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Bornite

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Dzhezkazgan Mine (Zhezkazgan Mine), Dzhezkazgan, Zhezqazghan Oblysy (Dzezkazgan Oblast'; Dzhezkazgan Oblast'; Djezkazgan Oblast'; Jezkazgan Oblast'), Kazakhstan
© 2001 John H. Betts

Show Bornite Photos (73)
Formula:
Cu
 
5
FeS
 
4
System:OrthorhombicColour:Copper-red tarnishing to ...
Lustre:MetallicHardness:3
Name:Known since 1725, but not given its current name until 1845 when it was named for Ignaz von Born (1742-1791), Austrian Mineralogist.


Typically found as massive metallic material, it has a copper-red color on fresh exposures which quickly tarnishes to an iridescent purple after exposure to air and moisture.

Classification of Bornite

IMA status:Approved 1962
Strunz 8th edition ID:2/B.02-30
Nickel-Strunz 10th (pending) edition ID:2.BA.15

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 7th edition ID:2.5.2.1
Dana 8th edition ID:2.5.2.1

2 : SULFIDES
5 : AmBnXp, with (m+n):p = 3:2
Hey's CIM Ref.:3.1.23

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 Bornite

Type Locality:Jáchymov (St Joachimsthal), Ostrov, Krušné Hory Mts (Erzgebirge), Karlovy Vary Region, Bohemia (Böhmen; Boehmen), Czech Republic
Year of Discovery:1725

Occurrences of Bornite

Geological Setting:Common and widespread in copper ore deposits. It also occurs in basic intrusives, in dikes, in contact metamorphic deposits, in quartz veins and in pegmatites.

Physical Properties of Bornite

Lustre:Metallic
Diaphaneity (Transparency):Opaque
Colour:Copper-red tarnishing to an iridescent purplish surface.
Streak:Grey-Black
Hardness (Mohs):3
Hardness (Vickers):VHN100=92 kg/mm2
Hardness Data:Measured
Tenacity:Brittle
Cleavage:Poor/Indistinct
In traces on {111}.
Parting:None.
Fracture:Irregular/Uneven
Density (measured):5.06 - 5.09 g/cm3
Density (calculated):5.09 g/cm3

Crystallography of Bornite

Crystal System:Orthorhombic
Class (H-M):mmm (2/m 2/m 2/m) - Dipyramidal
Space Group:Pbca (P21/b 21/c 21/a)
Cell Parameters:a = 10.95Å, b = 21.862Å, c = 10.95Å
Ratio:a:b:c = 0.501 : 1 : 0.501
Unit Cell Volume:V 2621.31 ų
Z:16
Morphology:Crystals rare, usually blocky with rough curved faces, pseudo-cubic, pseudo-dodecohedral and rarely pseudo-octahedral. Forms noted: {001}, {011}, {111}, {112}, {223} and {335}.
Twinning:On {111}, often as penetration twins.
Crystal Atlas:
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Bornite no.1 - Goldschmidt (1913-1926)
Bornite no.5 - Goldschmidt (1913-1926)
Bornite no.7 - Goldschmidt (1913-1926)
Bornite no.10 - Goldschmidt (1913-1926)

About Crystal Atlas

You may need to scroll this box using your mouse to view the full instructions.

The mindat.org Crystal Atlas allows you to view a selection of crystal drawings of real and idealised crystal forms for this mineral and, in certain cases, 3d rotating crystal objects. You need Java to see these. You can download Java for free - click here to download Java

The 3d models and java code are kindly provided by www.smorf.nl. You can control the movement of the models by holding down the left mouse-button over the 3d model and moving your mouse. Keyboard controls are:

: default positions
t/T: decrease/increase transparency x/X: next/previous texture
b/B: next/previous background w: toggle wireframe
s: toggle sticks m: toggle miller indices
k: toggle crystallographic axes =/-: zoom in/out
r: stop/start rotation 1/2/3


Note: You will not be able to switch between different crystal models using the Opera 8.5x web browser due to a bug in Opera - you need to use either Firefox or Internet Explorer 6/7 or Opera 9.
X-Ray Powder Diffraction:
Image Loading

