):Opaque
Colour:Brass to bronze-yellow
Streak:Gray-black
Hardness (Mohs):3½
Parting:on {110} {130}
Fracture:Conchoidal
Density (measured):4.03 - 4.18 g/cm3
Density (calculated):4.076 g/cm3

Crystallography of Cubanite

Crystal System:Orthorhombic
Class (H-M):mmm (2/m 2/m 2/m) - Dipyramidal
Cell Parameters:a = 6.467(1) Å, b = 11.117(1) Å, c = 6.231(2) Å
Ratio:a:b:c = 0.582 : 1 : 0.56
Unit Cell Volume:V 447.97 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Z:4
Morphology:Elongated, thick tabular
Twinning:Common on {110}
pairs, fourlings and sixlings.
Crystal Atlas:
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Cubanite - {110}, {010}, {101}, modified
Cubanite - {100}, {110}, {001}, {011}, modified

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Optical Data of Cubanite

Type:Anisotropic
Anisotropism:Distinctive

Chemical Properties of Cubanite

Formula:
CuFe
 
2
S
 
3
Essential elements:Cu, Fe, S
All elements listed in formula:Cu, Fe, S

Relationship of Cubanite to other Species

Common Associates:
SphaleritePyrrhotitePyriteChalcopyrite
Related Minerals - Nickel-Strunz Grouping):

- +
2.CB.05aColoradoite
HgTe
2.CB.05aHawleyite
CdS
2.CB.05aMetacinnabar
HgS
2.CB.05cPolhemusite
(Zn,Hg)S
2.CB.05bSakuraiite
(Cu,Zn,Fe)
 
3
(In,Sn)S
 
4
2.CB.05aSphalerite
(Zn,Fe
2+
 
)S
2.CB.05aStilleite
ZnSe
2.CB.05aTiemannite
HgSe
2.CB.05UM1998-15-S:CuFeZn
Cu
 
2
Fe
 
3
Zn
 
5
S
 
10
2.CB.05aRudashevskyite
(Fe,Zn)S
2.CB.10aChalcopyrite
CuFeS
 
2
2.CB.10aEskebornite
CuFeSe
 
2
2.CB.10aGallite
CuGaS
 
2
2.CB.10bHaycockite
Cu
 
4
Fe
 
5
S
 
8
2.CB.10aLenaite
AgFeS
 
2
2.CB.10bMooihoekite
Cu
 
9
Fe
 
9
S
 
16
2.CB.10bPutoranite
Cu
 
9
Fe
 
9
S
 
16
2.CB.10aRoquesite
CuInS
 
2
2.CB.10bTalnakhite
Cu
 
9
(Fe,Ni)
 
8
S
 
16
2.CB.10aLaforêtite
AgInS
 
2
2.CB.15aČernýite
Cu
 
2
(Cd,Zn,Fe)SnS
 
4
2.CB.15aFerrokësterite
Cu
 
2
(Fe,Zn)SnS
 
4
2.CB.15aHocartite
Ag
 
2
(Fe
2+
 
,Zn)SnS
 
4
2.CB.15aIdaite
Cu
 
5
FeS
 
6
2.CB.15aKësterite
Cu
 
2
(Zn,Fe)SnS
 
4
2.CB.15aKuramite
Cu
 
3
SnS
 
4
2.CB.15bMohite
Cu
 
2
SnS
 
3
2.CB.15aPirquitasite
Ag
 
2
ZnSnS
 
4
2.CB.15aStannite
Cu
 
2
(Fe,Zn)SnS
 
4
2.CB.15cStannoidite
Cu
+
6
Cu
2+
2
(Fe
2+
 
,Zn)
 
3
Sn
 
2
S
 
12
2.CB.15aVelikite
(Cu,Hg)
 
11
Sn
 
4
S
 
16
2.CB.15cUM2006-11-S:CuFeGeZn
Cu
 
8
(Fe,Zn)
 
3
Ge
 
2
S
 
12
 (?)
2.CB.20Chatkalite
Cu
 
6
FeSn
 
2
S
 
8
2.CB.20Mawsonite
Cu
 
6
Fe
 
2
SnS
 
8
2.CB.30Colusite
Cu
 
26
V
 
2
(As,Sn,Sb)
 
6
S
 
32
2.CB.30Germanite
Cu
 
13
Fe
 
2
Ge
 
2
S
 
16
2.CB.30Germanocolusite
Cu
 
26
V
 
2
(Ge,As)
 
6
S
 
32
2.CB.30Nekrasovite
Cu
 
26
V
 
2
(Sn,As,Sb)
 
6
S
 
32
2.CB.30Stibiocolusite
Cu
 
13
V
 
4
(Sb,Sn,As)
 
3
S
 
16
2.CB.30Ovamboite
Cu
 
20
(Fe,Cu,Zn)
 
6
W
 
2
Ge
 
6
S
 
32
2.CB.30Maikainite
Cu
 
20
(Fe,Cu)
 
