Qusongite
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Formula:
WC
Colour:
Black, steel grey
Lustre:
Metallic
Specific Gravity:
15.84 (Calculated)
Crystal System:
Hexagonal
Name:
Named for type locality location in Qusong Co.
Natural tungsten carbide.
Classification of Qusongite
Approved
Approval Year:
2007
1.BA.25
1 : ELEMENTS (Metals and intermetallic alloys; metalloids and nonmetals; carbides, silicides, nitrides, phosphides)
B : Metallic Carbides, Silicides, Nitrides and Phosphides
A : Carbides
1 : ELEMENTS (Metals and intermetallic alloys; metalloids and nonmetals; carbides, silicides, nitrides, phosphides)
B : Metallic Carbides, Silicides, Nitrides and Phosphides
A : Carbides
1.1.29.3
1 : NATIVE ELEMENTS AND ALLOYS
1 : Metals, other than the Platinum Group
1 : NATIVE ELEMENTS AND ALLOYS
1 : Metals, other than the Platinum Group
Physical Properties of Qusongite
Metallic
Transparency:
Opaque
Colour:
Black, steel grey
Streak:
Black
Hardness:
VHN200=1553 kg/mm2 - Vickers
Cleavage:
None Observed
Fracture:
Conchoidal
Density:
15.84 g/cm3 (Calculated)
Optical Data of Qusongite
Type:
Anisotropic
Anisotropism:
Isotropic to weakly anisotropic
Bireflectance:
No bireflectance observed
Reflectivity:
400nm | R=66.46% |
420nm | R=64.42% |
440nm | R=55.13% |
480nm | R=53.14% |
500nm | R=50.73% |
520nm | R=48.56% |
540nm | R=46.66% |
546nm | R=46.09% |
560nm | R=45.39% |
580nm | R=45.02% |
589nm | R=44.94% |
600nm | R=44.5l% |
620nm | R=43.88% |
640nm | R=43.32% |
660nm | R=41.64% |
680nm | R=40.75% |
700nm | R=40.60% |
Graph shows reflectance levels at different wavelengths (in nm). Top of box is 100%. Peak reflectance is 66.46%.
Colour in reflected light:
White to yellowish white
Internal Reflections:
Visible
Chemical Properties of Qusongite
Formula:
WC
Elements listed:
Crystallography of Qusongite
Crystal System:
Hexagonal
Class (H-M):
6 m2 - Ditrigonal Dipyramidal
Space Group:
P6m2
Cell Parameters:
a = 2.902 Å, c = 2.831 Å
Ratio:
a:c = 1 : 0.976
Unit Cell V:
20.65 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Z:
1
Morphology:
Irregular, granular, or platy grains
Type Occurrence of Qusongite
Geological Setting of Type Material:
Chromite deposit, hosted in mafic-ultramafic rocks.
Synonyms of Qusongite
Related Minerals - Nickel-Strunz Grouping
1.BA.05 | Cohenite | Fe3C | Orth. |
1.BA.10 | Haxonite | (Fe,Ni)23C6 | Iso. m3m (4/m 3 2/m) : Fm3m |
1.BA.10 | Isovite | (Cr,Fe)23C6 | Iso. m3m (4/m 3 2/m) : Fm3m |
1.BA.15 | Tongbaite | Cr3C2 | Orth. |
1.BA.20 | Khamrabaevite | (Ti,V,Fe)C | |
1.BA.20 | Niobocarbide | (Nb,Ta)C | Iso. m3m (4/m 3 2/m) : Fm3m |
1.BA.20 | Tantalcarbide | TaC | Iso. m3m (4/m 3 2/m) : Fm3m |
1.BA.30 | Yarlongite | Cr4Fe4NiC4 | Hex. 6mm : P63mc |
Related Minerals - Dana Grouping (8th Ed.)
1.1.29.1 | Niobocarbide | (Nb,Ta)C | Iso. m3m (4/m 3 2/m) : Fm3m |
1.1.29.2 | Tantalcarbide | TaC | Iso. m3m (4/m 3 2/m) : Fm3m |
Other Information
Health Risks:
No information on health risks for this material has been entered into the database. You should always treat mineral specimens with care.
References for Qusongite
Reference List:
Sort by Year (asc) | by Year (desc) | by Author (A-Z) | by Author (Z-A)
American Mineralogist, Volume 94, pages 387–390, 2009
Strukturberichte (1926), 575.
Acta Crystallographica (1961) 14, 200.
Jianhong Zhang, Guojie Yang, and Zhaohui Li (1986): Discovery of natural tungsten carbide (WC) in China. Kuangwu Xuebao 6, 344-349 (in Chinese with English abstract). - American Mineralogist (1989) 74, 948 (abstract).
Doklady Akademy Nauk SSSR (1997) 352, 226-229.
American Mineralogist (1999) 84, 1468.
Internet Links for Qusongite
mindat.org URL:
https://www.mindat.org/min-35898.html
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Please feel free to link to this page.
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Localities for Qusongite
Locality List




All localities listed without proper references should be considered as questionable.
China | |
| Jianhong Zhang, Guojie Yang, and Zhaohui Li (1986): Acta Mineralogica Sinica 6(4), 344-349 |
| Jianhong Zhang, Guojie Yang, and Zhaohui Li (1986): Acta Mineralogica Sinica 6(4), 344-349 |
| IMA website; American Mineralogist, Volume 94, pages 387–390, 2009 |
| Li, G., Fang, Q., Shi, N., Bai, W., Yang, J., Xiong, M., Ma, Z., Rogn, He (2009) Zangboite (TiFeSi2), a new mineral from Luobusha, Tibet, China. Canadian Mineralogist, 47, 1265-1274. |
Russia | |
| Mineral. Zhurnal: 9: 7l-82: 1987 Zharg, J., Yang, G., Li, Z. (1986): Discovery of natural tungsten carbide (WC) in China. Kuangwu Xuebao: 6: 344-349 (in Chinese, with English abstract); in: Hawthorne, F.C., Jambor, J.L., Bladh, K.W., Burke, E.A.J., Grice, J.D., Phillips, D., Roberts, A.C., Schedler, R.A., Shigley, J.E. (1987): New mineral Names. American Mineralogist: 72: 1027 |