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Arsenopyrite

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Yaogangxian Mine, Yizhang Co., Chenzhou Prefecture, Hunan Province, China
© Wang Minerals

Show Arsenopyrite Photos (489)
Formula:
FeAsS - (Fe
 
0.90
Co
 
0.10
)AsS
System:MonoclinicColour:Silver-white to ...
Lustre:MetallicHardness:5½ - 6
Name:Named for its composition, a contraction of the antiquated term "arsenical pyrite."


Arsenopyrite Group

For possibly Ni analogue see Unnamed (Ni,Fe,Co)AsS; see also Unnamed (Ni Arsenide Sulphide) .

Classification of Arsenopyrite

IMA status:Valid - first described prior to 1959 (pre-IMA) - "Grandfathered"
Strunz 8th edition ID:2/D.22-10
Nickel-Strunz 10th (pending) edition ID:2.EB.20

2 : SULFIDES and SULFOSALTS (sulfides, selenides, tellurides; arsenides, antimonides, bismuthides; sulfarsenites, sulfantimonites, sulfbismuthites, etc.)
E : Metal Sulfides, M: S <= 1:2
B : M:S = 1:2, with Fe, Co, Ni, PGE, etc.
Dana 7th edition ID:2.12.4.1
Dana 8th edition ID:2.12.4.1

2 : SULFIDES
12 : AmBnXp, with (m+n):p = 1:2
Hey's CIM Ref.:3.9.12

3 : Sulphides, Selenides, Tellurides, Arsenides and Bismuthides (except the arsenides, antimonides and bismuthides of Cu, Ag and Au, which are included in Section 1)
9 : Sulphides etc. of Fe
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Physical Properties of Arsenopyrite

Lustre:Metallic
Diaphaneity (Transparency):Opaque
Colour:Silver-white to steel-grey.
Streak:Grey-black.
Hardness (Mohs):5½ - 6
Hardness (Vickers):VHN100=1081 kg/mm2
Comment:VHN on (001) section
Tenacity:Brittle
Cleavage:Distinct/Good
Distinct on {001}; {010} in traces
Fracture:Irregular/Uneven
Density (measured):6.07(15) g/cm3
Density (calculated):6.18 g/cm3

Crystallography of Arsenopyrite

Crystal System:Monoclinic
Class (H-M):2/m - Prismatic
Cell Parameters:a = 5.744Å, b = 5.675Å, c = 5.785Å
β = 112.3°
Ratio:a:b:c = 1.012 : 1 : 1.019
Unit Cell Volume:V 174.47 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Z:4
Morphology:Flat tabular to blocky to prismatic.
Twinning:Common on {100} and {001}. Contact or penetration on {101}, on {012} trillings or cruciform.
Comment:Pseudo-orthorhombic cell: ~5.7, ~6.4, ~9.6 A.
Crystal Atlas:
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Arsenopyrite no.5 - Goldschmidt (1913-1926)
Arsenopyrite no.12 - Goldschmidt (1913-1926)
Arsenopyrite no.14 - Goldschmidt (1913-1926)
Arsenopyrite no.62 - Goldschmidt (1913-1926)
Arsenopyrite no.64 - Goldschmidt (1913-1926)
Arsenopyrite no.113 - Goldschmidt (1913-1926)

About Crystal Atlas

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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 Arsenopyrite

Type:Anisotropic
Anisotropism:Strong red-violet
Colour in reflected light:White with faint yellow tint.
Pleochroism:Weak
Comments:White or bluish tint, faint reddish yellow.

