ECONOMIC GEOLOGY

ECONOMIC GEOLOGY

Tables for the Determination of

Common Opaque Minerals

PAULG. SPRYAND BRIANL. GEDLINSKE

Department of Earth Sciences,
2 5 3 Science Hall I,
Iowa State University,
Arnes, Iowa 500 11

THE ECONOMIC GEOLOGY PUBLISHING COMPANY

1987
O 1987 by the Economic Geology Publishing Co.
Library of Congress

Catalog Card No. 87-082423

Brian J. Skinner, EDITOR, Economic Geology, 91-A Yale Station,

New Haven, CT 06520
 Contents
Preface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . i
ColoredMinerals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
NoncoloredMinerals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
 Preface
Measurements of the optical properties of opaque minerals using a reflected-light
polarizing microscope are difficult for the unskilled investigator because they require
demanding and exacting techniques. Unlike transparent minerals, which can be easily
identified by tests using a transmitted-light petrographic microscope, opaque minerals
have few optical properties that can lead to unambiguous identification. The principal
properties used to identify opaque minerals are color and color intensity, but these
involve subjective decisions on the part of the investigator. Color is determined in part
by the colors of the surrounding minerals; color intensity is influenced by reflectance.
This, in turn, is influenced by sample preparation. Many teaching institutions, private
consultants, and professional companies do not possess microscopes which have the
additional equipment to test microhardness, or photometers to test the reflectance of
minerals; however, microhardness and reflectance data have been included for those
people who have access to such equipment.
The following two tables, one for colored minerals, one for noncolored minerals,
include 9 5 common opaque minerals, 1 3 transparent minerals, and 8 minerals that
range from transparent-translucent to opaque. The tables are by no means complete
because they are designed to serve as a rapid and efficient way of identifying the
common opaque minerals. We have found by experience that unless told the identity
of a mineral, the unskilled user often finds alphabetical tables of opaque mineral prop-
erties imposing and time consuming. In an attempt to overcome this problem, we use
an identification scheme which enables the user to identify a mineral by a process of
elimination. The scheme is straightforward and utilizes a tree diagram (Fig. 1) in con-
junction with a list of the mineral properties that can be easily observed under the
microscope. The mineral is identified by moving from the top of the tree diagram to
the bottom through a series of decisions based on optical properties. These properties
are, in order: color intensity, pleochroism, anisotropism and its intensity, internal re-
flection, and relative hardness. A final choice of the mineral's identity can b e made
when the end of the branch is reached. In only a small number of cases are all five
decisions required to make this choice. Since this procedure may not always give a
unique answer, additional features are included that will help elucidate the mineral's
identity. These are: the presence or absence of cleavage and twinning, the composition
of commonly associated minerals, and a summary of key identifying criteria. Although
the procedure used here is very successful, it is not infallible, because some minerals
fall between two categories. For example, depending upon the nature of associated
minerals, it may be difficult to decide whether a mineral such as pyrrhotite is colored
or weakly colored. In such cases, we have listed the mineral in more than one group.
One further problem will obviously arise if there is only one mineral present in the
sample and a decision has to be based on its relative hardness. For such situations, we
suggest looking at the soft, medium, and hard categories. Weak to very weak pleo-
chroism is often difficult to discern, especially for large mineral grains. W e have listed
minerals showing weak pleochroism with nonpleochroic minerals.
Explanation and Discussion of Terms Used in the Tables
Group number: the number located at the end of the branch of the tree diagram
(Fig. 1).
Mineral: the mineral name.
Composition: the chemical formula using the terminology of Fleischer (1987).
System: the crystal system.
Polishing cleavage: the observable cleavage pattern on a polished surface, and if
known, its relation to crystallographic axes.
Reflectance and color: the colors observed when air and immersion oil are between
 PREFACE

the objective and the sample. Oil is used when high magnification and resolution are
required. Note that the color intensity of a mineral generally increases under oil: it is
often slightly darker. Also, the color may appear different depending on the minerals
with which it is in contact. Even though quantitative reflectance values, R% (see below),
are included, qualitative terms (e.g., strong, medium, low) are also given for the re-
flectance of each mineral. A decision on the color of a mineral should be made with a
low-power objective when observed under plane-polarized light. The rheostat setting
should be at full voltage for the lamp used. Also, the intensity of illumination should
be kept constant for color comparisons.
R%: quantitative reflectance values in air at a 546-nm wavelength. Some reflectance
values are given at other wavelengths.
VHN: quantitative identification microhardness (Vickers hardness number) at a load
of 100 g. Some microhardness values are given for different loads.
Polishing hardness: behind this feature is the principle that for two minerals in
contact, the hardest mineral stands up in relief. The identification procedure involves
an optical feature known as the Kalb line. Use a high-power objective and a partly
closed diaphragm (to reduce the light) and then observe the contact between the two
minerals under plane-polarized light (medium illumination). If the stage of the micro-
scope is lowered or the microscope tube is raised, the Kalb line (analogous to the Becke
line in transmitted-light microscopy) moves toward the softer grain.
During sample polishing some minerals may remain scratched. The use of polishing
scratches is an excellent way to determine relative hardness, because the scratches will
often affect a soft mineral and stop at its contact with a hard mineral.
The terms soft, medium, and hard have been used. They refer to numerical values
on the Mohs' hardness scale (given in parentheses) and correspond to values of up to
and including 3, greater than 3 and up to and including 5, and greater than 5 , respec-
tively. A mineral which shows a range of hardness that overlaps these boundaries has
been assigned to the harder category. For example, carrollite has a range of hardness
of 4.5 to 5.5 and is in the hard category. The numbers are followed by the hardness
of the mineral in question relative to commonly associated minerals.
Pleochroism (birejlectance): the property of a mineral of showing a variation in
color, under plane-polarized light and when the analyzer is not inserted, as the stage
of the microscope is rotated. Where this variation is weak, other minerals showing
pleochroism should not be in the same field of view. Keep the illumination constant
for comparisons. The presence of immersion oil permits the observation of weak pleo-
chroism. The terms strong, moderate, weak, and nonpleochroic have been used to
describe the degree of pleochroism. The category used in Figure 1 is that which is
observed in air.
Anisotropism: the property of a mineral of showing a variation in color, under plane-
polarized light and when the analyzer is inserted, as the stage of the microscope is
rotated. Optimum conditions for observation are a low-power objective for large grains
(high-power for small grains), a partly closed diaphragm, and an intense light source.
Observe a number of grains and record the maximum color variation. Weak anisotropism
is best detected by rotating the analyzer a few degrees off the crossed position with
the polarizer and by observing the sample under immersion oil. The terms strong,
moderate, weak, and isotropic have been used to describe the degree of anisotropism.
Internal reflections: the diffuse patches of color (most often near fractures or grain
boundaries) which are produced in minerals that are not completely opaque. In minerals
displaying this property, a little light penetrates below the surface and is reflected
back to the observer from cracks, cleavages, twin surfaces, and other discontinuities
in the mineral.
Twinning: a characteristic exhibited in many minerals, best observed under high-
intensity illumination and a low-power objective with almost completely crossed nicols.
Associated minerals: minerals commonly associated with others. A knowledge of
 PREFACE

these associations is of invaluable assistance for identification purposes. Commonly

