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Greenockite

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Loanhead Quarry, Beith, Strathclyde (Ayrshire), Scotland, UK
© M.Wirth

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Formula:
CdS
System:HexagonalColour:Yellow to red.
Hardness:3 - 3½
Name:Named in 1840 for Lord Greenock - later Earl C.M. Cathcart.
Dimorph of:Hawleyite


Typically found as yellow to red hemimorphic pyramidal crystals and earthy coatings.

Classification of Greenockite

IMA status:Valid - first described prior to 1959 (pre-IMA) - "Grandfathered"
Strunz 8th edition ID:2/C.13-30
Nickel-Strunz 10th (pending) edition ID:2.CB.45

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 7th edition ID:2.8.7.2
Dana 8th edition ID:2.8.7.2

2 : SULFIDES
8 : AmXp, with m:p = 1:1
Hey's CIM Ref.:3.4.7

3 : Sulphides, Selenides, Tellurides, Arsenides and Bismuthides (except the arsenides, antimonides and bismuthides of Cu, Ag and Au, which are included in Section 1)
4 : Sulphides etc. of Group II metals other than Hg (Mg, Ca, Zn, Cd)
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Type Occurrence of Greenockite

Type Locality:Bishopton, Strathclyde (Renfrewshire), Scotland, UK
Year of Discovery:1840

Occurrences of Greenockite

Geological Setting:An uncommon mineral of sulfide deposits.

Physical Properties of Greenockite

Lustre:Adamantine, Resinous
Diaphaneity (Transparency):Translucent
Colour:Yellow to red.
Streak:Orange-yellow to brick red.
Hardness (Mohs):3 - 3½
Hardness (Vickers):VHN25=98 kg/mm2
Hardness Data:Measured
Tenacity:Brittle
Cleavage:Distinct/Good
Distinct on {1122}, imperfect on {0001}.
Fracture:Conchoidal
Density (measured):4.8 - 4.9 g/cm3
Density (calculated):4.824 g/cm3

Crystallography of Greenockite

Crystal System:Hexagonal
Class (H-M):6mm - Dihexagonal Pyramidal
Space Group:P63mc
Cell Parameters:a = 4.136Å, c = 6.713Å
Ratio:a:c = 1 : 1.623
Unit Cell Volume:V 99.45 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Z:2
Morphology:Crystals hemimorphic pyramidal.
Crystal Atlas:
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Greenockite - {100}, {00-1}, {00-1}, modified

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X-Ray Powder Diffraction:
d-spacingIntensity
3.58(80)
3.37(60)
3.16(100)
2.45(30)
2.07(60)
1.90(40)
1.79(20)

Optical Data of Greenockite

Type:Uniaxial (-)
RI values: nω = 2.529 nε = 2.506
Maximum Birefringence:δ = 0.023

Chart shows birefringence interference colour range (at 30µm thickness) and does not take into account mineral colouration.
Surface Relief:Very High
Pleochroism:Weak
Comments:Uniaxial + for wavelengths red to blue-green

Chemical Properties of Greenockite

Formula:
CdS
Essential elements:Cd, S
All elements listed in formula:Cd, S
Common Impurities:Zn

Relationship of Greenockite to other Species

Related Minerals - Nickel-Strunz Grouping):
2.CB.05Coloradoite
HgTe
2.CB.05Hawleyite
CdS
2.CB.05Metacinnabar
HgS
2.CB.05Polhemusite
(Zn,Hg)S
2.CB.05Sakuraiite
(Cu,Zn,Fe)
 
3
(In,Sn)S
 
4
2.CB.05Sphalerite
(Zn,Fe
2+
 
)S
2.CB.05Stilleite
ZnSe
2.CB.05Tiemannite
HgSe
2.CB.05Rudashevskyite
(Fe,Zn)S
2.CB.10Chalcopyrite
CuFeS
 
2
2.CB.10Eskebornite
CuFeSe
 
2
2.CB.10Gallite
CuGaS
 
2
2.CB.10Haycockite
Cu
 
4
Fe
 
5
S
 
8
2.CB.10Lenaite
AgFeS
 
2
2.CB.10Mooihoekite
Cu
 
9
Fe
 
9
S
 
16
2.CB.10Putoranite
Cu
 
9
Fe
 
9
S
 
16
2.CB.10Roquesite
CuInS
 
2
2.CB.10Talnakhite
Cu
 
9
(Fe,Ni)
 