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.
X-Ray Powder Diffraction:
d-spacingIntensity
3.31(40)
3.18(60)
2.74(50)
2.50(40)
1.94(100)
1.65(30)
1.26(50)

Optical Data of Bornite

Type:Anisotropic
Anisotropism:Weak
Colour in reflected light:Copper-red.
Internal Reflections:Purpulish iridescence.
Pleochroism:Weak

Chemical Properties of Bornite

Formula:
Cu
 
5
FeS
 
4
Essential elements:Cu, Fe, S
All elements listed in formula:Cu, Fe, S
Analyical Data:Wet chemical analysis of material from Messina, Transvaal given first. Ideal given second.
Cu (63.24)
Fe (11.12)
S (25.54)
Total (90.90)
.
Cu (63.32}
Fe (11.13)
S (25.55)
Total (100.00)
Empirical Formula:
Cu
 
5.00
Fe
 
1.00
S
 
4.00
Common Impurities:Ag,Ge,Bi,In,Pb

Relationship of Bornite 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.20Bellidoite
Cu
 
2
Se
2.BA.20Berzelianite
Cu
 
2
Se
2.BA.25Athabascaite
Cu
 
5
Se
 
4
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
3.1.13Athabascaite
Cu
 
5
Se
 
4
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
3.1.24Fukuchilite
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)
 
5
3.1.35Talnakhite
Cu
 
9
(Fe,Ni)
 
8
S
 
16

Other Names for Bornite

Synonyms:
Bornite (of Haidinger)ChalcomikliteErubesciteIMA1962-s.p.Lefverslag
Peacock OrePhillipsinePhillipsite (of Beudant)PoikilitePurple Copper
Purple Copper OreVariegated CopperVariegated Copper Ore
French names:
Cuivre Panaché
German names:
BornitBuntkupferkiesChalcomiklitErubescitKupferlasurerz
KupferlazuerzKupfer-LazulKupferlazurerzPoikilit
Russian names:
Борнит
Spanish names:
BornitaChalcomiklitaCobre PanaceoErubescitaPecho de Palorma
Poikilita
Swedish names:
Brokig kopparmalm
Varieties:
Argentiferous Bornite

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.
Industrial Uses:A major ore of copper.

References for Bornite

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, 834pp.: 195-197.

Acta Crystallographica: 17: 351-360.

Cuthbert, M.E. (1962) Formation of bornite at atmospheric temperature and pressure. Economic Geology: 57: 38-41.

Koto, K. and Morimoto, N. (1975) Superstructure investigation of bornite, Cu5FeS4, by the modified partial Patterson function. Acta Crystallographica: B31: 2268-2273.

American Mineralogist (1978): 63: 1-16.

Jagadeesh, M.S., Nagarathna, H.M., Montano, P.A., and Seehra, M.S. (1981) Magnetic and Mössbauer studies of phase transitions and mixed valences in bornite (Cu4.5Fe1.2S4.7). Phys. Rev.: B23: 2350-2356.

Buckley, A.N. and Woods, R. (1983) An X-ray photoelectron spectroscopic investigation of the tarnishing of bornite. Australian Journal of Chemistry: 36: 1793-1804.

Robie, R.A., Wiggins, L.B., Barton, P.B., Jr., and Hemingway, B.S. (1985) Low-temperature heat capacity and entropy of chalcopyrite (CuFeS2): estimates of the standard molar enthalpy and Gibbs free energy of formation of chalcopyrite and bornite (Cu5FeS4). Journal of Chemical Thermodynamics: 17: 481-488.

Vaughan, D.J., Tossell, J.A., and Stanley, C.J. (1987) The surface properties of bornite. Mineralogical Magazine: 51: 285-293.

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, 8th. edition: 52.

Harmer, S.L., Pratt, A.R., Nesbitt, H.W., and Fleet, M.E. (2005) Reconstruction of fracture surfaces on bornite. Canadian Mineralogist: 43: 1619-1630.

Internet Links for Bornite

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