Enargite
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| Enargite | |
|---|---|
| Category | Minreral: Sulfide |
| Chemical formula | Cu3AsS4 |
| Identification | |
| Molecular Weight | 393.82 gm |
| Color | Greyish Black to Black |
| Crystal habit | massive to well crystaline |
| Crystal system | Orthorhombic |
| Cleavage | Perfect [110], Distinct [100] & [010] |
| Fracture | uneven |
| Tenacity | Brittle |
| Mohs Scale hardness | 3 |
| Luster | Metallic |
| Ultraviolet fluorescence | None |
| Streak | Black |
| Specific gravity | 4.4 to 4.5 |
| Diaphaneity | Opaque |
| References | [1][2][3] |
Enargite is a copper arsenic sulfosalt mineral with formula: Cu3AsS4. It takes its name from the Greek word enarge, "distinct." Enargite is a steel gray, blackish gray, to violet black mineral with metallic luster. It forms slender orthorhombic prisms as well as massive aggregates. It has a hardness of 3 and a specific gravity of 4.45. It is a medium to low temperature hydrothermal mineral occurring with quartz, pyrite, as well as other copper sulfides. It occurs in the mineral deposits at Butte, Montana, San Juan Mountains, Colorado and at both Bingham Canyon and Tintic, Utah. It is also found in the copper mines of Canada, Mexico, Argentina, Chile, Peru, and the Philippines.
Enargite was originally described as a new species from the copper mines of the San Francisco vein, Junin Department, Peru
[edit] References
- ^ http://www.mindat.org/min-1380.html Mindat
- ^ http://webmineral.com/data/Enargite.shtml Webmineral
- ^ http://mineral.galleries.com/minerals/sulfides/enargite/enargite.htm Mineral galleries
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