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Chalcocite

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 degrees celsius.

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}
Cell Parameters:a = 11.82Å, b = 27.05Å, c = 13.43Å
β = 90°
Ratio:a:b:c = 0.437 : 1 : 0.496
Unit Cell Volume:V 4,293.99 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Z:96
Twinning:Common on {110} yeilding pseudohexagonal stellate forms. Also on {032} {112}
Comment:May be Point group m and Space group Pc
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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X-Ray Powder Diffraction:
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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.

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)
Related to:
  • 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.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:
    3.1.2Djurleite
    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
     
    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:
    CalcociteCalcosinaChalcocineChalcosineChalcosite
    Copper GlanceCupreinCupreineCypriteKuprein
    RedruthiteVitreous Copper
    French names:
    Cuivre SpiciformeCuivre Sulfuré SpiciformeCuivre Vitreux
    German names:
    ChalkosinChalcocitChalcositCypritKupferglanz
    Kupferglanz-βKupferglasertzKupferglaserzLecherzRedruthit
    Italian names:
    Rame grigio
    Latin names:
    Aes cyprium apud plinium appellatur cuprumAes rude plumbei coloris
    Russian names:
    Халькозин
    Spanish names:
    CalcositaChalcocitaChalcositaCypritaRedruthita
    Swedish names:
    KopparglansKoppar-Glas (of Wallerius)
    Varieties:
    Argentiferous ChalcociteDucktownitePara-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.

    Internet Links for Chalcocite

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  • Look for Chalcocite on Wikipedia
  • Look for Chalcocite on Mineralien Atlas
  • Raman and XRD data at RRUFF project
  • American Mineralogist Crystal Structure Database
  • Search for Chalcocite in the Natural History Museum (London) online catalogue
  • Chalcocite details from Handbook of Mineralogy (PDF)
  • Mineral Dealers:
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    Localities for Chalcocite

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