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Bournonite

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Herodsfoot Mine (North Herodsfoot Mine), Lanreath, Liskeard District, Cornwall, England, UK
© Ian Jones

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Formula:
PbCuSbS
 
3
System:OrthorhombicColour:Steel-gray
Hardness:2½ - 3
Member of:Bournonite Group
Name:After Count J. L. de Bournon (1751-1825), French crystallographer and mineralogist.


Bournonite Group.

Classification of Bournonite

IMA status:Valid - first described prior to 1959 (pre-IMA) - "Grandfathered"
Strunz 8th edition ID:2/E.16-20
Nickel-Strunz 10th (pending) edition ID:2.GA.50

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 8th edition ID:3.4.3.2

3 : SULFOSALTS
4 : ø = 3
Hey's CIM Ref.:5.7.2

5 : Sulphosalts - Sulpharsenites and Sulphobismuthites (those containing Sn, Ge,or V are in Section 6)
7 : Sulpharsenites etc. of Pb and other metals
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Type Occurrence of Bournonite

Type Locality:Wheal Boys (Trewetha Mine; Old Trewetha Mine), Port Isaac, St Endellion, Wadebridge District, Cornwall, England, UK
Year of Discovery:1805

Occurrences of Bournonite

Geological Setting:Moderate temperature hydrothermal veins.

Physical Properties of Bournonite

Lustre:Metallic
Diaphaneity (Transparency):Opaque
Colour:Steel-gray
Streak:Steel-gray
Hardness (Mohs):2½ - 3
Hardness (Vickers):VHN100=176 - 205 kg/mm2
Hardness Data:Measured
Tenacity:Brittle
Cleavage:Imperfect/Fair
Imperfect on {010}, less perfect on {100}{001}
Fracture:Irregular/Uneven, Sub-Conchoidal
Density (measured):5.83 g/cm3
Density (calculated):5.84 g/cm3

Crystallography of Bournonite

Crystal System:Orthorhombic
Class (H-M):mm2 - Pyramidal
Space Group:Pmn21
Cell Parameters:a = 8.153(1) Å, b = 8.692(3) Å, c = 7.793(2) Å
Ratio:a:b:c = 0.938 : 1 : 0.897
Unit Cell Volume:V 552.26 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Z:4
Morphology:Crystals usually short prismatic to tabular [001]. Crystals often form sub-parallel aggregates. Faces {hk0} striated [001], {h01} striated [010], {100} lustrous and striated [010], {010} usually smooth and lustrous.
Twinning:On {110} very common often repeated, forming cruciform or wheel-like aggregates ("cogwheels"). Twin gliding: x1 {110}, δ2 [110]. Usually exhibits polysynthetic twinning on {110}, in part due to deformation.
Crystal Atlas:
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Bournonite no.98 - Goldschmidt (1913-1926)
Bournonite - Repeated contact twin on {110}
Bournonite - Contact twin on {110}
Bournonite - Tabular {001}

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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 Bournonite

Type:Anisotropic
Anisotropism:Weak
Colour in reflected light:White
Pleochroism:Weak
Comments:Very weak.

Chemical Properties of Bournonite

Formula:
PbCuSbS
 
3
Essential elements:Cu, Pb, S, Sb
All elements listed in formula:Cu, Pb, S, Sb
Common Impurities:As,Ag,Fe,Zn,Mn,Ni

Relationship of Bournonite to other Species

Series:Forms a series with Seligmannite (see here)
Member of:Bournonite Group
Other Members of Group:

- +
Seligmannite
PbCuAsS
 
3
Součekite
PbCuBi(S,Se)
 
3
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.20Wittichenite
Cu
 
3
BiS
 
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.50Seligmannite
PbCuAsS
 
3
2.GA.50Součekite
PbCuBi(S,Se)
 
3
Related Minerals - Hey's Index Grouping:

- +
5.7.1Seligmannite
PbCuAsS
 
3
5.7.3Meneghinite
Pb
 
13
CuSb
 
7
S
 
24
5.7.4Gladite
PbCuBi
 
5
S
 
9
5.7.5Lindströmite
Pb
 
3
Cu
 
3
Bi
 
7
S
 
15
5.7.6Krupkaite
PbCuBi
 
3
S
 
6
5.7.7Hammarite
Pb
 
2
Cu
 
2
Bi
 
4
S
 
9
5.7.8Friedrichite
Pb
 
5
Cu
 
5
Bi
 
7
S
 
18
5.7.9Aikinite
PbCuBiS
 
3
5.7.10Nuffieldite
Pb
 
2
Cu(Pb,Bi)Bi
 
2
S
 
7
5.7.11Jaskólskiite
Pb
 
2+x
Cu
 
x
(Sb,Bi)
 
2-x
S
 
6
 (x = 0.2)
5.7.12Tintinaite
Pb
 
22
Cu
 
4
(Sb,Bi)
 
30
S
 
69
5.7.13Kobellite
Pb
 
22
Cu
 
4
(Bi,Sb)
 