associated minerals are included and listed in alphabetical order. However, because
of space limitations, not all commonly associated minerals could be included. In nearly
all cases, where mineral A is listed as associated with mineral B, the latter has also been
cross listed so that it appears as an association of mineral A. The exceptions to this are
the minerals that are associated with the common opaque phases: arsenopyrite, pyrite,
pyrite, pyrrhotite, galena, sphalerite, chalcopyrite, and magnetite. Space limitations
also preclude the incorporation of many associated minerals. Where a number of min-
erals which contain common elements or a common element are associated with a given
mineral, they may be grouped under a general term, for example, Bi minerals or Co-
Ni arsenides.
Identijication criteria: a summary of the key criteria for identifying a given mineral.
Although the tables list minerals that contain common elements often associated
with each other, they also list a number of groups of associated minerals that look alike.
A knowledge of these groups is of considerable assistance for identification purposes.
Some of these are:
Manganese minerals: bixbyite, braunite, hausmannite, jacobsite, psilomelane, and
pyrolusite.
Platinum minerals: braggite, cooperite, platinum, and sperrylite.
Nickel-cobalt-iron arsenides: cobaltite, gersdorffite, skutterudite, and ullmanite.
Nickel-cobalt arsenides: arsenopyrite, breithauptite, glaucodot, loellingite, nic-
colite, pararammelsbergite, rammelsbergite, and safflorite.
Silver-bearing su2fosalts: acanthite, dyscrasite, pearceite, polybasite, proustite,
pyrargyrite, tetrahedrite, and tennantite.
Tellurides, sellenides, bismuth sulfosalts, lead-arsenic sulfosalts, and iron-group
minerals also contain a number of commonly associated minerals which look similar to
each other. Many of these minerals are rare and are not included here; however, they
are listed in Schouten (1962).
Based on classroom experience, a common problem is the difficulty in discriminating
between nonopaque gangue minerals and opaque minerals that show low reflectance
(i.e., gray). As a consequence of this problem, some common gangue minerals (am-
phibole, biotite, calcite, feldspar, garnet, pyroxene, and quartz) have also been included
for comparison. Attempts at identification using reflected-light techniques often yield
ambiguous results because many opaque and nonopaque minerals have similar optical
properties. Hence only a limited number of nonopaque minerals have been included.
These and other common gangue minerals (e.g., ankerite, clays, dolomite, sericite,
siderite, and topaz) are best identified using a transmitted-light microscope.
Other sources of reference are required to identify less common and rare opaque
minerals. For these minerals, we recommend Schouten (1962), Uytenbogaart and Burke
(1971), Ramdohr (1980), and Picot and Zahan (1982). In preparing these tables, the
following references have been used extensively:
Craig, J. R., and Vaughan, D. J., 1981, Ore microscopy and ore petrography: New
York, Wiley, 406 p.
Fleischer, M., 1987, Glossary of mineral species, 5th ed.: Tucson, Mineralogical Record,
227 p.
Henry, N. F. M., ed., 1977, Commission on ore microscopy IMAICOM quantitative
data file (first issue): London, Mineralogical Society Applied Mineralogy Group.
Picot, P., and Johan, Z., 1982, Atlas of ore minerals: Amsterdam, Elsevier, 458 p.
Ramdohr, P., 1980, The ore minerals and their intergrowths. Vols. 1 and 2: Oxford,
Pergamon, 1207 p.
Schouten, C., 1962, Determinative tables for ore microscopy: Amsterdam, Elsevier,
242 p.
 PREFACE

Short, M. N., 1940, Microscopic determination of the ore minerals: U.S. Geological
Survey Bulletin 914, 314 p.
Uytenbogaart, W., and Burke, E. A. J., 1971, Tables for microscopic identification of
ore minerals: Amsterdam, Elsevier, 430 p.
Acknowledgments
W e would like to thank L. T. Bryndzia and S. I. Kalogeropoulos for discussions with
P. G. Spry which led to the idea and incentive to prepare the tables. We also thank
R. A. Both, L. T. Bryndzia, J. R. Craig, M. T. Einaudi, W. C. Kelly, and B. J. Skinner
for their comments and criticisms on an earlier draft of the tables. C. J. Paterson kindly
provided us with a copy of Schouten's tables and M. Kramer assisted with word pro-
cessing.
March 9, 1987

CLASSIFICATION OF OPAQUE MINERALS

COLORED I WEAKLY COLORED

-PL I +PL

++AN

+AN
++AN +AN -AN +IR -IR

+IR
+I R @
+I R
I R
-I R

S M H
a@@
S M H

06@
S M H
NUMBERS I N CIRCLES = GROUP NUMBERS

PROPERTIES: + PL,strongly or moderately pleochroic + IR, shows internal ref lections

- PL, weakly pleochroic or nonpleochroic - IR, does not show internal ref lections
++ AN, strongly anisotropic 5, soft
+ An, moderately anisotropic M, medium
- An, weakly anisotropic or isotropic H, hard

FIG. 1. Tree diagram for the identification of opaque minerals using optical properties.
Economic Geology
Tables, 1987, p. 1-10

Colored Minerals
................................................... .......................................................................
GROUP NUMBER 1 1 1
................................................... ............................... L.... ...................................
MINERAL Breithaupti t e Covellite Delafossite
................................................... .......................................................................
COMPOSITION NiSb C US CuFe02
............... ........................................................................ ...................................
SYSTEM Hexagonal Hexagonal Hexagonal
............... ........................................................................ ...................................
POLISHING Not v i s i b l e (0001) o f t e n v i s i b l e May be v i s i b l e
CLEAVAGE
............... ..................................................................... ..............................

1
A1 R Strong: pink with v i o l e t t i n t Mediun: indigo-blue with v i o l e t
t i n t t o b l u i s h white
I -Medium: rose-brown t o cream-brown

I REFLECTANCE
.AND
COLOR OIL
I................ .........................................................
Strong: pink with v i o l e t t i n t Mediun: purple t o v i o l e t t o blue- Medium: pink-gray t o brown-gray
gray s l i g h t l y pinkish
............... .................................... ................................. ....................................
R% 36.9 - 48.2 7.2 - 23.7
............... .................................... .................................
- 20 - 25
....................................
VHN 412 - 584 128 - 138 No data
............... .................................... ................................. ....................................
Hard (5.5): - n i c c o l i t e , Soft (1.5-2): e h a l c o c i t e , Medium (4.5): >chalcocite, < p y r i t e
POLISHING <safflorite, <skutterudite <chalcopyrite
HARDNESS

............... .................................... ................................. .......................................

All Strong: Light pinkish t o pinkish Strong: indigo-blue with v i o l e t Moderate: rose-brown t o cream-brown
violet t i n t t o b l u i s h white

PLEOCHROISM .................................... ................................. ....................................

01 I Strong: l i g h t pinkish red t o bright Strong: purple t o v i o l e t - r e d t o Moderate: pink-gray t o brown-gray
pinkish v i o l e t blue-gray
..................................................................... ....................................
Strong: b l u i s h green, b l u i s h gray, Strong: 45 degrees - orange t o Moderate t o strong: b l u i s h gray,
violet-red reddish brown straight extinction,characteristic
ANISOTROPI SM green t i n t s

..................................................................... ....................................
INTERNAL Not present Not present Not present
REFLECTIONS
........................................................................ ....................................
Not present Not present Not present
.................................... .................................... ....................................
Ag s u l f o s a l t s , allargentum, Bornite, chalcocite, chalcopyrite, Bornite, chalcocite, copper,
ASSOCIATED arsenic, dyscrasite, g e r s d o r f f i t e , copper, cuprite, delafossite, c o v e l l i t e , cuprite, goethite,
MINERALS l i n n a e i t e , maucherite, n i c c o l i t e , digenite, enargite, famatinite, limonite, t e n o r i t e , t e t r a h e d r i t e -
pyrrhotite, saff l o r i t e , silver, i d a i t e , linnaeite, luzonite, t ennant it e
skutterudite tetrahedrite-tennantite
.................................... .................................... ....................................
Pink with v i o l e t t i n t color under Indigo-blue color, strong pleochro- Rose-brown color, strong anisotropy
ordinary l i g h t and anisotropism are ism, and exteme anisotropism are i n green t i n t s , possible colloform
most c h a r a c t e r i s t i c . Occurs as sub- c h a r a c t e r i s t i c . Occurs as subhedral texture, and associated minerals
KEY hedral t o euhedral grains, o f t e n t o anhedral masses, as laths, and are c h a r a c t e r i s t i c . Occurs as
IDENTIFICATION showing zoned associations with as p l a t e l i k e c r y s t a l s . Often as masses of subparallel c r y s t a l s and
CRITERIA n i c c o l i t e , g i v i n g a l t e r n a t i n g bands aggregates o f twisted lamellae, s h e a f l i k e bundles o r as f i n e
o f b r e i t h a u p t i t e and n i c c o l i t e . generally with deformation and inclusions i n goethite. Concentric
N i c c o l i t e i s simi Lar. V i o l e r i t e traces o f r e c r y s t a l l i z a t i o n . and botryoidal textures c m n .
appears s i m i l a r but lacks zoning.
....................................
2 SPRY AND GEDLINSKE

............... ........................................................................ ....................................

