Greenockite
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Charles Murray Cathcart
Formula:
CdS
System:
Hexagonal
Colour:
Yellow to red.
Lustre:
Adamantine, Resinous
Hardness:
3 - 3½
Member of:
Name:
Named in 1840 by Henry James Brooke and Arthur Connell for Lord Greenock - later Earl Charles Murray Cathcart, 2nd Earl Cathcart [December 21, 1783, Walton-on-the-Naze, Essex, England, UK - July 16, 1859, St Leonards-on-Sea, Hastings, England, UK]. Earl Charles Murray Cathcart was a general in the British army and served as Governor of the Province of Canada. He was also the author of two papers: one on igneous rocks in Edinburgh, Scotland and one on coal in southern Scotland.
Dimorph of:
Typically found as yellow to red hemimorphic pyramidal crystals and earthy coatings. Caution should be used in sight identifying yellow cadmium sulfide coatings as hawleyite (dimorph of greenockite) is not a very rare species and occurs in identical appearing coatings and identical environments; furthermore some of these coatings can be X-ray amorphous ("xanthochroite").
Classification of Greenockite
Approved, 'Grandfathered' (first described prior to 1959)
2/C.13-30
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.
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 ed.:
2.6.4.2
2.8.7.2
2 : SULFIDES
8 : AmXp, with m:p = 1:1
2 : SULFIDES
8 : AmXp, with m:p = 1:1
3.4.7
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)
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)
Physical Properties of Greenockite
Adamantine, Resinous
Diaphaneity (Transparency):
Translucent
Colour:
Yellow to red.
Streak:
Orange-yellow to brick red.
Hardness (Mohs):
3 - 3½
Hardness (Vickers):
VHN25=98 kg/mm2
Hardness Data:
Measured
Tenacity:
Brittle
Cleavage:
Distinct/Good
Distinct on {1122}, imperfect on {0001}.
Distinct on {1122}, imperfect on {0001}.
Fracture:
Conchoidal
Density:
4.8 - 4.9 g/cm3 (Measured) 4.824 g/cm3 (Calculated)
Optical Data of Greenockite
Type:
Uniaxial (-)
RI values:
nω = 2.529 nε = 2.506
Max Birefringence:
δ = 0.023
Image shows birefringence interference colour range (at 30µm thickness) and does not take into account mineral colouration.
Surface Relief:
Very High
Pleochroism:
Weak
Comments:
Uniaxial + for wavelengths red to blue-green
Chemical Properties of Greenockite
Formula:
CdS
Elements listed in formula:
Common Impurities:
Zn
Crystallography of Greenockite
Crystal System:
Hexagonal
Class (H-M):
6mm - Dihexagonal Pyramidal
Space Group:
P63mc
Cell Parameters:
a = 4.136 Å, c = 6.713 Å
Ratio:
a:c = 1 : 1.623
Unit Cell Volume:
V 99.45 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Z:
2
Morphology:
Crystals hemimorphic pyramidal. Earthy coatings (sphalerite)
Twinning:
Twin plane {1122} rare forming trillings.
Crystallographic forms of Greenockite
Crystal Atlas:
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Greenockite - {100}, {00-1}, {00-1}, modified
3d models and HTML5 code kindly provided by
www.smorf.nl.
