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Enargite

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Julcani Mine, Julcani District, Angaraes Province, Huancavelica Department, Peru
© 2003 John H. Betts

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Formula:
Cu
 
3
AsS
 
4
System:OrthorhombicColour:Greyish-black to black, ...
Lustre:MetallicHardness:3
Name:From the Greek έναργής for "distinct," referring to its cleavage.
Dimorph of:Luzonite


Typically found as dark-grey to black massive material; crystals usually thick tabular, but may also be prismatic.

May contain minor Sb. The most Sb-rich enargite was found to have the composition Cu3As0.8Sb0.2S4 (Pósfai & Buseck, 1998).


Chemically similar to tennantite which, however, has no cleavage.

Classification of Enargite

IMA status:Valid - first described prior to 1959 (pre-IMA) - "Grandfathered"
Strunz 8th edition ID:2/C.14-10
Nickel-Strunz 10th (pending) edition ID:2.KA.05

2 : SULFIDES and SULFOSALTS (sulfides, selenides, tellurides; arsenides, antimonides, bismuthides; sulfarsenites, sulfantimonites, sulfbismuthites, etc.)
K : Sulfarsenates, Sulfantimonates
A : Sulfarsenates with (As,Sb)S4 tetrahedra
Dana 7th edition ID:3.2.1.1
Dana 8th edition ID:3.2.1.1

3 : SULFOSALTS
2 : ø = 4
Hey's CIM Ref.:6.3.1

6 : Sulphosalts - Sulphostannates, Sulphogermanates,Sulpharsenates, Sulphantimonates, Sulphovanadates and Sulphohalides
3 : Sulpharsenates and sulphantimonates
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Type Occurrence of Enargite

Type Locality:San Francisco vein, Morococha District, Yauli Province, Junín Department, Peru
Year of Discovery:1850

Occurrences of Enargite

Geological Setting:A mineral of moderate temperature vein and replacement deposits.

Physical Properties of Enargite

Lustre:Metallic
Diaphaneity (Transparency):Opaque
Colour:Greyish-black to black, grey/rose-brown in reflected light.
Streak:Black.
Hardness (Mohs):3
Hardness Data:Measured
Tenacity:Brittle
Cleavage:Perfect
Perfect on {110}, imperfect on {100} and {010}, indistinct {001}.
Fracture:Irregular/Uneven
Density (measured):4.4 - 4.5 g/cm3
Density (calculated):4.40 g/cm3

Crystallography of Enargite

Crystal System:Orthorhombic
Class (H-M):mm2 - Pyramidal
Space Group:Pmn21
Cell Parameters:a = 7.407(1) Å, b = 6.436(1) Å, c = 6.154(1) Å
Ratio:a:b:c = 1.151 : 1 : 0.956
Unit Cell Volume:V 293.37 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Z:2
Morphology:Crystals tabular on {001}, or prismatic. May be striated parallel to "c." Also found as massive material, may be granular.
Twinning:Common on {320}, sometimes as star-shaped cyclic trillings.
Crystal Atlas:
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Enargite no.11 - Goldschmidt (1913-1926)
Enargite - Tabular {001}
Enargite - {110}, {001}, modified

About Crystal Atlas

You may need to scroll this box using your mouse to view the full instructions.

The mindat.org Crystal Atlas allows you to view a selection of crystal drawings of real and idealised crystal forms for this mineral and, in certain cases, 3d rotating crystal objects. You need Java to see these. You can download Java for free - click here to download Java

The 3d models and java code are kindly provided by www.smorf.nl. You can control the movement of the models by holding down the left mouse-button over the 3d model and moving your mouse. Keyboard controls are:

: default positions
t/T: decrease/increase transparency x/X: next/previous texture
b/B: next/previous background w: toggle wireframe
s: toggle sticks m: toggle miller indices
k: toggle crystallographic axes =/-: zoom in/out
r: stop/start rotation 1/2/3
X-Ray Powder Diffraction:
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Radiation - Copper Kα
Data Set:
Horizontal Axis: ° to ° Vertical Axis: % Source Data: Filtered Data:
Data courtesy of RRUFF project at University of Arizona, used with permission.
X-Ray Powder Diffraction:
d-spacingIntensity
3.22(40)
3.21(80)
3.07(90)
2.84(80)
1.85(60)
1.73(100)
1.59(50)
1.26(40)

Optical Data of Enargite

Type:Anisotropic
Anisotropism:Strong dark violet red or olive green
Colour in reflected light:Grey to light pink brown
Internal Reflections:Deep red
Pleochroism:Weak

Chemical Properties of Enargite

Formula:
Cu
 
3
AsS
 
4
Essential elements:As, Cu, S
All elements listed in formula:As, Cu, S
Common Impurities:Sb,Fe,Pb,Zn,Ag,Ge

Relationship of Enargite to other Species

Common Associates:
TetrahedriteTennantiteSphaleriteQuartzPyrite
GalenaCovelliteChalcociteBorniteBaryte
Related Minerals - Nickel-Strunz Grouping):

- +
2.KA.05Petrukite
(Cu,Fe,Zn,Ag)
 
3
(Sn,In)S
 
4
2.KA.10Briartite
Cu
 
2
(Fe,Zn)GeS
 
4
2.KA.10Famatinite
Cu
 
3
SbS
 
4
2.KA.10Luzonite
Cu
 
3
AsS
 
4
2.KA.10Permingeatite
Cu
 
3
SbSe
 
4
2.KA.10Barquillite
Cu
 
2
CdGeS
 
4
2.KA.15Fangite
Tl
 
3
AsS
 
4
Related Minerals - Hey's Index Grouping:

- +
6.3.2Luzonite
Cu
 
3
AsS
 
4
6.3.3Famatinite
Cu
 
3
SbS
 
4

Other Names for Enargite

Synonyms:
Clarite (of Sandberger)GarbyiteGuayacanite
Other Languages:
German:Clarit
Enargit
Garbyit
Guayacanit
Japanese:硫砒銅鉱
Russian:Энаргит
Simplified Chinese:硫砷铜矿
Spanish:Clarita
Enargita
Garbyita
Guayacanita
Traditional Chinese:硫砷鋼礦
Varieties:
Argentian EnargiteStannoenargite

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.
Industrial Uses:Occasionally found in large enough volumes to be mined as an ore of copper.

References for Enargite

Reference List:

- +
Breithaupt (1850), Ann. Phys.: 80: 383.

Field (1859), American Journal of Science: 27: 52.

Sandberger (1874), Jb. Min.: 960.

Sandberger (1875). Jb. Min.: 382.

Semmons (1884), Mineralogical Magazine: 5: xxvi.

Semmons (1884), Mineralogical Magazine: 6: 49, 124.

Pauling and Weinbaum (1934).

Graton and Bowditch (1936), Economic Geology: 31: 696.

Harcourt (1937), American Mineralogist: 22: 517.

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: 389-392.

Tanelli G. (1970) - Ricerche sui minerali del gruppo dell'enargite (enargite, stibioenargite, luzonite, famatinite, stibioluzonite). Periodico di mineralogia – Roma, pp. 561-583.

Gaines, Richard V., H. Catherine, W. Skinner, Eugene E. Foord, Brian Mason, Abraham Rosenzweig, Vandall T. King (1997, Dana's New Mineralogy : The System of Mineralogy of James Dwight Dana and Edward Salisbury Dana: 155.

Mémoires du Bureau de Recherches Géologiques et Minières: 54: 99-124.

Pósfai, M. & Buseck, P. (1998): Stacking disorder and polytypism in enargite and luzonite. American Mineralogist, 83, 365-372.

Pósfai, M. & Buseck, P. (1998): Relationships between microstructure and composition in enargite and luzonite. American Mineralogist, 83, 373–382. [http://www.minsocam.org/msa/ammin/toc/Articles_Free/1998/Posfai_p373-382_98.pdf]

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