GROUP NUMBER 1 1 1
............... ........................................................................ ....................................
MINERAL Famatinite Idai t e Luzoni t e
............... ........................................................................ ....................................
COMPOSITION Cu3SbS4 Cu-jFeS4 Cu3AsS4
....................................................................................... ....................................
SYSTEM Tet ragona l Hexagom L Tet ragonat
....................................................................................... ....................................
CLEAVAGE
I Not v i s i b l e I
I.......................................................................................
POLISHlNG Not v i s i b l e Not v i s i b l e
....................................
AIR Medium: p a l e p u r p l i s h p i n k Mediun: orange-red o r red-brown t o Medium: pinkish orange
yellowish gray
REFLECTANCE
AND ........................................................................ ....................................
COLOR OIL Medium: pale p u r p l i s h pink Mediun: orange-red o r red-brown t o Medium: pinkish orange color
yellowish gray becomes more s t r i k i n g
....................................
24.8 - 25.6 ( a t 540 nm)
....................................
205 - 397
....................................
Medium (3.5): -enargite, >bornite, Soft (2.5): -
or > c o v e l l i t e , Medium (3.5): >bornite,
POLISHING >chalcopyrite, <sphaleri t e <bornite, <chalcopyrite - or > t e t r a h e d r i t e - tennanti te,
HARDNESS -enargite, <sphalerite

................................................... .................................... ..................................

AIR Moderate t o strong: Light p i n k - Strong: orange-red o r red-brown Moderate: pale orange-yellow t o
yellow t o dark p u r p l i s h p i n k t o yellowish gray pink-brown. Accentuated by the
Lamellar twinning

i I
PLEOCHROlSM .................................... ..................................
OIL Strong: orange-brown t o grayish Strong: orange-red o r red-brown t o Strong: p a l e pink-yellow, orange-
violet yellowish gray
...................................................
I brown
Strong: yellowish brown t o gray- Strong: b r i g h t l y colored w i t h Strong: shades of green
green yellow-green, green, o r gray-green
AN ISOTROPl SM tints

............... ........................... .................... ....................................

INTERNAL Not present Not present Not present
REFLECTIONS
............... ............................................................................................................
TWINNING Polysynthetic twins very comnon Not present Lamellar twins i n one d i r e c t i o n
........................................................................ ....................................
Bornite, chalcocite, chalcopyrite, Bornite, chalcopyrite, c o v e l l i t e , Bornite, c o v e l l i t e , digenite,
ASSOCIATED c o v e l l i t e , enargite, galena, digeni te, p y r i t e enargite, p y r i t e , sphalerite,
MINERALS prousite-pyrargyrite, pyrite, t e t r a h e d r i t e - tennanti t e
sphalerite, tetrahedrite-tennan-
t it e
.................................... .................................... ....................................
Color, anisotropy, and polysyn- Strong anisotropy, color, and Pinkish orange color, anisotropism
t h e t i c twins are c h a r a c t e r i s t i c . association with chalcopyrite and i n green t i n t s , and lamellar twins
Polysynthetic twins d i s t i n g u i s h i t b o r n i t e are c h a r a c t e r i s t i c . Comnon. are c h a r a c t e r i s t i c . Twinning d i s -
from enargite. Forms s o l i d solu- Ly occurs as a replacement o f tinguishes i t from enargite.
IDENTIFICATION t i o n with luzonite. T i n t of bornite. Famatinite i s more purplish pink
CRITERIA
, famatinite i s more p u r p l i s h pink
than Luzonite.
and polarizes i n more yellow-brown
colored t i n t s .
 COLORED MINERALS 3

_
GROUP NUMBER 1 1 1
Mackinawite Marcasi t e Mawsoni t e

COMPOSITION (Fe,N)i.-,S8 FeS2 CU 6 Fe2SnS8

...........................................................................................................................
SYSTEM Tetragonal Orthorhmbic Tetragonal
...........................................................................................................................
POLISHING (001) may be v i s i b l e (101) o f t e n v i s i b l e Not v i s i b l e
CLEAVAGE
...........................................................................................................................
AIR Strong: pinkish o r reddish gray Strong: yellowish white with Strong: brownish orange
greenish o r pinkish t i n t
REFLECTANCE
AND ............................................................................................................
COLOR OIL Strong: pinkish o r reddish gray Strong: yellowish white with Strong: brownish orange
greenish o r pinkish t i n t
...........................................................................................................................
R% 22 - 46 48.2 - 55.8 26.9 - 29.7
...........................................................................................................................
VHN 52 - 58 1288 - 1681 166 - 210
...........................................................................................................................
Medium (4): - p y r r h o t i t e Hard (6-6.5): -pyrite, >pyrrhotite Medium (3.5-4): >bornite
POLISHING
HARDNESS

...........................................................................................................................
AIR Strong: pinkish gray t o gray Strong: white with brown t i n t , Strong: orange t o brown
yellow with green t i n t

I I
PLEOCHROISM ..........................................................................
OIL Strong: pinkish gray t o gray Strong: white with brown t i n t , Strong: orange t o brown
yellow with green t i n t
.................................... ....................................
Strong: blue, green-yellow Strong: straw yellow t o royal blue,
green-yellow t i n t s

~INTERNAL
REFLECTIONS
I
................................................... .................................... ....................................
N O ~present Not present

................................................... .................................... .....................................

Not present

TWINNING Lamellar twins may be v i s i b l e Lamellar twins nearly always Not present
present
................................................... ................................... .....................................
Arsenopyrite, chalcopyrite, Cinnabar, galena, magnetite, Arsenopyrite, bornite, c a s s i t e r i t e ,
ASSOCIATED c o b a l t i t e , cubanite, magnetite, orpiment, p y r i t e , p y r r h o t i t e , chalcocite, chalcopyrite, enargite,
MINERALS pentlandite, p y r r h o t i t e sphaleri t e galena, p y r i t e , stannite, t e t r a -
hedrite-tennantite, wolframite
.................................... .................................... ....................................
Strong pleochroism and anisotrop- Strong anisotropism i n blue t o Brownish orange color and strong
ism, and association as small ex- green-yellow, strong reflectance, anisotropy i n straw yellow t o royal
s o l u t i o n blebs with chalcopyrite Lamellar twins, and association blue with green-yellow t i n t s are
KEY or p e n t l a r d i t e are c h a r a c t e r i s t i c . with p y r i t e are c h a r a c t e r i s t i c . c h a r a c t e r i s t i c . Occurs as irregular
IDENTIFICATION Association w i t h cubanite i s also Occurs as subhedral t o lamellar blebs i n or i s associated with
CRITERIA c h a r a c t e r i s t i c . Occurs as small intergrowths with p y r i t e as euhe- borni te.
wormlike grains and lamellae. d r a l crystals. Also occurs as
r a d i a t i n g colloform bands.
4 SPRY AND GEDLINSKE

............... .................................... ........................................................................

GROUP NUMBER 1 1 2
............... .................................... ........................................................................
MINERAL Niccolite Valleriite Cubani t e
............... .................................... ........................................................................
COMPOSITION Ni As 4(FerCu)S.3(Mg,Al )(OH)2 CuFe2S3
............... ....................................
SYSTEM Hexagonal Hexagonal Orthorhonbic
............... .................................... .......................................................................
POLISHING May be v i s i b l e Not v i s i b l e (001) may be v i s i b l e
CLEAVAGE (110) r a r e l y v i s i b l e
............... .................................... .......................................................................
AIR Strong: yellowish p i n k t o brownish Low: brown, bronze t o gray Strong: creamy gray, pale brown or
orange-pi nk peach
REFLECTANCE
.................................... .......................................................................
COLOR Strong: yellowish pink t o brownish Low: brown, bronze t o gray Strong: gray-brown t o cream-white
orange- pink
............... ............................................................................................................
R% 47.2 - 51.6 14.2 - 22.0 35.4 - 39.4
............... ............................................................................................................
VHN 363 - 372 30 ( a t 50 g)
............... ............................................................................................................
247 - 287
Hard (5-5.5): >>gold, Medim (3.5-4): -pentlandite, Medium (3.5-4): >chalcopyrite,
POLISHING <ranelsbergite, <skutterudite >chalcopyrite, <chromite <sphaleri te, <<pyrrhoti t e
HARDNESS

.................................... .................................... ....................................

Weak t o moderate: yellowish, Strong: bronze t o gray Weak: cream-gray, p a l e brown t o
pinkish white t o pale pinkish peach
brown, orange
.................................... .................................... ....................................
Moderate: pinkish white t o deep Strong: bronze t o gray Moderate: cream-gray t o brownish
p i n k i s h brown gray
...........................................................................................................................
Strong: yellowish, grayish green, Strong: white t o gray-bronze with Strong: h i g h l y c h a r a c t e r i s t i c blue
v i o l e t - b l u e . blue-srav a s a t i n l i k e texture t i n t s . brownish t o blue
ANISOTROPISM

I. .............. I........................ ............ .................................... .....................................

