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Athabascaite

Big Photo

Sierra de Umango, La Rioja, Argentina
© 2008, J. Weissman

Formula:
Cu
 
5
Se
 
4
System:OrthorhombicColour:Light grey, bluish-grey
Lustre:MetallicHardness:2½
This page provides mineralogical data about Athabascaite.

Classification of Athabascaite

IMA status:Approved
Strunz 8th edition ID:2/B.03-60
Nickel-Strunz 10th (pending) edition ID:2.BA.25

2 : SULFIDES and SULFOSALTS (sulfides, selenides, tellurides; arsenides, antimonides, bismuthides; sulfarsenites, sulfantimonites, sulfbismuthites, etc.)
B : Metal Sulfides, M: S > 1: 1 (mainly 2: 1)
A : With Cu, Ag, Au
Dana 8th edition ID:2.16.17.1

2 : SULFIDES
16 : Miscellaneous
Hey's CIM Ref.:3.1.13

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

Type Locality:Martin Lake Mine, Uranium City, Lake Athabasca, Beaverlodge Region, Saskatchewan, Canada
Year of Discovery:1970

Physical Properties of Athabascaite

Lustre:Metallic
Colour:Light grey, bluish-grey
Hardness (Mohs):2½

Crystallography of Athabascaite

Crystal System:Orthorhombic
Cell Parameters:a = 8.22Å, b = 11.98Å, c = 6.44Å
Ratio:a:b:c = 0.686 : 1 : 0.538
Unit Cell Volume:V 634.18 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)

Chemical Properties of Athabascaite

Formula:
Cu
 
5
Se
 
4
Essential elements:Cu, Se
All elements listed in formula:Cu, Se
Common Impurities:S

Relationship of Athabascaite to other Species

Related Minerals - Nickel-Strunz Grouping):
2.BA.05Chalcocite
Cu
 
2
S
2.BA.05Djurleite
Cu
 
31
S
 
16
2.BA.05Geerite
Cu
 
8
S
 
5
2.BA.05Roxbyite
Cu
 
9
S
 
5
2.BA.10Anilite
Cu
 
7
S
 
4
2.BA.10Digenite
Cu
 
9
S
 
5
2.BA.15Bornite
Cu
 
5
FeS
 
4
2.BA.20Bellidoite
Cu
 
2
Se
2.BA.20Berzelianite
Cu
 
2
Se
2.BA.25Umangite
Cu
 
3
Se
 
2
2.BA.30Rickardite
Cu
 
7
Te
 
5
2.BA.30Weissite
Cu
 
2-x
Te
2.BA.35Acanthite
Ag
 
2
S
2.BA.35Argentite
2.BA.40Mckinstryite
(Ag,Cu)
 
2
S
2.BA.40Stromeyerite
AgCuS
2.BA.45Jalpaite
Ag
 
3
CuS
 
2
2.BA.45Selenojalpaite
Ag
 
3
CuSe
 
2
2.BA.50Eucairite
AgCuSe
2.BA.55Aguilarite
Ag
 
4
SeS
2.BA.55Naumannite
Ag
 
2
Se
2.BA.60Cervelleite
Ag
 
4
TeS
2.BA.60Hessite
Ag
 
2
Te
2.BA.65Henryite
Ag
 
3
Cu
 
4
Te
 
4
2.BA.65Stützite
Ag
 
7
Te
 
4
2.BA.70Argyrodite
Ag
 
8
GeS
 
6
2.BA.70Canfieldite
Ag
 
8
(Sn,Ge)(S,Te)
 
6
2.BA.70Putzite
(Cu
 
4.7
Ag
 
3.3
)GeS
 
6
2.BA.75Fischesserite
Ag
 
3
AuSe
 
2
2.BA.75Penzhinite
(Ag,Cu)
 
4
Au(S,Se)
 
4
2.BA.75Petrovskaite
AuAg(S,Se)
2.BA.75Petzite
Ag
 
3
AuTe
 
2
2.BA.75Uytenbogaardtite
Ag
 
3
AuS
 
2
2.BA.80Bezsmertnovite
(Au,Ag)
 