8
S
 
16
2.CB.10Laforêtite
AgInS
 
2
2.CB.15Černýite
Cu
 
2
(Cd,Zn,Fe)SnS
 
4
2.CB.15Ferrokësterite
Cu
 
2
(Fe,Zn)SnS
 
4
2.CB.15Hocartite
Ag
 
2
(Fe
2+
 
,Zn)SnS
 
4
2.CB.15Idaite
Cu
 
5
FeS
 
6
2.CB.15Kësterite
Cu
 
2
(Zn,Fe)SnS
 
4
2.CB.15Kuramite
Cu
 
3
SnS
 
4
2.CB.15Mohite
Cu
 
2
SnS
 
3
2.CB.15Pirquitasite
Ag
 
2
ZnSnS
 
4
2.CB.15Stannite
Cu
 
2
(Fe,Zn)SnS
 
4
2.CB.15Stannoidite
Cu
+
6
Cu
2+
2
(Fe
2+
 
,Zn)
 
3
Sn
 
2
S
 
12
2.CB.15Velikite
(Cu,Hg)
 
11
Sn
 
4
S
 
16
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.35Hemusite
Cu
 
6
SnMoS
 
8
2.CB.35Kiddcreekite
Cu
 
6
SnWS
 
8
2.CB.35Polkovicite
(Fe,Pb)
 
3
(Ge,Fe)
 
1-x
S
 
4
2.CB.35Renierite
(Cu,Zn)
 
11
(Ge,As)
 
2
Fe
 
4
S
 
16
2.CB.35Vinciennite
Cu
+
7
Cu
2+
3
Fe
2+
2
Fe
3+
2
Sn(As,Sb)S
 
16
2.CB.35Morozeviczite
(Pb,Fe)
 
3
Ge
 
1-x
S
 
4
2.CB.35Catamarcaite
Cu
 
6
GeWS
 
8
2.CB.40Lautite
CuAsS
2.CB.45Cadmoselite
CdSe
2.CB.45Hypercinnabar
HgS
2.CB.45Wurtzite
(Zn,Fe)S
2.CB.45Rambergite
MnS
2.CB.55Cubanite
CuFe
 
2
S
 
3
2.CB.55Isocubanite
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
(Ag,Au)Te
Related Minerals - Hey's Index Grouping:
3.4.1Niningerite
(Mg,Fe
2+
 
,Mn
2+
 
)S
3.4.2Oldhamite
(Ca,Mg)S
3.4.3Mátraite
ZnS
3.4.4Sphalerite
(Zn,Fe
2+
 
)S
3.4.5Wurtzite
(Zn,Fe)S
3.4.6Stilleite
ZnSe
3.4.8Hawleyite
CdS
3.4.9Cadmoselite
CdSe
Related Minerals - Dana Grouping):
2.8.7.1Wurtzite
(Zn,Fe)S
2.8.7.3Cadmoselite
CdSe

Other Names for Greenockite

Synonyms:
Cadmium blendeCadmium ochre
German names:
Greenockit
Russian names:
Гринокит
Spanish names:
Greenockita
Varieties:
Zincian Greenockite

Other Information

Health Warning:Contains cadmium - always wash hands after handling. Avoid inhaling dust when handling or breaking. Never lick or ingest.

References for Greenockite

Reference List:Brooke, J. & Connell, A. (1840): Der Greenockit, ein neues Mineral, Annalen der Physik und Chemie, 127, 274-275.

Breithaupt, A. (1840): Greenockit, ein neues Mineral, Annalen der Physik und Chemie, 127, 507-510.

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.: 228-230.

American Mineralogist (1961): 46: 1382.

Gaines, Richard V., H. Catherine, W. Skinner, Eugene E. Foord, Brian Mason, Abraham Rosenzweig (1997), Dana's New Mineralogy : The System of Mineralogy of James Dwight Dana and Edward Salisbury Dana: 73.

Deore, S. and Navrotsky, A. (2006) Oxide melt solution calorimetry of sulfides: Enthalpy of formation of sphalerite, galena, greenockite, and hawleyite. American Mineralogist: 91: 400-403.

Internet Links for Greenockite

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    Localities for Greenockite

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