INTERNAL Not present Not present Not present
REFLECTION
...........................................................................................................................
TWINNING Rare: o f t e n p a r a l l e l t o (10T1) Not present Thin twin lamellae
........................................................................ ....................................
Ag and Bi minerals, a l l a r g e n t m , Chalcopyrite, chromi,te, ilmenite, Alabandite, arsenopyrite, chalco.
ASSOCIATED b r e i t h a u p t i t e , g e r s d o r f f i t e , gold, magnetite, m i l l e r i t e , pentlandite, p y r i t e , c o b a l t i t e , galena, ilmen-
MINERALS maucherite, molybdeni te, sperrylite i t e , linnaeite, mackinawite, mgne-
pitchblende, ramnelsbergite, t i t e , pentlandite, p y r r h o t i t e ,
skutterudite, u l l m n i t e , u r a n i n i t e s p e r r y l i t e , sphalerite, v i o l a r i t e
........................................................................ ....................................
High reflectance, brown-orange Low reflectance, strong pleochro- Pleochroism i n brown t i n t s , strong
color, and anisotropy i n green-blue ism, and anisotropy are character- anisotropy i n blue t i n t s , and ex.
t i n t s are c h a r a c t e r i s t i c . Occurs as i s t i c . Occurs as veinlets, i n t e r - s o l u t i o n lamellae i n chalcopyrite
KEY i s o l a t e d subhedral and euhedral s t i t i a l f i l l i n g s , and t i n y blebs are c h a r a c t e r i s t i c .
IDENTIFICATION crystals, as anhedral aggregates, i n and around associated minerals.
CRITERIA as concentric bands,and as complex Graphite and mackinawite are
intergrowths with associated similar.
minerals.
 COLORED M I N E W S 5

...............
GROUP NUMBER
................ .............................................................................................................
MINERAL Enargi t e MiLlerite Niccolite
............... ............................................................................................................
COMPOSITION Cu3AsS4 NiS N i As
............................................................................................................
Orthorhombic Hexagonal Hexagonal
............................................................................................................
POLISHING (110) o f t e n v i s i b l e I (IDTI) o f t e n v i s i b l e May be v i s i b l e
CLEAVAGE
................................................... .................................... ....................................
AIR Medium: Light pinkish brown o r Strong: l i g h t yellow t o yellow Strong: yellowish pink t o brownish
pinkish gray orange-pink
REFLECTANCE
AND .................................... .................................... ....................................
COLOR OIL Medium: v i o l e t - g r a y o r brownish Strong: l i g h t yellow t o yellow Strong: yellowish pink t o brownish
gray orange- pink
................................................... .................................... ....................................
R% 24.2 - 25.2
...................................................
- 56.6 50.2 47.2 - 51.6
.................................... ....................................
VHN 285 - 327 - 376 192 363 - 372
................................................... .................................... ....................................
POLISHING
HARDNESS
-
Medium (3-3.5): >bornite, >galena,
o r >luzonite,
<sphaleri t e
-
o r >tennantite,
Mediun (3-3.5):
cpentlandite
>chalcopyrite, Hard (5-5.5): >>gold,
<ramnelsbergi te, <skutterudite

............... ............................................................................................................
AIR Weak: pinkish gray t o grayish v i o - Weak: l i g h t yellow t o pale yellow- Weak t o moderate: yellowish,
let brown pinkish white t o pale pinkish
brown, orange
............................................................................................................
Strong: p i n k i s h gray t o grayish Moderate: b r i g h t yellow t o pale Moderate: pinkish white t o deep
violet yellow-brown pinkish brown
...........................................................................................................................
Strong: bluish, greenish, reddish, Strong: b r i g h t yellow t o s l a t e Strong: yellowish, grayish green,
orange t i n t s blue-gray violet.blue, blue.gray
ANISOTROPISM

...........................................................................................................................
INTERNAL Rare: deep red Not present Not present
REFLECTIONS
...........................................................................................................................
TWINNING Rare: p a r a l l e l (320) Double t w i n lamellae o f t e n present Rare: o f t e n p a r a l l e l t o (10T1)
...........................................................................................................................
Arsenopyrite, bornite, chalcocite, Chromite, Linnaeite, N i minerals Ag and Bi minerals, allargenturn,
ASSOCIATED chalcopyrite, copper, c o v e l l i t e , (especially bravoite), pentlandite, b r e i t h a u p t i t e , g e r s d o r f f i t e , gold,
MINERALS digenite, famatinite, Luzonite, pyrrhotite, v a l l e r i i t e , v i o l a r i t e maucherite, molybdenite,
mawsoni t,e, molyMenite, p y r i t e , pitchblende, ramnelsbergite,
sphalerite, stannite, tennantite skutterudite, ullmanite, u r a n i n i t e
..........................................................................................................................
Light pink-brown color, medium Strong anisotropy i n yellow t o High reflectance, brown-orange
reflectance, and h i g h l y colored blue-gray i s c h a r a c t e r i s t i c . Occurs color, and anisotropy i n green-blu~
anisotropy are c h a r a c t e r i s t i c . as r a d i a t i n g aggregates and as t i n t s are c h a r a c t e r i s t i c . Occurs a!
KEY Occurs as anhedral t o subhedral anhedral granular masses. i s o l a t e d subhedral and euhedral
IDENTIFICATION grains. Luzonite i s more orange- c r y s t a l s , as anhedral aggregates,
CRITERIA yellow and always shows lamellar as concentric bands,and as complex
twins. intergrowths with associated
minerals.
.................................... .................................... ....................................
6 SPRY AND GEDLINSKE

............... .................................... .................................... ....................................

GROUP NUMBER 2 3 3
............... .................................... .................................... ....................................
MINERAL Pyrrhotite Borni t e Chalcocite
............... .................................... .................................... ....................................
COMPOSITION Fel.xS * Cu FeS4
5
cu2s
............... .................................... ........................................................................
SYSTEM Monoclinic, hexagonal Tetragonalc 228 deg. C >cubic Orthorh&ic< 103 deg. C >hexagomi
............... .................................... ........................................................................
POLISHING (0001) may be v i s i b l e , (10TO) (100) or (111) o f t e n v i s i b l e (111) may be v i s i b l e
CLEAVAGE r a r e l y seen
............... .................................... ........................................................................
A1 F Strong: creamy p i n k i s h brown Mediun: pinkish brown t o orange, Medium: gray-white t o b l u i s h white
tarnishes t o purple
RE~LECTANCE oI
.i . ................... ........................................................................
COLOR 1 Strong: creamy pinkish brown Mediun: pinkish brown t o orange, Medium: gray-white t o b l u i s h white
tarnishes t o purple
............ .................................... ................................... ....................................
R%
............
34.8 - 39.9(mono); 34.0 - 39.2(hex)
....................................
21.3
...................................
33.1 - 33.4
....................................
VHN 373 - 409(mono); 230 - 318(hex) 95- 105 84 - 87
............ .................................... ................................... ....................................
Medium ( 4 ) ; >>chalcopyrite, Soft (3): > c o v e l l i t e , Soft (2.5-3): >>acanthite.
POLISHING
HARDNESS
-pentlandite, <<arsenopyrite,
<<pyrite
- or <chalcopyrite, <sphalerite

I ............... ........................................................................

