Chalcopyrite

Object/Artifact

-

Crater Rock Museum

Chalcopyrite on Dolomite

Chalcopyrite on Dolomite

Name/Title

Chalcopyrite

Entry/Object ID

2014.1.123 (A,B,C)

Description

Chemical Composition: CuFeS2/CaMg(CO3)2 Crystal System: Tetragonal System Description: Common Name: Chalcopyrite / Dolomite Chemical Formula: CuFeS2 / Ca3Mg(CO3)2 Class: Sulfides Group: Sulfides and Sulfosalts /Carbonates Location: Unknown Description: Three small pieces, two of which are triangular, one greyish and the other pinkish Dolomite. The other piece is ball shaped and the Dolomite is a darker pink. The Chalcopyrite is scattered on the surfaces of all three. PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS: Dolomite •Color is often pink or pinkish and can be colorless, white, yellow, gray or even brown or black when iron is present in the crystal. •Luster is pearly to vitreous to dull. •Transparency crystals are transparent to translucent. •Crystal System is trigonal; bar 3 •Crystal Habits include saddle shaped rhombohedral twins and simple rhombs some with slightly curved faces, also prismatic, massive, granular and rock forming. Never found in scalenohedrons. •Cleavage is perfect in three directions forming rhombohedrons. •Fracture is conchoidal. •Hardness is 3.5-4 •Specific Gravity is 2.86 (average) •Streak is white. •Other Characteristics: Unlike calcite, effervesces weakly with warm acid or when first powdered with cold HCl. •Associated Minerals: include calcite, sulfide ore minerals, fluorite, barite, quartz and occasionally with gold. •Notable Occurrences include many localities throughout the world, but well known from sites in Midwestern quarries of the USA; Ontario, Canada; Switzerland; Pamplona, Spain and in Mexico. •Best Field Indicators are typical pink color, crystal habit, hardness, slow reaction to acid, density and luster. PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS: Chalcopyrite •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. Amethyst Galleries' Mineral Gallery MINERALS Groupings Birthstones Gemstones By Name Framed Unframed By Class Carbonates Elements Halides Oxides Phosphates Silicates Sulfates Sulfides Fluorescent Minerals Properties Rocks Search View Cart Books This Site Awarded Available CHALCOPYRITE specimens: see this List of ALL specimens including SOLD ones Fracture: Conchoidal Hardness: 4 Fluorite Luster: Silky Rock Type: Metamorphic Specific Gravity: 4.2 Streak: Dark green

Collection

RAGM Mineral Collection

Acquisition

Accession

2014.1

Source or Donor

Crater Rock Museum (unknown donors)

Acquisition Method

Gift

Dimensions

Width

1 in

Depth

1 in

Length

2 in

Location

Location

Shelf

CS-D-1

Room

Curation Storage

Building

Crater Rock Museum

Category

Storage

Moved By

Curtis Gardner

Date

December 19, 2023

Location

Shelf

Left, Left

Wall

North

Building

Storage (old gift shop upstairs)

Category

Permanent

Moved By

Rawley Wyatt

Date

September 12, 2014

Location

Cabinet

G-1 front

Wall

North

Building

Storage (old gift shop upstairs)

Category

Permanent