Name/Title
ChalcopyriteEntry/Object ID
78.62.212Description
Chemical Composition: CuFeS2
Crystal System: Tetragonal System
Description: Common Name: Chalcopyrite
Chemistry:CuFeS2
Class: Sulfides
Location: Joplin,Missouri
Description: A piece of lead and Chalkopyrite on Calcite from Joplin,Missouri. Colors: White and grey Calcite with metallic grey lead,and small amount of metallic Gold Chalcopyrite. Calcite is Drusy both on the lead and on the base.
PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS:
• Color is brassy yellow, tarnishes to irredescent blues, greens, yellows and purples.
• Luster is metallic.
• Transparency: Crystals are opaque.
• Crystal System is tetragonal; bar 4 2m
• Crystal Habits are predominantly the disphenoid which is like two opposing wedges and resembles a tetrahedron. Crystals sometines twinned. Also commonly massive, and sometimes botryoidal.
• Cleavage is rather poor in one direction.
• Fracture is conchoidal and brittle.
• Hardness is 3.5-4
• Specific Gravity is approximately 4.2 (average for metallic minerals)
• Streak is dark green.
• Other Characteristics: Some striations on most crystal faces.
• Associated Minerals are quartz, fluorite, barite, dolomite, calcite, pentlandite, pyrite and other sulfides.
• Notable Occurances include Chile, Peru, Mexico, Europe, South Africa, several USA sites and many others around the world.
• Best Field Indicators are crystal habit, tarnish, softness and brittleness.
Fracture: conchoidal
Grain Size: Fine
Hardness: 4 Fluorite
Luster: Metallic
Pressure: Moderate
Rock Color: Dark
Rock Origin: Post-depositional
Rock Type: Sedimentary
Specific Gravity: 4.2
Streak: Dark green
Temperature: Moderate to high
Variety: Chalcopyrite (or copper pyrite), looks like, and is easily confused with Pyrite , FeS 2 . Chalcopyrite is one of the minerals refered to as "Fool's Gold" because of its bright golden color. But real gold is a more buttery yellow and is ductile and malleable.
As an ore od copper, the yield of chalcopyrite is rather low in terms of atoms per molecule. It is only 25%, compared to other copper minerals such as chalcocite, Cu2S - 67%; cuprite, Cu2O - 67%; covellite, CuS - 50% or bornite Cu5FeS4 - 50%. However the large quantities and widespread distribution of chalcopyrite make it the leading source of copper. Chalcopyrite is a common mineral and is found in almost all sulfide deposits. Fine crystals of chalcopyrite have a unique character and can add to anyone's collection.Collection
Chalcopyrite (or copper pyrite), looks like, and is easily confused with PDimensions
Width
3 inDepth
1-1/2 inLength
2-1/2 inDimension Notes
Dimension taken at widest pointsLocation
Location
Shelf
CS-E-1Room
Curation StorageBuilding
Crater Rock MuseumCategory
StorageMoved By
CuratorDate
February 23, 2024