PLEOCHROISM
AIR Weak t o strong: creamy brown t o
reddish brown along g r a i n boundar-
ies
Weak: may be v i s i b l e along g r a i n
boundaries
........................................................................
....................................
Weak t o nonpleochroic

....................................
01L Moderate t o strong: creamy brown t o Weak: may be v i s i b l e along g r a i n Weak t o nonpleochroic: occasionall)
reddish brown along g r a i n boundar- boundaries observable along g r a i n boundaries
ies
............... ........................................................................ ....................................
Strong: yellow-gray, greenish gray, Weak: may appear i s o t r o p i c Weak t o moderate: emerald green t o
o r grayish blue l i g h t pinkish
ANISOTROPISM

........................................................................ ....................................
Not ~ r e s e n t Not ~ r e s e n t Not Dresent

....................................................................................... ....................................
TWINNING Not present Polysynthetic and orthogonal twins (11 1) observed i n hexagonal form
may be observed
....................................................................................... ....................................
Arsenopyrite, brannerite, c a r r o l l - C a r r o l l i t e , c a s s i t e r i t e , chalcopyr. Cu minerals, galena, sphalerite,
ASSOCIATED i t e , chalcopyrite, c o b a l t i t e , i t e , covel l i t e , digenite, enargite, stannite, t e t r a h e d r i t e - t e n n a n t i t e
MINERALS cubanite, galena, ilmenite, mag-, famatinite, f r e i b e r g i t e , i d a i t e ,
n e t i t e , marcasite, m i l l e r i t e , pent- luzonite, mawsonite, sphalerite,
landi te, p y r i t e , stanni t e tetrahedri t e - t e n n a n t i t e
...................................................................................... ...................................
Creamy pinkish brown c o l o r and the Pinkish brown t o orange color, Bluish white t o gray-white color,
strong anisotropy are character- weak anisotropy, twins, and anisotropy, and association with
i s t i c . Cubanite i s s o f t e r . Occurs the purple t a r n i s h are charact- Cu s u l f i d e s are c h a r a c t e r i s t i c .
KEY c m n l y as anhedral granular e r i s t i c . Occurs as i r r e g u l a r p o l y - Occurs as anhedral p l y c r y s t a l l i n e
IDENTIFICATION aggregates. * FeS i s t r o i l i t e . c r y s t a l l i n e aggregates. aggregates and vein f i l lings.
CRITERIA

.................. ..................(....................................I.................................... (
 COLOAED MINERALS 7
............... ....................................................................... ....................................
GROUP NUMBER 3 4 4
............... ....................................................................... ....................................
MINERAL Chalcopyrite Borni t e Bravoi t e
............... ....................................................................... ....................................
COMPOSITION CuFeS2 Cu5FeS4 (Ni ,Fe)S2
............... ....................................................................... ....................................
SYSTEM Tetragonal Tetragonal< 228 deg. C >cubic Cubic
............... ....................................................................... ....................................
POLISHING (111) r a r e l y v i s i b l e (100) or (111) o f t e n v i s i b l e (110) r a r e l y v i s i b l e
CLEAVAGE
............... ....................................................................... ....................................
A1F Strong: yellow t o brassy yellow Mediun: pinkish brown t o orange, Medium t o strong: v a r i e s with can-
tarnishes t o purple position; Fe -creamy t o pinkish,
;;LEcTANcE
.......................................................................
Ni -pinkish, brownish t o v i o l e t
...................................
COLOR 011 Strong: yellow t o brassy yellow Mediun: pinkish brown t o orange, Medium t o strong: v a r i e s with can-
tarnishes t o purple position; Fe -
creamy t o pinkish,
............... .......................................................................
Ni -
pinkish, brownish t o v i o l e t
...................................
R% 44.6 - 45.0 21.3 31.0 - 53.9
............... ....................................................................... ...................................
VHN 181 - 203 95 - 105 668 - 1535
............... ...................................................................... ...................................
( 3 ) : >covellite,
POLISHING
Medium (3.5-4): >galena, <pyrite,
<sphalerite -Softo r <chalcopyrite, <sphalerite
Medium t o hard (3.5-6):
canposi t i o n
depends on

HARDNESS

............... ........................................................................ ....................................

AIR Weak: occasionally observable Weak: m y be v i s i b l e along g r a i n Nonpleochroic
boundaries
....................................................................... ....................................
Weak: occasionally observable Weak: may be v i s i b l e along g r a i n Nonpleochroic
boundar ies
....................................................................... ....................................
Weak but d i s t i n c t : gray-blue, Weak: m y appear i s o t r o p i c Isotropic
greenish yellow
ANISOTROPISM

I. . . . .
INTERNAL
I
...... ......................
Not present
.................................... ...................
Not present Not present
REFLECTIONS
............... .................................... ........................................................................
TWINNING Comnon p a r a l l e l (100). (110). and Polysynthetic and orthogonal twins Not present
(111); f i n e o r broad lamellae may be observed
.................................... ........................................................................
Arsenopyrite, c o v e l l i t e , cubanite, C a r r o l l i t e , c a s s i t e r i t e , chalcopyr- Bisrruth, b r e i t h a u p t i t e , chalco-
ASSOCIATED enargite, famatinite, galena, i t e , c o v e l l i t e , digenite, enargite, p y r i t e , galena, ilmenite, Linnae-
MINERALS mackinawi te, p y r i t e , p y r r h o t i te, f a m t i n i t e , freibergite, idaite, i t e , magnetite, m i l l e r i t e , pent-
sphalerite, stannite, v a l l e r i i t e luzonite, mwsonite, sphalerite, landite, p y r r h o t i t e , s a f f l o r i t e ,
tetrahedrite-tennantite siegenite, sphalerite, v i o l e r i t e
I....... ........ .................................... .......................................................................
Yellow t o brassy yellow color, Pinkish brown t o orange color, Generally shows a very charact-
Lamellar twins, and weak but char- weak anisotropy, twins, and t e r i s t i c zonal texture with a l t -
a c t e r i s t i c anisotropic colors are the purple t a r n i s h are charact- ernating l i g h t and dark bands
best c r i t e r i a . Occurs as mediun- t c e r i s t i c . Occurs as i r r e g u l a r p o l y - ( L i g h t zones = p y r i t e and darker
IDENTIFICATION coarse-grained anhedral aggregates. c r y s t a l l i n e aggregates. = more Ni-Co r i c h ) . Occurs as
CRITERIA euhedral i s o l a t e d cubes o r octa-
hedral crystals.
8 SPRY AND GEDLINSKE

............... .................................... .................................... ....................................

GROUP NUMBER 4 4 4
............... .................................... .................................... ....................................
MINERAL Chalcopyrite Copper Digeni t e
............... .................................... .................................... ....................................
COMPOSITION Cu
Cu9S5
................................................... .................................... ....................................
SYSTEM l e t ragonal Cubic Cubic
................................................... .................................... ....................................
POLISHING (111) r a r e l y v i s i b l e Not v i s i b l e (111) o f t e n v i s i b l e
CLEAVAGE
................................................... ........................................................................
AIR Strong: yellow t o brassy yellow Strong: pink but tarnishes Medium: grayish blue
red-brown (copper red)
REFLECTANCE
AND .................................... .......................................................................
COLOR OIL Strong: yellow t o brassy yellow Strong: pink but tarnishes Medium: grayish blue, blue color
red-brown (copper red) more i n t e n s i f i e d
.................................... .................................... ...................................
44.6- 45.0
.................................... 60.6 23.1
.................................... ...................................
VHN 181 - 203 96 - 104 67 - 76
.................................... .................................... ...................................
Medium (3.5-4): >galena, <pyrite, Soft (2.5-3): >chalcocite, <cuprite Soft (2.5-3): -chalcocite,
POLISHING isphalerit e <chalcopyrite
HARDNESS

1 ............... ........................................................................ ....................................

AIR Weak: occasionally observable Nonpleochroic

.....................................................................
Nonpleochroic

....................................
PLEOCHROISM
01 L Weak: occasionally observable Nonpleochroic Nonpleochroic

.................................... ................................ .....................................

Weak but d i s t i n c t : gray-blue, I s o t r o p i c : f i n e scratches w i l l Isotropic
greenish yellow appear anisotropic
ANISOTROPISM

..................................................................... ....................................
INTERNAL Not present Not present Not present
REFLECTIONS
............... .................................... ....................................

I...
TWINNING C m n p a r a l l e l ( l o o ) , (110), ard
(111); f i n e o r broad lamellae
Not present
............ .................................... .................................... ....................................
I
Arsenopyrite, c o v e l l i t e , cubanite, Bornite, chalcocite, c o v e l l i t e , Bornite, c a r r o l l i t e , chalcocite,
ASSOCIATED enargite, famatinite, galena, cuprite, delafossi te, enargi te, chalcopyrite, c o v e l l i t e , enargite,
MINERALS mackinawi te, p y r i t e , p y r r h o t i te, goethite, magnetite, p y r r h o t i t e , i d a i t e , luzonite, t e t r a h e d r i t e -
sphalerite, stannite, v a l l e r i i t e tenori t e tennantite
.................................... .................................... ....................................
Yellow t o brassy yellow color, Strong reflectance, the red-brown Bluish color, medium reflectance,
lamellar twins, and weak but char- tarnish, the pink color, and the isotropism, and octahedral cleavagc
a c t e r i s t i c anisotropic colors are association with c u p r i t e are are c h a r a c t e r i s t i c . Occurs as
best c r i t e r i a . Occurs as mediun- tc c h a r a c t e r i s t i c . Occurs as coarse- i r r e g u l a r aggregates of anhedral
coarse-grained anhedral aggregates. t o f i n e - g r a i n e d aggregates. grains that contain Lamellar i n t e r .
Occasionally as d e n d r i t i c or spear. growths with other Cu s u l f i d e s
l i k e crystals. ( e s p e c i a l l y chalcocite or covel-
l i t e ) . Alters t o covellite.
I..................
 COLORED MINERALS 9

............... ........................................................................ ....................................