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Edge Lines | Miller Indicies | Axes
Transparency
Opaque | Translucent | Transparent
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Along a-axis | Along b-axis | Along c-axis | Start rotation | Stop rotation
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Edge Lines | Miller Indicies | Axes
Transparency
Opaque | Translucent | Transparent
View
Along a-axis | Along b-axis | Along c-axis | Start rotation | Stop rotation
X-Ray Powder Diffraction Data:
| d-spacing | Intensity |
|---|---|
| 3.58 | (80) |
| 3.37 | (60) |
| 3.16 | (100) |
| 2.45 | (30) |
| 2.07 | (60) |
| 1.90 | (40) |
| 1.79 | (20) |
| 1.76 | (50) |
Occurrences of Greenockite
Type Occurrence of Greenockite
Relationship of Greenockite to other Species
Member of:
Other Members of Group:
| Buseckite | (Fe,Zn,Mn)S |
| Cadmoselite | CdSe |
| Rambergite | MnS |
| Wurtzite | (Zn,Fe)S |
Common Associates:
| 2.CB. | Agmantinite | Ag2MnSnS4 |
| 2.CB.05a | Coloradoite | HgTe |
| 2.CB.05a | Hawleyite | CdS |
| 2.CB.05a | Metacinnabar | HgS |
| 2.CB.05c | Polhemusite | (Zn,Hg)S |
| 2.CB.05b | Sakuraiite | (Cu,Zn,Fe)3(In,Sn)S4 |
| 2.CB.05a | Sphalerite | ZnS |
| 2.CB.05a | Stilleite | ZnSe |
| 2.CB.05a | Tiemannite | HgSe |
| 2.CB.05 | UM1998-15-S:CuFeZn | Cu2Fe3Zn5S10 |
| 2.CB.05a | Rudashevskyite | (Fe,Zn)S |
| 2.CB.10a | Chalcopyrite | CuFeS2 |
| 2.CB.10a | Eskebornite | CuFeSe2 |
| 2.CB.10a | Gallite | CuGaS2 |
| 2.CB.10b | Haycockite | Cu4Fe5S8 |
| 2.CB.10a | Lenaite | AgFeS2 |
| 2.CB.10b | Mooihoekite | Cu9Fe9S16 |
| 2.CB.10b | Putoranite | Cu1.1Fe1.2S2 |
| 2.CB.10a | Roquesite | CuInS2 |
| 2.CB.10b | Talnakhite | Cu9(Fe,Ni)8S16 |
| 2.CB.10a | Laforêtite | AgInS2 |
| 2.CB.15a | Černýite | Cu2(Cd,Zn,Fe)SnS4 |
| 2.CB.15a | Ferrokësterite | Cu2(Fe,Zn)SnS4 |
| 2.CB.15a | Hocartite | Ag2(Fe2+,Zn)SnS4 |
| 2.CB.15a | Idaite | Cu5FeS6 |
| 2.CB.15a | Kësterite | Cu2ZnSnS4 |
| 2.CB.15a | Kuramite | Cu3SnS4 |
| 2.CB.15b | Mohite | Cu2SnS3 |
| 2.CB.15a | Pirquitasite | Ag2ZnSnS4 |
| 2.CB.15a | Stannite | Cu2FeSnS4 |
| 2.CB.15c | Stannoidite | Cu6+Cu22+(Fe2+,Zn)3Sn2S12 |
| 2.CB.15a | Velikite | Cu2HgSnS4 |
| 2.CB.15c | UM2006-11-S:CuFeGeZn | Cu8(Fe,Zn)3Ge2S12 (?) |
| 2.CB.20 | Chatkalite | Cu6FeSn2S8 |
| 2.CB.20 | Mawsonite | Cu6Fe2SnS8 |
| 2.CB.30 | Colusite | Cu12VAs3S16 |
| 2.CB.30 | Germanite | Cu13Fe2Ge2S16 |
| 2.CB.30 | Germanocolusite | Cu26V2(Ge,As)6S32 |
| 2.CB.30 | Nekrasovite | Cu26V2(Sn,As,Sb)6S32 |
| 2.CB.30 | Stibiocolusite | Cu13V(Sb,Sn,As)3S16 |
| 2.CB.30 | Ovamboite | Cu20(Fe,Cu,Zn)6W2Ge6S32 |
| 2.CB.30 | Maikainite | Cu20(Fe,Cu)6Mo2Ge6S32 |
| 2.CB.35a | Hemusite | Cu6SnMoS8 |
| 2.CB.35a | Kiddcreekite | Cu6SnWS8 |
| 2.CB.35a | Polkovicite | (Fe,Pb)3(Ge,Fe)1-xS4 |