30
S
 
69
5.7.14Proudite
CuPb
 
7.5
Bi
 
9.33
(S,Se)
 
22
5.7.15Nordströmite
CuPb
 
3
Bi
 
7
(Se
 
4
S
 
10
)
5.7.16Watkinsonite
Cu
 
2
PbBi
 
4
(Se,S,Te)
 
8
5.7.17Pekoite
PbCuBi
 
11
(S,Se)
 
18
5.7.18Petrovicite
Cu
 
3
HgPbBiSe
 
5
5.7.19Eclarite
(Cu,Fe)Pb
 
9
Bi
 
12
S
 
28
5.7.20Marrite
AgPbAsS
 
3
5.7.21Baumhauerite-2a
Pb
 
11
Ag(As,Sb)
 
18
S
 
36
5.7.22Andorite
PbAgSb
 
3
S
 
6
5.7.23Ramdohrite
(Cd,Mn,Fe)Ag
 
5.5
Pb
 
12
Sb
 
21.5
S
 
48
5.7.24Roshchinite
Ag
 
19
Pb
 
10
Sb
 
51
S
 
96
5.7.25Ourayite
Ag
 
3
Pb
 
4
Bi
 
5
S
 
13
5.7.26Eskimoite
Ag
 
7
Pb
 
10
Bi
 
15
S
 
36
5.7.27Fizélyite
Ag
 
5
Pb
 
14
Sb
 
21
S
 
48
5.7.28Owyheeite
Ag
 
3+x
Pb
 
10-2x
Sb
 
11+x
S
 
28
, -0.13 < x > +0.20
5.7.29Freieslebenite
AgPbSbS
 
3
5.7.30Diaphorite
Ag
 
3
Pb
 
2
Sb
 
3
S
 
8
5.7.31Sterryite
Ag
 
2
Pb
 
10
(Sb,As)
 
12
S
 
29
5.7.32Vikingite
Ag
 
5
Pb
 
8
Bi
 
13
S
 
30
5.7.33Zoubekite
AgPb
 
4
Sb
 
4
S
 
10
5.7.34Schirmerite
PbAgBi
 
3
S
 
6
 - Pb
 
3
Ag
 
1.5
Bi
 
3.5
S
 
9
5.7.36Gustavite
Ag
 
3
Pb
 
5
Bi
 
11
S
 
24
5.7.37Kitaibelite
Ag
 
10
PbBi
 
30
S
 
51
5.7.38Treasurite
Ag
 
7
Pb
 
6
Bi
 
15
S
 
32
5.7.39Benjaminite
(Ag,Cu)
 
3
(Bi,Pb)
 
7
S
 
12
5.7.40Lengenbachite
(Ag,Cu)
 
2
Pb
 
6
As
 
4
S
 
13
5.7.41Berryite
Cu
 
3
Ag
 
2
Pb
 
3
Bi
 
7
S
 
16
5.7.42Neyite
Ag
 
2
Cu
 
6
Pb
 
25
Bi
 
26
S
 
68
5.7.43Larosite
(Cu,Ag)
 
21
(Pb,Bi)
 
2
S
 
13
5.7.44Cupropavonite
AgCu
 
2
PbBi
 
5
S
 
10
5.7.45Padĕraite
Cu
 
5.9
Ag
 
1.3
Pb
 
1.6
Bi
 
11.2
S
 
22
5.7.46Rayite
Pb
 
8
(Ag,Tl)
 
2
Sb
 
8
S
 
21
5.7.47Rathite
Pb
 
8
Pb
 
4-x
(Tl
 
2
As
 
2
)
 
x
(Ag
 
2
As
 
2
)As
 
16
S
 
40
5.7.48Hatchite
AgTlPbAs
 
2
S
 
5

Other Names for Bournonite

Synonyms:
Antimonial Copper GlanceAntimonial Lead OreBerthoniteBournonite (of Jameson)Cog Wheel Ore
EndellioneEndellionitePlomb sulfuré antimonifèreRädlerzSchwarz Spiessglanzerz
SpiessglanzbleiTripelglanzWheel OreWölchite
Other Languages:
French:Antimoine sulfuré plumbocuprifère
German:Antimonbleiglanz
Antimonbleikupferblende
Antimonkupferbleiblende
Antimonkupferglanz
Berthonit
Bournonit
Endellionit
Rädelerz
Schwarzspiessglanzerz
Wölchit
Russian:Бурнонит
Simplified Chinese:车轮矿
Spanish:Berthonita
Bournonita
Cañutillo
Endellionita

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 Bournonite

Reference List:

- +
Rashleigh (1797): 1: 34, pl. xix.

Bournon (1804), Royal Society of London, Phil. Trans.: 30.

Hatchett (1804), Royal Society of London, Phil. Trans.: 63.

Jameson (1805): 2: 579.

Jameson (1816): 3: 372.

Hintze (1904): 1(1): 1126.

Schneiderhöhn and Ramdohr (1931).

Oftedal (1932), Zs. Kr.: 83: 157.

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: 406-410.

Zeitschrift für Kristallographie: 131: 397-417.

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