GROUP NUMBER 4 4 4
............... ........................................................................ ....................................
MINERAL Gold / Electrum
............... ........................................................................
Pyrite Tetrahedri t e - Tennanti t e
....................................
COMPOSITION Au / Au-Ag a l l o y FeS2 (Cu,Fe)lzSb4S13 - ( c u , F ~ ) ~ ~ A ~ ~ s ~ ~
............... .................................... .................................... ....................................
SYSTEM Cubic Cubic Cubic
............... .................................... .................................... ....................................
POLISHING Not v i s i b l e (100) o f t e n v i s i b l e May be v i s i b l e
CLEAVAGE
............... ............................................................................................................
Strong: b r i g h t or golden yellow; Strong: yellowish white Medium: grayish white t o greenish
electrum i s s l i g h t l y Lighter and gray-white, greenish shade espec.
REFLECTANCE less yellow i a l l y i n tennantite
...........................................................................................................
COLOR 01 I Strong: b r i g h t or golden yellow; Strong: yellowish white Medium: grayish white t o greenish
electrum i s s l i g h t l y l i g h t e r and gray.white, t e t r a h e d r i t e may have
less yellow s l i g h t bluish t i n t .
...........................................................................................................
71.5 51.7 30 - 30.5
...........................................................................................................
53 - 58 1505 - 1620 285 - 354
...........................................................................................................
Soft (2.5-3): > s t i b n i t e , <pyrite, Hard (6-6.5): >arsenopyrite, Medium (3-4.5): -chalcopyrite,
POLISHING <chalcopyrite >hematite, -marcasite >digenite, <sphalerite
HARDNESS

................................................... ....................................
AIR Nonpleochroic Nonpleochroic

IPLEocHRo~s~
0111 Nonpleochroic / Nonpleochroic 1 Nonpleochroic

.................................... ................................... ....................................

I s o t r o p i c but incomplete e x t i n c t - Usually i s o t r o p i c : however, i t may Isotropic
ion; a greenish shade i s o f t e n be weakly anisotropic (blue-green
observed t o orange- red)

............... ..................................................................... ....................................

INTERNAL Not present Not present Brownish red, c m n i n tennantite;
REFLECTIONS reddish, r a r e i n t e t r a h e d r i t e
............... ........................................................................ ....................................
TWINNING (111) common Not v i s i b l e Not present
.................................... .................................... ....................................
Arsenopyrite, b e r t h i e r i t e , calaver- P r a c t i c a l l y a l l minerals but Ag minerals, bornite, bournonite,
ASSOCIATED i t e , chalcopyrite, cinnabar, especially arsenopyrite, chalco- brannerite, calaverite, chalco-
MINERALS c o b a l t i t e , n i c c o l i t e , pitchblende, p y r i t e , galena, magnetite, p y r i t e , Co-Ni minerals, c o v e l l i t e ,
pyrite, sperrylite, stibnite, marcasite, p y r r h o t i t e , s p h a l e r i t e delafossite, digenite, enargite,
t e l l u r i d e s , u l lmani te, uranini t e famatinite, luzonite, mawsonite
.................................... .................................... ....................................
Golden yellow color, strong Yellowish white color, strong Medium reflectance, good polish,

/ ItEy
IDENTIFICATION
reflectance, and softness are
c h a r a c t e r i s t i c . Occurs as i s o l a t e d
grains and v e i n l e t s i n many
s u l f i d e s (especially i n p y r i t e
and arsenopyrite). Electrun
reflectance, hardness, and uneven
p o l i s h i n g are c h a r a c t e r i s t i c .
Occurs as euhedral cubes and p y r i t -
ohedra, as anhedral c r y s t a l l i n e
masses, and as botryoidal masses
and i t s association with galena,
chalcopyrite, or bournonite are
c h a r a c t e r i s t i c . Often occurs as
small blebs i n galena and sphal-
e r i t e . Tetrahedrite and tennantite
contains 20% or more s i l v e r causins with rhythmic zoning and r a d i a t i n g form a complete s o l i d solution.
the color t o be more whitish and texture. Most comnon s u l f i d e .
the reflectance t o increase.
....................................
 SPRY AND GEDLINSKE

...................................................
I
GROUP NUMBER
I 4
................................................... I
*INERAL1
Ulvospinel o r u l v i t e
...................................................
COMPOSITION
T i FeZ04
...................................................
SYSTEM
I
Chic
................................................... I
I...................................................
POLISHING
CLEAVAGE
(100) may be v i s i b l e

AIR Low: brown t o reddish brown

....................................
OIL Low: brown t o reddish brown

....................................
15.5
....................................
No data
....................................

PLEOCHROlSM ..
OIL Nonpleochroic

I I
...................................................
Isotropic

I.. ............. I........ ............................ I

INTERNAL Not present
REFLECTIONS
...................................................
TWINNING Not present
............... ....................................
Chrunite, ilmenite, magnetite
ASSOCIATED
MINERALS

....................................
Occurs as extremely fine, dark
i s o t r o p i c exsolution lamellae i n
magnetite g i v i n g d clothweave
KEY texture.
IDENTIFlCATlON
CRITERIA

I. . . . ............................................
& m i & Geology
Tables, 1987, p. 11-51

Noncolored Minerals

............... .................................. .................................. .................................

GROUP NUMBER 5 5 5
............... .................................. .................................. ................................
MINERAL Alabandite Amphibole Biotite
............... .................................. ..................................
COMPOSITION MnS A0.1B2Y5Z8022(OH,F,CL)2 *
............... .................................. .................................. .................................
SYSTEM Cubic Monoclinic, o r t h o r h m b i c Monoclinic
............... .................................. .................................. .................................
POLISHING 100) o f t e n v i s i b l e :Leavage angles o f 124 degrees Ine cleavage always v i s i b l e
CLEAVAGE always v i s i b l e
............... ................................. .................................. .................................
1 REFLECTANCE
AIR edium: g r a y ( t a r n i s h e s r a p i d l y ) .ow: d u l l gray .ow: d u l l gray

AND ................................. ................................... .................................

COLOR 01 L ledium: g r a y .ow: d u l l gray, s u r f a c e almost -ow: d u l l gray, s u r f a c e c m p l e t e l
jisappears disappears
............... ................................... .................................
R% l o data No data
............... ................................... .................................
VHN l o data No data
............... ................................... .................................
i a r d ( 5 - 6 ) : > b i o t i t e , -pyroxene, S o f t (2.5.3): - c h a l c o p y r i t e ,
POLISHING <garnet, <quartz, < p y r i t e -galena, <<amphibole, <<garnet,
HARDNESS <<quartz, < < p y r i t e

................................. ................................... .................................

lonpleochroic Uonpleochroic Weak

.................................
Weak

.................................. .................................. .................................

isotropic Not present Strong: masked by i n t e r n a l r e f l e c
t i ons
ANISOTROPISM

.............. .................................. ................................ .................................

INTERNAL : m n : d a r k green t o brown; less Comnon: i n v a r i o u s c o l o r s C m n : p e a r l y iridescence
REFLECTIONS : m n : yellow-green
.............. .................................. .................................. .................................
TWINNING -amellar t w i n s observable M u l t i p l e t w i n n i n g comnon Not present

.............. .................................. .................................. .................................