4
Cu(Te,Pb)
2.BA.80Bilibinskite
PbCuAu
 
3
Te
 
2
2.BA.80Bogdanovite
(Au,Te,Pb)
 
3
(Cu,Fe)
Related Minerals - Hey's Index Grouping:
3.1.1Chalcocite
Cu
 
2
S
3.1.2Djurleite
Cu
 
31
S
 
16
3.1.3Digenite
Cu
 
9
S
 
5
3.1.4Anilite
Cu
 
7
S
 
4
3.1.5Roxbyite
Cu
 
9
S
 
5
3.1.6Spionkopite
Cu
 
39
S
 
28
3.1.7Geerite
Cu
 
8
S
 
5
3.1.8Covellite
CuS
3.1.9Berzelianite
Cu
 
2
Se
3.1.10Bellidoite
Cu
 
2
Se
3.1.11Umangite
Cu
 
3
Se
 
2
3.1.12Yarrowite
Cu
 
9
S
 
8
3.1.14Klockmannite
CuSe
3.1.15Krut'aite
CuSe
 
2
3.1.16Weissite
Cu
 
2-x
Te
3.1.17Rickardite
Cu
 
7
Te
 
5
3.1.18Vulcanite
CuTe
3.1.19Bambollaite
Cu(Se,Te)
 
2
3.1.20Lautite
CuAsS
3.1.21Mgriite
Cu
 
3
AsSe
 
3
3.1.22Cubanite
CuFe
 
2
S
 
3
3.1.23Bornite
Cu
 
5
FeS
 
4
3.1.24Fukuchilite
Cu
 
3
FeS
 
8
3.1.25Chalcopyrite
CuFeS
 
2
3.1.26Mooihoekite
Cu
 
9
Fe
 
9
S
 
16
3.1.27Haycockite
Cu
 
4
Fe
 
5
S
 
8
3.1.28Isocubanite
CuFe
 
2
S
 
3
3.1.29Idaite
Cu
 
5
FeS
 
6
3.1.30Nukundamite
(Cu,Fe)
 
4
S
 
4
3.1.31Putoranite
Cu
 
9
Fe
 
9
S
 
16
3.1.32Orickite
2CuFeS
 
2
·H
 
2
O
3.1.33Eskebornite
CuFeSe
 
2
3.1.34Chaméanite
(Cu,Fe)
 
4
As(Se,S)
 
4
3.1.35Talnakhite
Cu
 
9
(Fe,Ni)
 
8
S
 
16

Other Names for Athabascaite

Synonyms:
IMA1969-022
German names:
Athabascait
Spanish names:
Athabascaita

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 Athabascaite

Reference List:American Mineralogist: 56: 632.

Internet Links for Athabascaite

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    Localities for Athabascaite

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    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.
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    (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.
    Canada
     
    • Saskatchewan
      • Beaverlodge Region
        • Lake Athabasca
          • Uranium City
    		No reference listed
    Czech Republic
     
    • Bohemia (Böhmen; Boehmen)
      • Central Bohemia Region
    		Anthony, Bideaux, Bladh, Nichols: "Handbook of Mineralogy", Vol. 1, 1990
      • Plzeň Region
        • Planá
    		Scharmová, M., Scharm, B.: Minerály selenu na uranovém ložisku Zadní Chodov. Bulletin mineralogicko-petrografického oddělení Národního muzea v Praze, 1995, roč. 3, s. 43-47.
    • Moravia (Mähren; Maehren)
      • Vysočina Region
        • Nové Město na Moravě
    		Anthony, Bideaux, Bladh, Nichols: "Handbook of Mineralogy", Vol. 1, 1990
    Democratic Republic of Congo (Zaïre)
     
    • Katanga (Shaba)
      • Katanga Copper Crescent
        • Western area
          • Kolwezi
    		Can.Min. 46,19-31(2008)
    France
     
    • Auvergne
      • Puy-de-Dôme
        • Sauxillanges
          • Chaméane
    		Anthony, Bideaux, Bladh, Nichols: "Handbook of Mineralogy", Vol. 1, 1990
    Germany
     
    • Saxony-Anhalt
      • Harz Mts
    		Wittern: "Mineralfundorte in Deutschland", 2001
    Mineral and/or Locality
    Google
     
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