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Chalcocite

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Bristol Copper Mine, Bristol, Hartford Co., Connecticut, USA
© Jeff Scovil

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Formula:
Cu
 
2
S
System:MonoclinicColour:Blue black, gray, black, ...
Lustre:MetallicHardness:2½ - 3
Name:From Greek, "chalkos", copper.


Chalcocite-Digenite Group. Chalcocite-Yarrowite Series.

A secondary mineral in or near the oxidized zone of copper sulfide deposits. Hexagonal above 105 °C ('High-chalcocite').
Easily confused with djurleite.

Classification of Chalcocite

IMA status:Valid - first described prior to 1959 (pre-IMA) - "Grandfathered"
Strunz 8th edition ID:2/B.01-10
Nickel-Strunz 10th (pending) edition ID:2.BA.05

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:2.4.7.1

2 : SULFIDES
4 : AmBnXp, with (m+n):p = 2:1
Hey's CIM Ref.:3.1.1

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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Physical Properties of Chalcocite

Lustre:Metallic
Diaphaneity (Transparency):Opaque
Colour:Blue black, gray, black, black gray, or steel gray
Streak:Blackish lead gray
Hardness (Mohs):2½ - 3
Hardness (Vickers):VHN100=84 - 87 kg/mm2
Tenacity:Brittle
Cleavage:Poor/Indistinct
Indistinct on (110)
Fracture:Conchoidal
Comment:Somewhat sectile
Density (measured):5.5 - 5.8 g/cm3
Density (calculated):5.8 g/cm3

Crystallography of Chalcocite

Crystal System:Monoclinic
Class (H-M):2/m - Prismatic
Space Group:P21/b {P1 1 21/b} {P21/c} {P1 21/c 1} {P21/a}
Space Group Setting:P21/c
Cell Parameters:a = 15.246(4) Å, b = 11.884(2) Å, c = 13.494(3) Å
β = 116.35(1)°
Ratio:a:b:c = 1.283 : 1 : 1.135
Unit Cell Volume:V 2,190.86 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Twinning:Common on {110} yielding pseudohexagonal stellate forms. Also on {032}, {112}.
Comment:May be point group m and space group Pc; other monoclinic cell given: a = 11.82, b = 27.05, c = 13.43, β = 90°.
Crystal Atlas:
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Chalcocite no.48 - Goldschmidt (1913-1926)
Chalcocite - Penetration twin on {032}
Chalcocite - Multiple twin on {110}

About Crystal Atlas

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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
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s: toggle sticks m: toggle miller indices
k: toggle crystallographic axes =/-: zoom in/out
r: stop/start rotation 1/2/3
X-Ray Powder Diffraction:
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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.
X-Ray Powder Diffraction:
d-spacingIntensity
3.276 (35)
2.7256 (35)
2.4074 (50)
2.4030 (70)
1.9746 (70)
1.8811 (70)
1.8800 (100)
Comments:Similar to djurleite.

Optical Data of Chalcocite

Type:Anisotropic
Anisotropism:Weak

Chemical Properties of Chalcocite

Formula:
Cu
 
2
S
Essential elements:Cu, S
All elements listed in formula:Cu, S
Common Impurities:Fe

Relationship of Chalcocite to other Species

Series:Forms a series with Yarrowite (see here)
Structurally related to group(s):
Chalcocite-Digenite Group
Related Minerals - Nickel-Strunz Grouping):

- +
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.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.40Mckinstryite
Ag
 
5-x
Cu
 
3+x
S
 
4
2.BA.40Stromeyerite
AgCuS
2.BA.40dUM2003-13-S:AgAuCu
Ag
 
6
AuCu
 
2
S
 
5
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.60Chenguodaite
Ag
 
9
Fe
3+
 
Te
 
2
S
 
4
2.BA.65Henryite
Ag
 
3
Cu
 
4
Te
 
4
2.BA.65Stützite
Ag
 
5-x
Te
 
3
, x = 0.24-0.36
2.BA.70Argyrodite
Ag
 
8
GeS
 
6
2.BA.70Canfieldite
Ag
 
8
SnS
 
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
PbCu
 
2
Au
 
3
Te
 
2
2.BA.80Bogdanovite
(Au,Te,Pb)
 
3
(Cu,Fe)
Related Minerals - Hey's Index Grouping:

- +
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
3.1.23Bornite
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,Ni)
 
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 Chalcocite

Synonyms:
ChalcocineChalcosineChalcositeCopper GlanceCuprein
CupreineCypriteKupreinRedruthiteVitreous Copper
Other Languages:
Basque:Kalkozita
Catalan:Calcosina
Dutch:Chalcociet
Finnish:Kuparihohde
French:Chalcocite
Cuivre Spiciforme
Cuivre Sulfuré Spiciforme
Cuivre Vitreux
German:Chalkosin
Chalcocit
Chalcosin
Chalcosit
Cyprit
Kupferglanz
Kupferglanz-β
Kupferglasertz
Kupferglaserz
Lecherz
Redruthit
Hungarian:Kalkozin
Italian:Calcocite
Rame grigio
Japanese:輝銅鉱
Latin:Aes cyprium apud plinium appellatur cuprum
Aes rude plumbei coloris
Lithuanian:Chalkocitas
Low Saxon:Chalkosin
Norwegian (Bokmål):Kobberglans
Polish:Chalkozyn
Portuguese:Calcocita
Russian:Халькозин
Simplified Chinese:辉铜矿
Spanish:Calcosina
Calcosita
Chalcocita
Chalcosita
Cyprita
Redruthita
Swedish:Kopparglans
Koppar-Glas (of Wallerius)
Traditional Chinese:輝銅礦
Varieties:
Argentiferous ChalcociteDucktowniteHarrisitePara-Kupferglanz

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 Chalcocite

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.: 187-190.

Zeitschrift für Kristallographie 150, 299-320.

Cook, W.R. (1972): Instability of chalcocite. Mineralogical Record 3, 15.

Pósfai, M. & Buseck, P. R. (1994): Djurleite, digenite, and chalcocite: Intergrowths and transformations. American Mineralogist, 79, 308-315.

Internet Links for Chalcocite

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  • Raman and XRD data at RRUFF project
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    Locality Updated: Wheal Coates, St Agnes, St Agnes District, Cornwall, England, UKFrom David Ifold, 19th Jun 2013 22:44:10