Cubanite Mineral Data

General Cubanite Information

Chemical Formula:

CuFe2S3

Composition:

Molecular Weight = 271.44 gm

Iron 41.15 % Fe

Copper 23.41 % Cu

Sulfur 35.44 % S

______

100.00 %

Empirical Formula:

CuFe²⁺₂S₃

Environment:

High temperature hydrothermal veins.

IMA Status:

Valid Species (Pre-IMA) 1843

Locality:

Barracanao, Cuba. Link to MinDat.org Location Data.

Name Origin:

Named after its locality.

Name Pronunciation:

Cubanite

Synonym:

Chalmersite

ICSD 67529

PDF 47-1749

Cubanite Image

Images:

Cubanite

Comments: Brassy, lustrous, cyclic-twinned cubanite on matrix.
Location: Henderson # 2 Mine, Chibougamau, Quebec, Canada. Scale: 10x6 mm.
© Tom Loomis / Dakota Matrix

Images:

Cubanite Plumbopalladinite Valleriite Pentlandite

Comments: Polished Section image (PPL) of plumbopalladinite (Pl) with polarite Po), surrounded by a rim of isoferroplatinum (Iso) with cubanite (Cu), pentlandite (Pe), and valleriite (Va).
Location: Majak Mine, Talnakh, Norilsk, Ural, Russia. Scale: Picture Size 0.7 mm.
© Thomas Witzke

Cubanite Crystallography

Axial Ratios:

a:b:c =0.5814:1:0.561

Cell Dimensions:

a = 6.46, b = 11.11, c = 6.233, Z = 4; V = 447.35 Den(Calc)= 4.03

Crystal System:

Orthorhombic - DipyramidalH-M Symbol (2/m 2/m 2/m) Space Group: Pcmn

$Help on X Ray Diffraction:$ X Ray Diffraction:

By Intensity(I/I_o): 3.213(1), 3.49(0.68), 3.23(0.48),

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Forms: ( 1 3 0) ( 1 3 1) ( 0 1 0) ( 1 0 1) ( 1 1 0) ( 1 0 0) ( 0 0 1)

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Crystal Structure:

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Buerger M J , American Mineralogist , 32 (1947) p.415-425, The crystal structure of cubanite

View Additional jPOWD Structure files for Cubanite
[1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7]

Physical Properties of Cubanite

Cleavage:

None

Color:

Brass yellow, Bronze yellow.

Density:

4.7

Diaphaneity:

Opaque

Fracture:

Conchoidal - Fractures developed in brittle materials characterized by smoothly curving surfaces, (e.g. quartz).

Habit:

Striated - Parallel lines on crystal surface or cleavage face.

Hardness:

3.5 - Copper Penny

Luminescence:

Non-fluorescent.

Luster:

Metallic

Magnetism:

Strongly magnetic

Streak:

black

Optical Properties of Cubanite

RL Anisotrophism:

Distinctive.

Reflectivity

**Standardized Intensity (100%) Reflection Spectra of Cubanite in Air**
λ	R₁	R₂	∑ R₁(λ)	∑ R₂(λ)
400 nm	20.60	23.80
420 nm	23.60	27.70
440 nm	26.60	31.60
460 nm	29.20	34.70
480 nm	31.40	37.10
500 nm	33.40	39.00
520 nm	35.00	40.20
540 nm	36.30	41.00
560 nm	37.30	41.60
580 nm	38.30	42.00
600 nm	39.00	42.40
620 nm	39.80	42.80
640 nm	40.70	43.30
660 nm	41.60	43.80
680 nm	42.40	44.30
700 nm	43.30	44.60

**Calculated Relative Intensity Colors of Cubanite in Air**
Relative Intensity	0%	40%	80%	100%	120%	160%	200%	240%	280%	320%	330%
R₁
R₂

Calculated Properties of Cubanite

Electron Density:

Bulk Density (Electron Density)=3.83 gm/cc
note: Specific Gravity of Cubanite =4.03 gm/cc.

Fermion Index:

Fermion Index = 0.01
Boson Index = 0.99

Photoelectric:

PE_Cubanite= 24.86 barns/electron
U=PE_Cubanite x rElectron Density= 95.22 barns/cc.

Radioactivity:

GRapi = 0 (Gamma Ray American Petroleum Institute Units)
Cubanite is Not Radioactive

Cubanite Classification

Dana Class:

02.09.13.01 (02)Sulfides - Including Selenides and Tellurides

(02.09)where Am Bn Xp, with (m+n):p=1:1

(02.09.13)Cubanite Group

02.09.13.01 Cubanite CuFe2S3 Pcmn 2/m 2/m 2/m

02.09.13.02 Argentopyrite AgFe2S3 Pmmn 2/m 2/m 2/m

02.09.13.03 Isocubanite CuFe2S3 F m3m 4/m 3 2/m

Strunz Class:

02.CB.55a 02 - SULFIDES and SULFOSALTS (sulfides, selenides, tellurides; arsenides, antimonides, bismuthides; sulfarsenites, sulf

02.C - Metal Sulfides, M:S = 1:1 (and similar)

02.CB -With Zn, Fe, Cu, Ag, Au, etc

02.CB.55a Cubanite CuFe2S3 Pcmn 2/m 2/m 2/m

Other Cubanite Information

References:

NAME( Ford32) PHYS. PROP.(Enc. of Minerals,2nd ed.,1990) OPTIC PROP.(AntBidBlaNic1)

See Also:

Links to other databases for Cubanite :
1 - Am. Min. Crystal Structure Database
2 - Amethyst Galleries' Mineral Gallery
3 - Athena
4 - EUROmin Project
5 - Ecole des Mines de Paris
6 - GeoScienceWorld
7 - Glendale Community College
8 - Google Images
9 - Google Scholar
10 - Handbook of Mineralogy (MinSocAm)
11 - Handbook of Mineralogy (UofA)
12 - HyperPhysics
13 - MinDAT
14 - Mineralienatlas (Deutsch)
15 - Online Mineral Museum
16 - QUT Mineral Atlas
17 - Ruff.Info
18 - WWW-MINCRYST

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Ask about Cubanite here :
Ask-A-Mineralogist from the Mineralogical Society of America
Mindat.org's Discussion Groups
Original Rockhounds Discussion Group
Rockhounds Discussion Group on Yahoo Groups
Mineral Discussion Forum from Fabre Minerals - also available in Español

Print or Cut-and-Paste your Cubanite Specimen Label here :

Cubanite

CuFe2S3
Dana No: 02.09.13.01 Strunz No: 02.CB.55a
Locality:

Notes: