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Molybdenite

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Washington Pass, Golden Horn Batholith, Okanogan Co., Washington, USA
© 2003 R.O. Meyer

Show Molybdenite Photos (154)
Formula:
MoS
 
2
System:HexagonalColour:Black, lead gray, or gray
Lustre:MetallicHardness:1 - 1½
Name:Greek, molybdos = "lead."


Important molybdenum ore.
Two polytypes are known: molybdenite-2H and molybdenite-3R.

Classification of Molybdenite

IMA status:Valid - first described prior to 1959 (pre-IMA) - "Grandfathered"
Strunz 8th edition ID:2/D.25-10
Nickel-Strunz 10th (pending) edition ID:2.EA.30

2 : SULFIDES and SULFOSALTS (sulfides, selenides, tellurides; arsenides, antimonides, bismuthides; sulfarsenites, sulfantimonites, sulfbismuthites, etc.)
E : Metal Sulfides, M: S <= 1:2
A : M:S = 1:2 - With Cu, Ag, Au
Dana 7th edition ID:2.12.10.1
Dana 8th edition ID:2.12.10.1

2 : SULFIDES
12 : AmBnXp, with (m+n):p = 1:2
Hey's CIM Ref.:3.8.6

3 : Sulphides, Selenides, Tellurides, Arsenides and Bismuthides (except the arsenides, antimonides and bismuthides of Cu, Ag and Au, which are included in Section 1)
8 : Sulphides etc. of Cr, Mo, W an Mn
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Physical Properties of Molybdenite

Lustre:Metallic
Diaphaneity (Transparency):Opaque
Colour:Black, lead gray, or gray
Comment:Pale yellow to deepish reddish brown in transmitted light
Streak:Bluish gray
Hardness (Mohs):1 - 1½
Tenacity:Flexible
Cleavage:Perfect
Perfect on {0001}
Density (measured):4.62 - 4.73 g/cm3
Density (calculated):4.998 g/cm3

Crystallography of Molybdenite

Crystal System:Hexagonal
Class (H-M):6/mmm (6/m 2/m 2/m) - Dihexagonal Dipyramidal
Space Group:P63/mmc (P63/m 2/m 2/c)
Cell Parameters:a = 3.16Å, c = 12.3Å
Ratio:a:c = 1 : 3.892
Unit Cell Volume:V 106.37 ų
Z:2
Morphology:Tabular crystals, flakes
Crystal Atlas:
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Molybdenite - Tabular {001}
Molybdenite - Thick tabular {001}

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


Note: You will not be able to switch between different crystal models using the Opera 8.5x web browser due to a bug in Opera - you need to use either Firefox or Internet Explorer 6/7 or Opera 9.
X-Ray Powder Diffraction:
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Radiation - Copper Kα
Data Set:
Horizontal Axis: ° to ° Vertical Axis: % Source Data: Filtered Data: Peaks:
Data courtesy of RRUFF project at University of Arizona, used with permission.

Optical Data of Molybdenite

Type:Anisotropic
Anisotropism:Very strong
Pleochroism:Strong

Chemical Properties of Molybdenite

Formula:
MoS
 
2
Essential elements:Mo, S
All elements listed in formula:Mo, S

Relationship of Molybdenite to other Species

Related to:
  • Molybdenite Group
    • Related Minerals - Nickel-Strunz Grouping):
    2.EA.05Sylvanite
    (Au,Ag)
     
    2
    		Te
     
    4
    2.EA.10Calaverite
    AuTe
     
    2
    2.EA.15Kostovite
    CuAuTe
     
    4
    2.EA.15Krennerite
    (Au,Ag)Te
     
    2
    2.EA.20Berndtite
    SnS
     
    2
    2.EA.20Kitkaite
    NiTeSe
    2.EA.20Melonite
    NiTe
     
    2
    2.EA.20Merenskyite
    (Pd,Pt)(Te,Bi)
     
    2
    2.EA.20Moncheite
    (Pt,Pd)(Te,Bi)
     
    2
    2.EA.20Shuangfengite
    IrTe
     
    2
    2.EA.20Sudovikovite
    PtSe
     
    2
    2.EA.25Verbeekite
    PdSe
     
    2
    2.EA.30Drysdallite
    Mo(Se,S)
     
    2
    2.EA.30Jordisite
    MoS
     
    2
    2.EA.30Tungstenite
    WS
     
    2
    Related Minerals - Hey's Index Grouping:
    3.8.1Brezinaite
    Cr
     
    3
    		S
     
    4
    3.8.2Caswellsilverite
    NaCrS
     
    2
    3.8.3Kalininite
    ZnCr
     
    2
    		S
     
    4
    3.8.4Daubréelite
    Fe
    2+
     
    		Cr
    3+
    2
    		S
     
    4
    3.8.5Heideite
    (Fe,Cr)
     
    1.15
    		(Ti,Fe)
     
    2
    		S
     
    4
    3.8.7 Molybdenite-3R
    MoS
     
    2
    3.8.8Jordisite
    MoS
     
    2
    3.8.9Drysdallite
    Mo(Se,S)
     
    2
    3.8.10Tungstenite
    WS
     
    2
    3.8.12Alabandite
    Mn
    2+
     
    		S
    3.8.13Hauerite
    MnS
     
    2
    3.8.14Manganese-Shadlunite
    (Mn,Pb,Cd)(Cu,Fe)
     
    8
    		S
     
    8

    Other Names for Molybdenite

    German names:
    EutomglanzMolybdänglanzMolybdänitMolybdenit
    Italian names:
    Molibdenite
    Russian names:
    Молибденит
    Spanish names:
    Molibdenita
    Swedish names:
    Molybdenglans
    Varieties:
    FemoliteRhenian Molybdenite

    Polytypes for Molybdenite

    Polytypes:
    Molybdenite-3R

    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 Molybdenite

    Reference List: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: 328-331.

    American Mineralogist (1963): 48: 1419.

    Schweizerische mineralogische und petrographische Mitteilungen (1964): 44: 123.

    Frondel, J.W. & F.E. Wickman (1970), Molybdenite polytypes in theory and occurrence. II: Some naturally occurring polytypes of molybdenite: American Mineralogist: 55: 1857-1875.

    Internet Links for Molybdenite

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

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