Ehalcopyrite, cubanite, galena, Many m i n e r a l s i n c l u d i n g b i o t i t e , Many m i n e r a l s i n c l u d i n g anphibolc

I
ASSOCIATED
MINERALS
pyrite, pyrolusite, pyrrhotite,
sphalerite
c h a l c o p y r i t e , galena, garnet,
quartz, p y r i t e , pyroxene,
pyrrhotite, sphalerite
c h a l c o p y r i t e , galena, garnet,
quartz, p y r i t e , pyroxene,
pyrrhotite, sphalerite
.................................. .................................. ................................
Green i n t e r n a l r e f l e c t i o n s and Cleavage, bladed t o n e e d l e l i k e Exceptional cleavage, t a b u l a r
r a p i d tarnishing are character- developnent, and hardness a r e char form, hardness, a r d low r e f l e c t a t
i s t i c . Occurs as euhedral c r y s t a l s a c t e r i s t i c . Occurs as gangue i n are c h a r a c t e r i s t i c . Characterist
IDENTIFICATION and as anhedral aggregates. magmatic ores, pneumatolytic r e - a l s o apply t o t h e w h i t e micas.
CRITERIA Cleavage, l a m e l l a r twinning, and placements, and metamorphosed o r e C m n gangue m i n e r a l .
zonal t e x t u r e s may be v i s i b l e . deposits. * A = Na,K; B = Ca,Fe,
Reflectance i s h i g h e r t h a n Li,Mg,Mn; Y = Al,Fe,Mg,Mn; Z = AL,
sphalerite. Si,Ti.
12 SPRY AND GEDLmSKE

........................................................................
GROUP NUMBER 5 5 5
........................................................................
Branneri t e Chrmite Colunbite - T a n t a l i t e
...........................................................................................................................
COMPOSITION (U,Ca,Ce)(Ti,Fe)206 ~ e + ~ ~ r ~ 0 ~ ( F ~ + ~ , M ~ ) ( T ~ , N ~ ) ~ O ~
................................................... ........................................................................
SYSTEM Monoclinic (metamict) Cubic Orthorhmbic
................................................... .......................................................................
POLISHING
CLEAVAGE I visible
May be v i s i b l e
................................................... .......................................................................
(100) o f t e n v i s i b l e
(010) may be v i s i b l e

AIR
I Low: gray 1 Low: dark gray t o brownish gray Low: gray-white w i t h brownish t i n t

REFLECTANCE
AND ..................................................................... ....................................
COLOR OIL Low: gray Low: dark gray t o brownish gray Low: gray-white with brownish t i n t

................................................... .................................... ....................................

R% 15.0 - 15.1 12.3 15.3 - 17.3
................................................... .................................... ....................................
VHN 690 1332 240 - 1021
................................................... .................................... ....................................
S o f t (2.5): > m l y W e n l t e , Hard (5.5): magnetite, -iLmenite Hard (6): >galena,
POLISHING < p y r r h o t i te, <<magnet1te, < < r u t i l e , - or < c a s s i t e r i t e
HARDNESS

...................................................
AIR Nonpleochroic Nonpleochroic

........................................................................ ....................................
Nonpleochroic Nonpleochroic Weak t o moderate along g r a i n
boundaries
..................................................................... ....................................
Not present 1 Isotropic Weak, moderate i n o i l

ANISOTROPISM

............... .................................... .................................... ....................................

INTERNAL Comnon: brownish gray i n coarse Comnon: brown t o red-brown i n Mg- Comnon: red t o red-brown
REFLECTIONS crystals; dark brown t o yellowish, A l - r i c h samples; absent i n F e - r i c h
blue-gray t o white i n f i n e c r y s t a l s samples
............... .................................... .................................... ....................................
TWINNING Not present Not present Rare
.................................... .................................... ....................................
Chalcopyrite, c o f f i n i t e , galena, Hematite, ilmenite, magnetite, Cassiterite, galena, hematite,
ASSOCIATED hematite, magnetite, molybdenite, m i l l e r i t e , pentlandite, p y r r h o t i t e , i lmenite, pitchblende, r u t i le,
MINERALS pitchblende, p y r i t e , p y r r h o t i t e , s p e r r y l i t e , ulvospinel, v a l l e r i i t e uranini te, wolf rami t e
r u t i l e , sphalerite, t e t r a h e d r i t e -
tennant ite, u r a n i n i t e
.................................... .................................... ....................................
Association w i t h u r a n i n i t e and Low reflectance, hardness, i s o t r o p - Low reflectance, weak anisotropy,
r u t i l e , elongated prisms, and meta- ism, and i n t e r n a l r e f l e c t i o n s are and akrndant i n t e r n a l r e f l e c t i o n s
mict aspect are c h a r a c t e r i s t i c . c h a r a c t e r i s t i c . Usually occurs as are c h a r a c t e r i s t i c . Occurs as
KEY Occurs as euhedral prismatic t o subhedral (rounded) t o euhedral euhedral c r y s t a l s and anhedral
IDENTIFICATION needlelike c r y s t a l s and as sub- c r y s t a l s o r as coarsely c r y s t a l l i n e aggregates. May be zoned. Occurs
CRITERIA hedral aggregates. aggregates. Cataclastic e f f e c t s frequently as t i n y exsolution blebs
comnon. Zonal textures w i t h l i g h t e r i n c a s s i t e r i t e . May occur as t u f t s
( F e - r i c h ) rims are c m n . May o f r a d i a t i n g c r y s t a l s . Reserrbles
form myrmekitic intergrowths. wolframite.
.................................... ....................................
 NONCOLORED MINERALS 13

........................................................................
GROUP NUMBER 5 5 5
........................................................................
Cuprite Feldspar Frankl i n i t e
...........................................................................................................................
COMPOSITION Cu20 XZ408 * (z~,M~+~,F~+~)(F~+~,M~+~)~o~
............... ............................................................................................................
SYSTEM Cubic Monoclinic, t r i c l i n i c Cubic
............... ............................................................................................................
POLISHING (111) r a r e l y v i s i b l e Often v i s i b l e (111) o f t e n v i s i b l e
CLEAVAGE
............... I.................... ..........................................................................................
1 AIR
I Medium: white-gray with b l u i s h
tint
I LOW: d u l l gray
I Low: gray w i t h f a i n t greenish
tint I
REFLECTANCE
....................................
COLOR Low: white-gray w i t h greenish Low: almost black Low: gray w i t h f a i n t greenish
tint tint
............... ........................................................................ ....................................
R% 26.6 No data 18.4 ( a t 550 rm)
............... ........................................................................ ....................................
VHN 193 - 207 No data 667 - 847
............... ........................................................................ ....................................
Medium (3-4): >copper, >tenorite, Hard (6) Hard (5.5-6.5): >zincite
POLISHING >chalcopyrite, <goethite
HARDNESS

.................................... .................................... ....................................

Weak t o nonpleochroic Nonpleochroic Nonpleochroic

PLEOCHROISM .................................... .........................................................................

Masked by deep red i n t e r n a l Nonpleochroic Nonpleochroic
reflections
.................................... ................................... .....................................
Moderate t o strong when coarse- Masked by i n t e r n a l r e f l e c t i o n s Isotropic; a very weak pinkish
grained and along g r a i n boundaries: gray t o gray-black anisotropy may
ANISOTROPISM gray-blue t o olive-green; t i n t s be v i s i b l e i n strained samples
are l a r g e l y masked by i n t e r n a l
reflections
.................................... ................................... ...............................
INTERNAL
REFLECTIONS
Abundant: deep red Abundant: l i g h t i n t e r n a l r e f l e c -
t i ons
' I 'ibundant : deep red

............... ....................................................................... .....................................

TWINNING Not present Sirrple or r m l t i p l e twins c m n (111) r a r e
............... ....................................................................... ....................................
Chalcocite, chalcopyrite, copper, Many opaque minerals including Chalcophanite, hausmannite,
ASSOCIATED c o v e l l i t e , delafossite, goethite, chalcopyrite, galena, p y r i t e , jacobsite, magnetite, z i n c i t e
MINERALS tenorite p y r r h o t i te, sphaleri t e

.................................... .................................... ....................................

White-gray color with b l u i s h t i n t s , Low reflectance, hardness, and I n t e r n a l r e f l e c t i o n s and associa-
colored anisotropy with extensive twins are c h a r a c t e r i s t i c . Comnon t i o n with z i n c i t e are character-
i n t e r n a l r e f l e c t i o n s , and associ- gangue mineral. * X = Ba,Ca,K,Na, i s t i c . Magnetite i s s i m i l a r but
a t i o n w i t h n a t i v e copper are char- NHL,Sr; Z = Al,B,Si. lacks i n t e r n a l r e f l e c t i o n s . Often
IDENTIFICATION a c t e r i s t i c . Occurs as euhedral o c t - occurs as subhedral t o euhedral
CRITERIA ahedra and i n a fine-grained crystals.
"earthy1' form.
14 SPRY AND GEDLINSKE

................................................... .................................... ....................................