Chemical Properties of Arsenopyrite

Formula:
FeAsS - (Fe
 
0.90
Co
 
0.10
)AsS
Essential elements:As, Fe, S
All elements listed in formula:As, Co, Fe, S
Common Impurities:Ag,Au,Co,Sn,Ni,Sb,Bi,Cu,Pb

Relationship of Arsenopyrite to other Species

Related to:
  • Arsenopyrite Group
    • Related Minerals - Nickel-Strunz Grouping):

    - +
    2.EB.05aAurostibite
    AuSb
     
    2
    2.EB.05bBambollaite
    Cu(Se,Te)
     
    2
    2.EB.05aCattierite
    CoS
     
    2
    2.EB.05aErlichmanite
    OsS
     
    2
    2.EB.05aFukuchilite
    Cu
     
    3
    		FeS
     
    8
    2.EB.05aGeversite
    PtSb
     
    2
    2.EB.05aHauerite
    MnS
     
    2
    2.EB.05aInsizwaite
    Pt(Bi,Sb)
     
    2
    2.EB.05aKrut'aite
    CuSe
     
    2
    2.EB.05aLaurite
    RuS
     
    2
    2.EB.05aPenroseite
    (Ni,Co,Cu)Se
     
    2
    2.EB.05aPyrite
    FeS
     
    2
    2.EB.05aSperrylite
    PtAs
     
    2
    2.EB.05aTrogtalite
    CoSe
     
    2
    2.EB.05aVaesite
    NiS
     
    2
    2.EB.05aVillamanínite
    (Cu,Ni,Co,Fe)S
     
    2
    2.EB.05aDzharkenite
    FeSe
     
    2
    2.EB.05aGaotaiite
    Ir
     
    3
    		Te
     
    8
    2.EB.10bAlloclasite
    (Co
     
    0.65
    		Fe
     
    0.35
    		)AsS - CoAsS
    2.EB.10dCostibite
    CoSbS
    2.EB.10aFerroselite
    FeSe
     
    2
    2.EB.10aFrohbergite
    FeTe
     
    2
    2.EB.10cGlaucodot
    (Co
     
    0.50
    		Fe
     
    0.50
    		)AsS
    2.EB.10aKullerudite
    NiSe
     
    2
    2.EB.10aMarcasite
    FeS
     
    2
    2.EB.10aMattagamite
    CoTe
     
    2
    2.EB.10eParacostibite
    CoSbS
    2.EB.10ePararammelsbergite
    NiAs
     
    2
    2.EB.10fOenite
    CoSbAs
    2.EB.15aAnduoite
    (Ru,Os)As
     
    2
    2.EB.15aClinosafflorite
    (Co,Fe,Ni)As
     
    2
    2.EB.15aLöllingite
    FeAs
     
    2
    2.EB.15aNisbite
    NiSb
     
    2
    2.EB.15aOmeiite
    (Os,Ru)As
     
    2
    2.EB.15cPaxite
    CuAs
     
    2
    2.EB.15aRammelsbergite
    NiAs
     
    2
    2.EB.15aSafflorite
    (Co,Fe,Ni)As
     
    2
    2.EB.15bSeinäjokite
    (Fe,Ni)(Sb,As)
     
    2
    2.EB.20Gudmundite
    FeSbS
    2.EB.20Osarsite
    (Os,Ru)AsS
    2.EB.20Ruarsite
    (Ru,Os)AsS
    2.EB.25Cobaltite
    CoAsS
    2.EB.25Gersdorffite
    NiAsS
    2.EB.25Hollingworthite
    (Rh,Pt,Pd)AsS
    2.EB.25Irarsite
    (Ir,Ru,Rh,Pt)AsS
    2.EB.25Jolliffeite
    NiAsSe
    2.EB.25Krutovite
    NiAs
     
    2
    2.EB.25Maslovite
    PtBiTe
    2.EB.25Michenerite
    PdBiTe
    2.EB.25Padmaite
    PdBiSe
    2.EB.25Platarsite
    (Pt,Rh,Ru)AsS
    2.EB.25Testibiopalladite
    PdTe(Sb,Te)
    2.EB.25Tolovkite
    IrSbS
    2.EB.25Ullmannite
    NiSbS
    2.EB.25Willyamite
    (Co,Ni)SbS
    2.EB.25Changchengite
    IrBiS
    2.EB.25Mayingite
    IrBiTe
    2.EB.25Hollingsworthite
    2.EB.25Kalungaite
    PdAsSe
    2.EB.25Milotaite
    PdSbSe
    2.EB.30Urvantsevite
    Pd(Bi,Pb)
     
