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Wurtzite

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Val Pulita, Carrara, Apuan Alps, Massa-Carrara Province, Tuscany, Italy
© Enrico Bonacina

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Formula:
(Zn,Fe)S
System:HexagonalColour:Dark reddish-brown to ...
Lustre:ResinousHardness:3½ - 4
Name:
Named in 1861 for Charles A. Wurtz (1817-1884), French chemist.
Polymorph of:Mátraite, Sphalerite


Wurtzite Group.

Usually found as black to dark reddish-brown massive resinous to sub-metallic material, also as botryoidal banded crusts, and more rarely as hemimorphic pyramidal crystals.
Several polytypes are known.

Classification of Wurtzite

IMA status:Approved
Strunz 8th edition ID:2/C.13-10
Nickel-Strunz 10th (pending) edition ID:2.CB.45

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 7th edition ID:2.8.7.1
Dana 8th edition ID:2.8.7.1

2 : SULFIDES
8 : AmXp, with m:p = 1:1
Hey's CIM Ref.:3.4.5

3 : Sulphides, Selenides, Tellurides, Arsenides and Bismuthides (except the arsenides, antimonides and bismuthides of Cu, Ag and Au, which are included in Section 1)
4 : Sulphides etc. of Group II metals other than Hg (Mg, Ca, Zn, Cd)
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Type Occurrence of Wurtzite

Type Locality:San José Mine, Oruro City, Cercado Province, Oruro Department, Bolivia
Year of Discovery:1861

Occurrences of Wurtzite

Geological Setting:Found in hydrothermal veins rich in Zn and as concretions in sedimentary rocks.

Physical Properties of Wurtzite

Lustre:Resinous
Diaphaneity (Transparency):Translucent
Comment:Brilliant submetallic on crystal faces.
Colour:Dark reddish-brown to black, orange-brown
Streak:Brown
Hardness (Mohs):3½ - 4
Hardness Data:Measured
Tenacity:Brittle
Cleavage:Very Good
Very good and easy on {1120), more difficult on {0001}.
Fracture:Irregular/Uneven
Density (measured):4 - 4.1 g/cm3
Density (calculated):4.09 g/cm3

Crystallography of Wurtzite

Crystal System:Hexagonal
Class (H-M):6mm - Dihexagonal Pyramidal
Space Group:P63mc
Cell Parameters:a = 3.82Å, c = 6.26Å
Ratio:a:c = 1 : 1.639
Unit Cell Volume:V 79.11 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Z:2
Morphology:Cell dimensions are given for the -2H polytype, which is reported as being the most common.

Crystals are hemimorphic pyramidal. No forms reported.
Short prismatic to tabular. Concentric banded crusts, fibrous, columnar.
Comment:Space group for synthetic 2H polytype
Crystal Atlas:
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Wurtzite - {101}, {00-1}

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Epitaxial Relationships of Wurtzite

Epitaxial Minerals:
Chalcopyrite
X-Ray Powder Diffraction:
d-spacingIntensity
3.31(100)
3.13(90)
2.93(80)
2.27(30)
1.91(70)
1.76(50)
1.63(50)
Comments:Data given are for synthetic -1H material.

Optical Data of Wurtzite

Type:Uniaxial (+)
RI values: nω = 2.356 nε = 2.378
Maximum Birefringence:δ = 0.022

Chart shows birefringence interference colour range (at 30µm thickness) and does not take into account mineral colouration.
Surface Relief:Very High
Internal Reflections:Yellow to dark brown

Chemical Properties of Wurtzite

Formula:
(Zn,Fe)S
Essential elements:S, Zn
All elements listed in formula:Fe, S, Zn
Analytical Data:May contain up to 8% Fe and 4% Cd.
Common Impurities:Fe,Cd
Relationship of Wurtzite to other Species
Member of Group:
Wurtzite Group:
MX
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
(Zn,Fe
2+
 
)S
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.15aFerrokësterite
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.15aKësterite
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.15aStannite
Cu
 
2
(Fe,Zn)SnS
 
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.45Rambergite
MnS
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:

- + 
3.4.1Niningerite
(Mg,Fe
2+
 
,Mn
2+
 
)S
3.4.2Oldhamite
(Ca,Mg)S
3.4.3Mátraite
ZnS
3.4.4Sphalerite
(Zn,Fe
2+
 
)S
3.4.6Stilleite
ZnSe
3.4.7Greenockite
CdS
3.4.8Hawleyite
CdS
3.4.9Cadmoselite
CdSe
Related Minerals - Dana Grouping):

- + 
2.8.7.2Greenockite
CdS
2.8.7.3Cadmoselite
CdSe
Other Names for Wurtzite
Synonyms:
Buergerite (of Gagarin and Cuomo)Hurlburtite (of Gagarin and Cuomo)Spiauterite
Other Languages:
Catalan:Wurtzita
Dutch:Wurtziet
German:Wurtzit
Italian:Wurtzite
Japanese:ウルツ鉱
Polish:Wurcyt
Russian:Вюртцит
Simplified Chinese:纤维锌矿
Spanish:Wurtzita
Ukrainian:Вюртцит
Varieties:
Polywurtzite
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 Wurtzite
Reference List:Friedel (1861), CRAS: 52: 983-985.



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.: 227-228.



American Mineralogist (1950): 35: 29-42.



Smith. F.G. (1955) Structure of zinc-sulfide minerals. American Mineralogist: 40: 658-675.



Fleet, M.E. (1977b) Structural transformations in natural ZnS. American Mineralogist: 62: 540-546.



Fleet, M.E. (1977c) The birefringence-structural state relation in natural zinc sulfides and its application to the schalenblende from Pribram. Canadian Mineralogist: 15: 303-308.



Augustithis, S.S. and Vgenopoulos, A. (1982) On the hawleyite-sphalerite-wurtzite-galena paragenesis from Ragada, Komotini, (Rhodope) North Greece. Special Publication of the Society for Geology Applied to Mineral Deposits: 2: 413-417.



Fleet, M.E. (1987b) Layer-disordered wurtzite (ZnS-2H): diffuse X-ray scattering recorded by c-axis precession photography. Journal of Applied Crystallography: 20: 191-194.



Xu, Y.N. and Ching, W.Y. (1993) Electronic, optical, and structural properties of some wurtzite crystals. Physical review, B, Condensed Matter: 48: 4335-4351.



Gaines, Richard V., H. Catherine, W. Skinner, Eugene E. Foord, Brian Mason, Abraham Rosenzweig (1997), Dana's New Mineralogy : The System of Mineralogy of James Dwight Dana and Edward Salisbury Dana: 72.



Chao, G.Y. & Gault, R.A. (1998): The occurrence of two rare polytypes of wurtzite, 4H and 8H, at Mont Saint-Hilaire, Quebec Can. Mineral. 36, 775-778.  
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