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Wittichenite

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Big Photo

Clara Mine, Rankach valley, Oberwolfach, Wolfach, Black Forest, Baden-Württemberg, Germany
© Stephan Wolfsried

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Formula:
Cu
 
3
BiS
 
3
System:OrthorhombicColour:Lead grey, bronze, ...
Hardness:2 - 3
Name:
Named after its discovery locality, Neuglück Mine, Wittichen, Baden-Württemberg, Germany.


May contain minor Ag.

Classification of Wittichenite

IMA status:Valid - first described prior to 1959 (pre-IMA) - "Grandfathered"
Strunz 8th edition ID:2/E.03-20
Nickel-Strunz 10th (pending) edition ID:2.GA.20

2 : SULFIDES and SULFOSALTS (sulfides, selenides, tellurides; arsenides, antimonides, bismuthides; sulfarsenites, sulfantimonites, sulfbismuthites, etc.)
G : Sulfarsenites, sulfantimonites, sulfbismuthites
A : Neso-sulfarsenites, etc. without additional S
Dana 7th edition ID:3.4.8.1
Dana 8th edition ID:3.4.8.1

3 : SULFOSALTS
4 : ø = 3
Hey's CIM Ref.:5.1.9

5 : Sulphosalts - Sulpharsenites and Sulphobismuthites (those containing Sn, Ge,or V are in Section 6)
1 : Sulpharsenites etc. of Cu
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Type Occurrence of Wittichenite

Type Locality:Wittichen, Schenkenzell, Black Forest, Baden-Württemberg, Germany
Year of Discovery:1853

Physical Properties of Wittichenite

Lustre:Metallic
Diaphaneity (Transparency):Opaque
Colour:Lead grey, bronze, tin-white, steel grey, yellow
Streak:Black
Hardness (Mohs):2 - 3
Tenacity:Brittle
Cleavage:None Observed
Density (measured):6.3 - 6.7 g/cm3
Density (calculated):6.23 g/cm3

Crystallography of Wittichenite

Crystal System:Orthorhombic
Class (H-M):2 2 2 - Disphenoidal
Space Group:P21 21 21
Cell Parameters:a = 7.723Å, b = 10.395Å, c = 6.716Å
Ratio:a:b:c = 0.743 : 1 : 0.646
Unit Cell Volume:V 539.16 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Z:4
X-Ray Powder Diffraction:
Image Loading

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.

Chemical Properties of Wittichenite

Formula:
Cu
 
3
BiS
 
3
Essential elements:Bi, Cu, S
All elements listed in formula:Bi, Cu, S
Common Impurities:Ag

Relationship of Wittichenite to other Species

Related Minerals - Nickel-Strunz Grouping):

- +
2.GA.05Proustite
Ag
 
3
AsS
 
3
2.GA.05Pyrargyrite
Ag
 
3
SbS
 
3
2.GA.10Pyrostilpnite
Ag
 
3
SbS
 
3
2.GA.10Xanthoconite
Ag
 
3
AsS
 
3
2.GA.15Samsonite
Ag
 
4
MnSb
 
2
S
 
6
2.GA.20Skinnerite
Cu
 
3
SbS
 
3
2.GA.25Lapieite
NiCuSbS
 
3
2.GA.25Mückeite
NiCu(Bi,Sb)S
 
3
2.GA.25Malyshevite
PdCuBiS
 
3
2.GA.25Lisiguangite
PtCuBiS
 
3
2.GA.30Aktashite
Cu
 
6
Hg
 
3
As
 
4
S
 
12
2.GA.30Gruzdevite
Cu
 
6
Hg
 
3
Sb
 
4
S
 
12
2.GA.30Nowackiite
Cu
 
6
Zn
 
3
As
 
4
S
 
12
2.GA.35Laffittite
AgHgAsS
 
3
2.GA.40Routhierite
Tl(Cu,Ag)(Hg,Zn)
 
2
(As,Sb)
 
2
S
 
6
2.GA.40Stalderite
Tl(Cu,Ag)(Zn,Fe,Hg)
 
2
(As,Sb)
 
2
S
 
6
2.GA.45Erniggliite
Tl
 
2
SnAs
 
2
S
 
6
2.GA.50Bournonite
PbCuSbS
 
3
2.GA.50Seligmannite
PbCuAsS
 
3
2.GA.50Součekite
PbCuBi(S,Se)
 
3
Related Minerals - Hey's Index Grouping:

- +
5.1.1Sinnerite
Cu
 
6
As
 
4
S
 
9
5.1.2Tennantite
(Cu,Ag,Fe,Zn)
 
12
As
 
4
S
 
13
5.1.4Chalcostibite
CuSbS
 
2
5.1.5Tetrahedrite
(Cu,Fe,Ag,Zn)
 
12
Sb
 
4
S
 
13
5.1.6Goldfieldite
Cu
 
12
(Te,Sb,As)
 
4
S
 
13
5.1.7Emplectite
CuBiS
 
2
5.1.8Cuprobismutite
Cu
 
8
AgBi
 
12
S
 
24
5.1.10Hodrušite
Cu
 
8
Bi
 
12
S
 
22
5.1.11Giraudite
(Cu,Zn,Ag)
 
12
(As,Sb)
 
4
(Se,S)
 
13
5.1.11Permingeatite
Cu
 
3
SbSe
 
4

Other Names for Wittichenite

Synonyms:
Cupriferous Sulphuret of BismuthKupferwismuterzWittichite
Other Languages:
French:Bismuth sulfuré cuprifère
German:Kupferwismutglanz (of Naumann)
Wittichenit
Russian:Виттихенит
Simplified Chinese:硫铋铜矿
Spanish:Wittichenita
Varieties:
Argentian Wittichenite

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 Wittichenite

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: 373.

Economic Geology (1947): 42: 147-160.

Acta Crystallographica: B29: 2528-2535.

Mineralogical Magazine (1979): 43: 109.

Chang, L. L. Y.; Wu, D.; Knowles, C. R. (1988): Phase relations in the system Ag2S-Cu2S-PbS-Bi2S3. Economic Geology 83, 405-418.

Internet Links for Wittichenite

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    • Localities for Wittichenite

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