6
Mo
 
2
Ge
 
6
S
 
32
2.CB.35aHemusite
Cu
 
6
SnMoS
 
8
2.CB.35aKiddcreekite
Cu
 
6
SnWS
 
8
2.CB.35aPolkovicite
(Fe,Pb)
 
3
(Ge,Fe)
 
1-x
S
 
4
2.CB.35aRenierite
(Cu,Zn)
 
11
(Ge,As)
 
2
Fe
 
4
S
 
16
2.CB.35aVinciennite
Cu
+
7
Cu
2+
3
Fe
2+
2
Fe
3+
2
Sn(As,Sb)S
 
16
2.CB.35aMorozeviczite
(Pb,Fe)
 
3
Ge
 
1-x
S
 
4
2.CB.35bCatamarcaite
Cu
 
6
GeWS
 
8
2.CB.40Lautite
CuAsS
2.CB.45Cadmoselite
CdSe
2.CB.45Greenockite
CdS
2.CB.45Wurtzite
(Zn,Fe)S
2.CB.45Rambergite
MnS
2.CB.55bIsocubanite
CuFe
 
2
S
 
3
2.CB.60Picotpaulite
TlFe
 
2
S
 
3
2.CB.60Raguinite
TlFeS
 
2
2.CB.65Argentopyrite
AgFe
 
2
S
 
3
2.CB.65Sternbergite
AgFe
 
2
S
 
3
2.CB.70Sulvanite
Cu
 
3
VS
 
4
2.CB.75Vulcanite
CuTe
2.CB.80Empressite
AgTe
2.CB.85Muthmannite
AuAgTe
 
2
Related Minerals - Hey's Index Grouping:

- +
3.1.1Chalcocite
Cu
 
2
S
3.1.2Djurleite
Cu
 
31
S
 
16
3.1.3Digenite
Cu
 
9
S
 
5
3.1.4Anilite
Cu
 
7
S
 
4
3.1.5Roxbyite
Cu
 
9
S
 
5
3.1.6Spionkopite
Cu
 
39
S
 
28
3.1.7Geerite
Cu
 
8
S
 
5
3.1.8Covellite
CuS
3.1.9Berzelianite
Cu
 
2
Se
3.1.10Bellidoite
Cu
 
2
Se
3.1.11Umangite
Cu
 
3
Se
 
2
3.1.12Yarrowite
Cu
 
9
S
 
8
3.1.13Athabascaite
Cu
 
5
Se
 
4
3.1.14Klockmannite
CuSe
3.1.15Krut'aite
CuSe
 
2
3.1.16Weissite
Cu
 
2-x
Te
3.1.17Rickardite
Cu
 
7
Te
 
5
3.1.18Vulcanite
CuTe
3.1.19Bambollaite
Cu(Se,Te)
 
2
3.1.20Lautite
CuAsS
3.1.21Mgriite
Cu
 
3
AsSe
 
3
3.1.23Bornite
Cu
 
5
FeS
 
4
3.1.24Fukuchilite
Cu
 
3
FeS
 
8
3.1.25Chalcopyrite
CuFeS
 
2
3.1.26Mooihoekite
Cu
 
9
Fe
 
9
S
 
16
3.1.27Haycockite
Cu
 
4
Fe
 
5
S
 
8
3.1.28Isocubanite
CuFe
 
2
S
 
3
3.1.29Idaite
Cu
 
5
FeS
 
6
3.1.30Nukundamite
(Cu,Fe)
 
4
S
 
4
3.1.31Putoranite
Cu
 
9
Fe
 
9
S
 
16
3.1.32Orickite
2CuFeS
 
2
·H
 
2
O
3.1.33Eskebornite
CuFeSe
 
2
3.1.34Chaméanite
(Cu,Fe)
 
4
As(Se,S)
 
4
3.1.35Talnakhite
Cu
 
9
(Fe,Ni)
 
8
S
 
16

Other Names for Cubanite

Synonyms:
BarracaniteChalcopyrrhotiteChalmersiteCubanCupropyrite (of Schneider)
Other Languages:
German:Barracanit
Chalmersit
Cubanit
Russian:Кубанит
Spanish:Barracanita
Chalmersita
Cubanita

Other Information

Health Warning:No information on health risks for this material has been entered into the database. You should always treat mineral specimens with care.

References for Cubanite

Reference List:Zeitschrift für Kristallographie: 132: 276-287.

Zeitschrift für Kristallographie: 140: 218-239.

Palache, Charles, Harry Berman & Clifford Frondel (1944), The System of Mineralogy of James Dwight Dana and Edward Salisbury Dana Yale University 1837-1892, Volume I: Elements, Sulfides, Sulfosalts, Oxides. John Wiley and Sons, Inc., New York. 7th edition, revised and enlarged, 834pp.: 243-245.

Greenwood, N.N. and Whitfield, H.J. (1968) Mössbauer effect studies on cubanite (CuFe2S3) and related iron sulfides. Journal of the Chemical Society, A: 1697-1699.

Internet Links for Cubanite

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  • Raman and XRD data at RRUFF project
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  • Cubanite details from Handbook of Mineralogy (PDF)
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    Localities for Cubanite

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