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Stannite

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Yaogangxian Mine, Yaogangxian W-Sn ore field, Yizhang Co., Chenzhou Prefecture, Hunan Province, China
© Rob Lavinsky

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Formula:
Cu
 
2
(Fe,Zn)SnS
 
4
System:TetragonalColour:Grey, black with an ...
Lustre:MetallicHardness:4
Member of:Stannite Group
Name:The name reflects its tin (Latin = "STANNum") content.
Dimorph of:Ferrokesterite


Stannite Group.

Often contains Zn replacing Fe, and sometimes also traces of Ge.

Classification of Stannite

IMA status:Valid - first described prior to 1959 (pre-IMA) - "Grandfathered"
Strunz 8th edition ID:2/C.06-60
Nickel-Strunz 10th (pending) edition ID:2.CB.15a

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:2.9.2.1

2 : SULFIDES
9 : AmBnXp, with (m+n):p = 1:1
Hey's CIM Ref.:6.1.6

6 : Sulphosalts - Sulphostannates, Sulphogermanates,Sulpharsenates, Sulphantimonates, Sulphovanadates and Sulphohalides
1 : Sulphostannates and other sulfides containing Sn
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Type Occurrence of Stannite

Type Locality:West Wheal Kitty (Wheal Rock), West Wheal Kitty group, St Agnes, St Agnes District, Cornwall, England, UK
Year of Discovery:1797

Physical Properties of Stannite

Lustre:Metallic
Diaphaneity (Transparency):Opaque
Colour:Grey, black with an olive-green tint, tarnishes pale blue
Streak:Black
Hardness (Mohs):4
Hardness (Vickers):VHN25=216 - 265 kg/mm2
Cleavage:Poor/Indistinct
Indistinct on {110} {001}
Fracture:Irregular/Uneven
Density (measured):4.3 - 4.5 g/cm3
Density (calculated):4.49 g/cm3

Crystallography of Stannite

Crystal System:Tetragonal
Class (H-M):4 2m - Scalenohedral
Space Group:I4 2m
Cell Parameters:a = 5.4432Å, c = 10.7299Å
Ratio:a:c = 1 : 1.971
Unit Cell Volume:V 317.91 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Z:2
Morphology:Rarely as crystals
Twinning:Penetration twins on {102}. Twin axis {112}, Composition plane {112}.
Polysynthetic in polished section.
Crystal Atlas:
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Stannite no.2 - Goldschmidt (1913-1926)

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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.

Optical Data of Stannite

Type:Anisotropic
Anisotropism:Distinct violet - slate green
Colour in reflected light:Gray with olive green tinge.
Pleochroism:Weak
Comments:Indistinct in air, distinct in oil.

Chemical Properties of Stannite

Formula:
Cu
 
2
(Fe,Zn)SnS
 
4
Essential elements:Cu, Fe, S, Sn
All elements listed in formula:Cu, Fe, S, Sn, Zn
Common Impurities:Ag,Zn,Cd,In

Relationship of Stannite to other Species

Series:Forms a series with Kesterite (see here)
Member of:Stannite Group
Other Members of Group:

- +
Briartite
Cu
 
2
(Fe,Zn)GeS
 
4
Famatinite
Cu
 
3
SbS
 
4
Ferrokesterite
Cu
 
2
(Fe,Zn)SnS
 
4
Ge-stannoidite
Cu
 
8
Fe
 
2
ZnGe
 
2
S
 
12
Hocartite
Ag
 
2
(Fe
2+
 
,Zn)SnS
 
4
Kesterite
Cu
 
2
(Zn,Fe)SnS
 
4
Kesterite Subgroup
Kuramite
Cu
 
3
SnS
 
4
Luzonite
Cu
 
3
AsS
 
4
Permingeatite
Cu
 
3
SbSe
 
4
Pirquitasite
Ag
 
2
ZnSnS
 
4
Sakuraiite
(Cu,Zn,Fe)
 
3
(In,Sn)S
 
4
Velikite
(Cu,Hg)
 
11
Sn
 
4
S
 
16
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.10aGallite
CuGaS
 
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.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.45Buseckite
(Fe,Zn,Mn)S
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:

- +
6.1.1Kuramite
Cu
 
3
SnS
 
4
6.1.2Mohite
Cu
 
2
SnS
 
3
6.1.3Velikite
(Cu,Hg)
 
11
Sn
 
4
S
 
16
6.1.4Hemusite
Cu
 
6
SnMoS
 
8
6.1.5Kiddcreekite
Cu
 
6
SnWS
 
8
6.1.7Rhodostannite
Cu
 
2
FeSn
 
3
S
 
8
6.1.8Mawsonite
Cu
 
6
Fe
 
2
SnS
 
8
6.1.9Chatkalite
Cu
 
6
FeSn
 
2
S
 
8
6.1.10Ferrokesterite
Cu
 
2
(Fe,Zn)SnS
 
4
6.1.11Kesterite
Cu
 
2
(Zn,Fe)SnS
 
4
6.1.12Stannoidite
Cu
+
6
Cu
2+
2
(Fe
2+
 
,Zn)
 
3
Sn
 
2
S
 
12
6.1.13Černýite
Cu
 
2
(Cd,Zn,Fe)SnS
 
4
6.1.14Vinciennite
Cu
+
7
Cu
2+
3
Fe
2+
2
Fe
3+
2
Sn(As,Sb)S
 
16
6.1.15Pirquitasite
Ag
 
2
ZnSnS
 
4
6.1.16Hocartite
Ag
 
2
(Fe
2+
 
,Zn)SnS
 
4
6.1.17Teallite
(Pb,Sn)SnS
 
2
6.1.18Franckeite
Fe
2+
 
(Pb,Sn
2+
 
)
 
6
Sn
4+
2
Sb
 
2
S
 
14
6.1.19Lévyclaudite
Pb
 
8
Sn
 
7
Cu
 
3
(Bi,Sb)
 
3
S
 
28
6.1.20Cylindrite
Pb
 
3
Sn
 
4
FeSb
 
2
S
 
14
6.1.21Potosíite
Pb
 
6
Sn
 
3
FeSb
 
3
S
 
16
6.1.22Sakuraiite
(Cu,Zn,Fe)
 
3
(In,Sn)S
 
4
6.1.23Petrukite
(Cu,Fe,Zn,Ag)
 
3
(Sn,In)S
 
4
6.1.24Incaite
(Pb,Ag)
 
4
Sn
 
4
FeSb
 
2
S
 
15

Other Names for Stannite

Synonyms:
Bell-metal oreBolivianite (of Pauly)KassiterolampriteStannineStannite (of Dana)
Tin PyritesVolfsonite
Other Languages:
Catalan:Estannita
German:Stannit
Kassiterolamprit
Stannin
Zinnkies
Zinnkupferglanz
Italian:Stannite
Norwegian (Bokmål):Tinnkis
Russian:Станнин
Simplified Chinese:黄锡矿
黝锡矿
Spanish:Kassiterolamprita
Stannita
Varieties:
Zincian Stannite

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 Stannite

Reference List:

- +
Klaproth, M.H. (1797): Untersuchung des Zinnkieses, Beiträge zur chemischen Kenntniss der Mineralkörper, Zweiter Band, Rottmann Berlin, 257-264

Klaproth, M.H. (1810): Chemische Untersuchung des Zinnkieses, Beiträge zur chemischen Kenntniss der Mineralkörper, Fünfter Band, Rottmann Berlin, 228-230

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.: 224-226.

Canadian Mineralogist (1978): 16: 131.

Canadian Mineralogist (1979): 17: 125.

Internet Links for Stannite

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