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Gallite

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Big Photo

Tsumeb Mine (Tsumcorp Mine), Tsumeb, Otjikoto (Oshikoto) Region, Namibia
© Maurice de Graaf

Show Gallite Photos (4)



Formula:
CuGaS
 
2
System:TetragonalColour:Grey
Hardness:3 - 3½
Member of:Chalcopyrite Group
Name:For the gallium content.


Chalcopyrite Group.

Classification of Gallite

IMA status:Valid - first described prior to 1959 (pre-IMA) - "Grandfathered"
Strunz 8th edition ID:2/C.03-50
Nickel-Strunz 10th (pending) edition ID:2.CB.10a

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:2.9.1.3

2 : SULFIDES
9 : AmBnXp, with (m+n):p = 1:1
Hey's CIM Ref.:3.5.18

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

Type Locality:Kipushi Mine (Prince Léopold Mine), Kipushi, Katanga (Shaba), Democratic Republic of Congo (Zaïre)

Occurrences of Gallite

Geological Setting:Base metal deposits with high gallium content.

Physical Properties of Gallite

Lustre:Metallic
Colour:Grey
Streak:Greyish black
Hardness (Mohs):3 - 3½
Density (measured):4.2 g/cm3
Density (calculated):4.35 g/cm3

Crystallography of Gallite

Crystal System:Tetragonal
Class (H-M):4 2m - Scalenohedral
Space Group:I4 2d
Cell Parameters:a = 5.360Å, c = 10.49Å
Ratio:a:c = 1 : 1.957
Unit Cell Volume:V 301.37 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Z:4
Morphology:Massive, inclusions, exsolved lamellae to 2mm.
Twinning:Parallel to {112} {111}
X-Ray Powder Diffraction:
Image Loading

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.

Optical Data of Gallite

Type:Anisotropic
Anisotropism:low

Chemical Properties of Gallite

Formula:
CuGaS
 
2
Essential elements:Cu, Ga, S
All elements listed in formula:Cu, Ga, S
Common Impurities:Pb,Zn,Fe,Ge

Relationship of Gallite to other Species

Member of:Chalcopyrite Group
Other Members of Group:

- +
Chalcopyrite
CuFeS
 
2
Eskebornite
CuFeSe
 
2
Laforêtite
AgInS
 
2
Lenaite
AgFeS
 
2
Roquesite
CuInS
 
2
Common Associates:
RenieriteGermaniteBorniteChalcociteDigenite
PyriteSphaleriteGalena
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
ZnS
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.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,Ni)
 
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.15aFerrokesterite
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.15aKesterite
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.55aCubanite
CuFe
 
2
S
 
3
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:

- +
3.5.1Cinnabar
HgS
3.5.2Hypercinnabar
HgS
3.5.3Metacinnabar
HgS
3.5.4Imiterite
Ag
 
2
HgS
 
2
3.5.5Tiemannite
HgSe
3.5.6Balkanite
Cu
 
9
Ag
 
5
HgS
 
8
3.5.7Danielsite
(Cu,Ag)
 
14
HgS
 
8
3.5.8Coloradoite
HgTe
3.5.9Gortdrumite
(Cu,Fe)
 
6
Hg
 
2
S
 
5
3.5.10Polhemusite
(Zn,Hg)S
3.5.11Carlinite
Tl
 
2
S
3.5.12Crookesite
Cu
 
7
(Tl, Ag)Se
 
4
3.5.13Sabatierite
Cu
 
6
TlSe
 
4
3.5.14Picotpaulite
TlFe
 
2
S
 
3
3.5.15Raguinite
TlFeS
 
2
3.5.16Thalcusite
Tl
 
2
Cu
 
3
FeS
 
4
3.5.17Bukovite
Tl
 
2
(Cu,Fe)
 
4
Se
 
4
3.5.19Roquesite
CuInS
 
2
3.5.20Indite
FeIn
 
2
S
 
4

Other Names for Gallite

Other Languages:
German:Gallit
Russian:Галлит
Spanish:Gallita

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 Gallite

Reference List:

- +
Strunz, H., Geier, B.H., and Seeliger, E. (1958) Gallite, CuGaS2, das erste Selbst dige Galliummineral, und seine Verbreitung in den Erzen der Tsumeb- und Kipushi-Mine. Neues Jahrbuch für Mineralogie, Monatshefte: 241-264.

American Mineralogist (1959): 44: 906.

Internet Links for Gallite

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  • Raman and XRD data at RRUFF project
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    • Localities for Gallite

    The map shows a selection of localities that have latitude and longitude coordinates recorded. Click on the symbol to view information about a locality. The symbol next to localities in the list can be used to jump to that position on the map.
    Hide Locality List
    (TL) indicates type locality. ? indicates mineral may be doubtful at this locality. All other localities listed without reference should be considered as uncertain and unproven until references can be found.
    Bulgaria
     
    • Pazardzhik (Pazardjik) Oblast
      • Panagyurishte (Panagurishte) Obshchina
        • Levski
    		Pavel Kartashov (Mindat message www.mindat.org/mesg-7-84159.html); Handbook of Mineralogy
    • Sofiya Oblast (Sofia Oblast)
      • Chelopech
    		American Mineralogist (1966): 51: 29-36
    Cuba
     
    Handbook of Mineralogy
    Democratic Republic of Congo (Zaïre)
     
    • Katanga (Shaba)
      • Kipushi
    		Neues Jahrbuch für Mineralogie, Monatshefte (1958): 241-264.; Kamona, A.F., Lévêque, J., Friedrich, G., and Haack, U. (1999): Mineralium Deposita 34, 273-283.; Kampunzu, A.B., Cailteux, J.L.H., Kamona, A.F., Intiomale, M.M., and Melcher, F. (2009): Ore Geology Reviews 35, 263-297.
    Namibia
     
    • Otjikoto (Oshikoto) Region
      • Tsumeb
    		Neues Jahrbuch für Mineralogie, Monatshefte (1958): 241-264.
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