    2
    2.EB.35Rheniite
    ReS
     
    2
    Related Minerals - Hey's Index Grouping:

    - +
    3.9.1Pyrrhotite
    Fe
     
    7
    		S
     
    8
    		, (-4M), also given as Fe
     
    1-x
    		S (x = 0 - 0.2)
    3.9.3Pyrite
    FeS
     
    2
    3.9.4Marcasite
    FeS
     
    2
    3.9.5Greigite
    Fe
    2+
     
    		Fe
    3+
    2
    		S
     
    4
    3.9.6Mackinawite
    (Fe,Ni)
     
    9
    		S
     
    8
    3.9.7Smythite
    (Fe,Ni)
     
    9
    		S
     
    11
    3.9.8Achavalite
    FeSe
    3.9.9Ferroselite
    FeSe
     
    2
    3.9.10Frohbergite
    FeTe
     
    2
    3.9.11Löllingite
    FeAs
     
    2
    3.9.13Gudmundite
    FeSbS

    Other Names for Arsenopyrite

    Synonyms:
    Arsenical IronArsenical PyritesArsenomarcasiteDalarnitePlinian
    Thalheimite
    Other Languages:
    German:Arsenikstein
    Arsenkies
    Arsenomarcasit
    Arsenomarkasit
    Arsenopyrit
    Dalarnit
    Glanzarsenikkies
    Mispickel
    Mistpuckel
    Rauschgelbkies
    Thalheimit
    Italian:Arsenopirite
    Japanese:硫砒鉄鉱
    Russian:Арсенопирит
    Spanish:Agujillas
    Arsenomarcasita
    Arsenopyrita
    Dalarnita
    Pirita de Arsénico
    Thalheimita
    Swedish:Arsenikkis
    Varieties:
    Danaite

    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 Arsenopyrite

    Reference List:Buerger, M. J. (1936): The symmetry and crystal structure of the minerals of the arsenopyrite group Zeitschrift für Kristallographie, 95, 83-113.

    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: 316-322.

    Morimoto, N., Clark, L. A. (1961): Arsenopyrite crystal-chemical relations. American Mineralogist 46, 1448-1469.

    Mineralogical Magazine (1962): 33: 263.

    Brostigen, G., Kjekshus, A., Rømming, C. (1973): Compounds with the marcasite type crystal structure. VIII. Redetermination of the prototype. Acta Chemica Scandinavica, 27, 2791-2796.

    Kretschmar, U., Scott, S. D. (1976): Phase relations involving arsenopyrite in the system Fe-As-S and their application. The Canadian Mineralogist, 14, 364-386.

    Tossell, J. A., Vaughan, D. J., Burdett, J. K. (1981): Pyrite, marcasite, and arsenopyrite type minerals: Crystal chemical and structural principles. Physics and Chemistry of Minerals, 7, 177-184.

    Fuess, H., Kratz, T., Topel-Schadt, J., Miehe, G. (1987): Crystal structure refinement and electron microscopy of arsenopyrite. Zeitschrift für Kristallographie 179, 335-346.

    Fleet, M.E. and Mumin, A.H. (1997): Gold-bearing arsenian pyrite and marcasite and arsenopyrite from Carlin-trend gold deposits and laboratory synthesis. American Mineralogist 82, 182-193.

    Schaufuss, A.G., Nesbitt, H.W., Scaini, M.J., Hoechst, H., Bancroft, M.G., and Szargan, R. (2000): Reactivity of surface sites on fractured arsenopyrite (FeAsS) toward oxygen. American Mineralogist 85, 1754-1766.

    Internet Links for Arsenopyrite

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  • Raman and XRD data at RRUFF project
  • American Mineralogist Crystal Structure Database
  • Search for Arsenopyrite in the Natural History Museum (London) online catalogue
  • Arsenopyrite details from Handbook of Mineralogy (PDF)
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