| 2.CB.35a | Renierite | (Cu1+,Zn)11Fe4(Ge4+,As5+)2S16 |
| 2.CB.35a | Vinciennite | Cu7+Cu32+Fe22+Fe23+Sn(As,Sb)S16 |
| 2.CB.35a | Morozeviczite | (Pb,Fe)3Ge1-xS4 |
| 2.CB.35b | Catamarcaite | Cu6GeWS8 |
| 2.CB.40 | Lautite | CuAsS |
| 2.CB.45 | Cadmoselite | CdSe |
| 2.CB.45 | Wurtzite | (Zn,Fe)S |
| 2.CB.45 | Rambergite | MnS |
| 2.CB.45 | Buseckite | (Fe,Zn,Mn)S |
| 2.CB.55a | Cubanite | CuFe2S3 |
| 2.CB.55b | Isocubanite | CuFe2S3 |
| 2.CB.60 | Picotpaulite | TlFe2S3 |
| 2.CB.60 | Raguinite | TlFeS2 |
| 2.CB.65 | Argentopyrite | AgFe2S3 |
| 2.CB.65 | Sternbergite | AgFe2S3 |
| 2.CB.70 | Sulvanite | Cu3VS4 |
| 2.CB.75 | Vulcanite | CuTe |
| 2.CB.80 | Empressite | AgTe |
| 2.CB.85 | Muthmannite | AuAgTe2 |
| 3.4.1 | Niningerite | (Mg,Fe2+,Mn2+)S |
| 3.4.2 | Oldhamite | (Ca,Mg)S |
| 3.4.3 | Mátraite | ZnS |
| 3.4.4 | Sphalerite | ZnS |
| 3.4.5 | Wurtzite | (Zn,Fe)S |
| 3.4.6 | Stilleite | ZnSe |
| 3.4.8 | Hawleyite | CdS |
| 3.4.9 | Cadmoselite | CdSe |
Other Names for Greenockite
Name in Other Languages:
Catalan:Greenockita
Dutch:Greenockiet
German:Greenockit
Italian:Greenockite
Japanese:硫カドミウム鉱
Polish:Grenokit
Russian:Гринокит
Simplified Chinese:硫镉矿
Slovak:Greenockit
Spanish:Greenockita
Traditional Chinese:硫鎘礦
Ukrainian:Гринокіт
Other Information
Health Risks:
Contains cadmium - always wash hands after handling. Avoid inhaling dust when handling or breaking. Never lick or ingest.
Greenockite in petrology
Common component of (items highlighted in red)
References for Greenockite
Reference List:
Brooke, J. & Connell, A. (1840) Der Greenockit, ein neues Mineral, Annalen der Physik und Chemie, 127, 274-275.
Breithaupt, A. (1840) Greenockit, ein neues Mineral, Annalen der Physik und Chemie, 127, 507-510.
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.: 228-230.
American Mineralogist (1961) 46: 1382.
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: 73.
Deore, S. and Navrotsky, A. (2006) Oxide melt solution calorimetry of sulfides: Enthalpy of formation of sphalerite, galena, greenockite, and hawleyite. American Mineralogist: 91: 400-403.
Breithaupt, A. (1840) Greenockit, ein neues Mineral, Annalen der Physik und Chemie, 127, 507-510.
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.: 228-230.
American Mineralogist (1961) 46: 1382.
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: 73.
Deore, S. and Navrotsky, A. (2006) Oxide melt solution calorimetry of sulfides: Enthalpy of formation of sphalerite, galena, greenockite, and hawleyite. American Mineralogist: 91: 400-403.
Internet Links for Greenockite
mindat.org URL:
https://www.mindat.org/min-1746.html
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External Links:
Mineral Dealers:
Siglo Veinte Mine, Llallagua, Rafael Bustillo Province, Potosí Department, Bolivia