GROUP NUMBER 5 5 5
................................................... .................................... ....................................
MINERAL Freibergite Garnet Jacobsite
................................................... ....................................
COMPOSITION (A~,CU,F~),~(S~,AS)~S,~ A3B2(SiO4I3 *
................................................... .................................... ....................................
SYSTEM Cubic Cubic Cubic .
................................................... .................................... ....................................
POLISHING (100) r a r e l y v i s i b l e Not v i s i b l e Not v i s i b l e
CLEAVAGE
................................................... .................................... ....................................
AIR Medium: gray Low: pale pinkish brown-gray Low: rose-brown t o brownish gray

REFLECTANCE
.................................... .................................... ....................................
Medium: gray with f a i n t yellow- Low: pale pinkish brown-gray Low: gray w i t h o l i v e t i n t
brown t i n t
...........................................................................................................................
R% 29.4 No data 19.4
...........................................................................................................................
VHN 252 - 375 No data 665 - 707
...........................................................................................................................
Soft (2): <galena, % @ a l e r i t e Hard (6.5-7.5) Hard (6): -magnetite
POLISHING

....................................
Nonpleochroic Nonpleochroic

I I
PLEOCHROlSM .................................... ....................................
OIL Nonpleochroic Nonpleochroic Nonpleochroic

...........................................................................................................................
Isotropic Isotropic Isotropic

ANISOTROPISM

................................................... ...................................
INTERNAL C m n : brownish red Comnon: red and orange
I Rare: deep red especially when
1
1
REFLECTIONS Mn r i c h
................................................... .................................. ....................................
T ~ ~ N N ~ N G NO( present Not present Not present
................................................... .................................... ....................................
Calaverite, chalcopyrite, Many opaque minerals including Bixbyite, braunite, hausmannite,
ASSOCIATED Co-Fe-Ni arsenides, galena, chalcopyrite, galena, p y r i t e , f r a n k l i n i t e , psilomelane,
MINERALS krennerite, pearceite-polybasite, p y r r h o t i te, sphaleri t e pyrolusite
proustite-pyrargyrite, silver,
sphalerite
................................................... .................................... ....................................
Brownish red i n t e r n a l r e f l e c t i o n s , Forms 4-, 6 - , 8-sided polygonal Association with manganese oxides,
Lack of pleochroism, hardness, sections. Also as rounded grains, olive.brown t i n t , and isotropism
isotropism, and f a i n t yellow-brown aggregates, or inclusions. C m n are c h a r a c t e r i s t i c . Occurs as
KEY t i n t i n o i l are c h a r a c t e r i s t i c . gangue mineral i n metamorphosed anhedral grains and rounded sub-
JDENTIFICATION Occurs as i r r e g u l a r masses and massive s u l f i d e deposits ard hedral c r y s t a t s . A l t e r s t o other
CRITERIA inclusions of anhedral c r y s t a l s skarns. * A = Ca,Fe,Mg,Mn; B = Al, minerals including goethite,
w i t h and i n associated minerals. Cr,Fe,Mn,Ti,V,Zr; Si p a r t l y hematite, psilomelane, and pyro-
replaced by T i and AL. lusite.
I
 NONCOLORED MINERALS 15

............... .................................... I... .................................

GROUP NUMBER 5 5
............... .................................... ....................................
MINERAL Pyroxene Quartz
............... .................................... ....................................
COMPOSITION ABZP6 *
................................................... ........................................................................
SYSTEM Monoclinic, orthorhonbic Hexagonal Cubic
................................................... ........................................................................
POLISHING Often v i s i b l e Not v i s i b l e (110) may be v i s i b l e
CLEAVAGE

I
...................................................
AIR Low: d u l l gray 1 LOW: dul l gray Low: dark gray sometimes with brown
o r blue t i n t
REFLECTANCE
AND ....................................
COLOR OIL Low: surface almost canpletely d i s - Low: almost black Low: dark gray
appears
................................... .................................... ....................................
No data No data 16.7
................................... .................................... ....................................
No data
...................................
No data 218 - 227
.................................... ....................................
Hard (5-6): >amphibole, >galena, Hard (7): > > b i o t i t e , >>calcite, Medium (3.5-4): >chalcopyrite,
POLISHING -pyroxene, <garnet, <quartz, >amphibole, >galena, > p y r i t e , magnetite, < p y r r h o t it e
HARDNESS <pyrite >pyroxene, -garnet

.............................................. .................................... ....................................

AIR Nonpleochroic Nonpleochroi c Nonpleochroic

........................................................................
Nonpleochroic Nonpleochroic

.................................... ........................................................................
N O ~present Masked by i n t e r n a l r e f l e c t i o n s Isotropic

ANISOTROPISM
I
...................................................................................... ....................................
INTERNAL Abundant: i n various colors Abundant: Light i n t e r n a l r e f L e c t - C m n : white, yellow, reddish,
REFLECTIONS ions reddish brown; color varies with
composition and Fe content
.................................................................................... ....................................
TWINNING Not present Not present (111) and (211) o f t e n v i s i b l e
I............ ... .................................... .................................... ....................................
Many minerals including amphibole, Many minerals including amphibole, Many opaque minerals but especially
ASSOCIATED b i o t i t e , chalcopyrite, galena, b i o t i t e , c a l c i t e , chalcopyrite, arsenopyrite, chalcopyrite,
MINERALS garnet, quartz, p y r i t e , p y r r h o t i t e , galena, garnet, p y r i t e , p y r r h o t i t e , cubanite, galena, hematite,
sphaleri t e sphaleri t e luzonite, magnetite, marcasite,
pyrite, pyrrhotite, stannite
............... ................................... .................................... ....................................
Hardness and cleavage are charac- Low reflectance, complete absence Low reflectance, comnon i n t e r n a l
t e r i s t i c . Occurs as gangue type of cleavage, hardness, and c m n r e f l e c t i o n s , isotropism, and dark
minerals i n magmatic ores, pneu- euhedral h a b i t are c h a r a c t e r i s t i c . gray color are c h a r a c t e r i s t i c .
KEY m a t o l y t i c replacements, and meta- Very c m n gangue mineral. Occurs as i r r e g u l a r anhedral
IDENTIFICATION morohosed ore d e ~ o s i t s . * A = Ca. masses. C m n l y contains blebs of
CRITERIA chalcopyrite, galena, o r pyrrho.
t i t e . Magnetite i s s i m i l a r but
Lacks i n t e r n a l r e f l e c t i o n s .
16 SPRY AND GEDLINSKE

............... .................................... .................................... ....................................

GROUP NUMBER 5 5 5
............... .................................... .................................... ....................................
MINERAL Tetrahedrite - Ternanti t e Uranini t e o r pitchblende Wurtzi t e
............... .................................... .................................... ....................................
COMPOSITION (Cu,Fe)12Sb4S13 - (CU,F~)~~AS~S,~
U02 (Zn,Fe)S
............... .................................... .................................... ....................................
SYSTEM Cubic Cubic Hexagonal
............... .................................... .................................... ....................................
POLISHING May be v i s i b l e (Ill),
(100) may be v i s i b l e (0001 rarely visible
CLEAVAGE
............... .................................... .................................... ....................................
All; Medium: grayish white t o greenish Low: gray w i t h brown t i n t Low: gray w i t h s l i g h t b l u i s h t i n t
gray-white, greenish shade espec-
REFLECTANCE i a l l y i n tennantite
AND .................................... ........................................................................
COLOR 011 Medium: grayish white t o greenish Low: gray with brown t i n t Low: very dark gray
gray-uhite, t e t r a h e d r i t e may have
s l i g h t bluish t i n t
............... ....................................
RX 30 - 30.5
............... ....................................
VHN 285 - 354
............... ....................................
Medium (3-4.5): -chalcopyrite, Hard (5-6): >galena Medium (3.5-4): -sphalerite
POLISHING >digeni te, <sphalerite
HARDNESS

....................................
Nonpleochroic Nonpleochroic

1 PLEOCHROISM
011
........................................................................
Nonpleochroic Nonpleochroic

...........................................................................................................................
....................................
Nonpleochroic

Isotropic Isotropic Isotropic

ANISOTROPISM

............... ............................................................................................................
INTERNAL Brownish red, c m n i n tennantite; Conon: dark brown t o reddish brown Abundant: red-brown, yellow-brown
REFLECTIONS reddish, r a r e i n tetrahedri t e o r yellowish very c m n

TWINNING
I
...........................................................................................................................
Not present (1 11) comnon
.......................................................................
Ag minerals, bornite, bournonite, Bismuthinite, brannerite, chalco-
Not present
....................................
Ag s u l f o s a l t s , galena, sphalerite,
ASSOCIATED brannerite, calaverite, chalco- p y r i t e , c o f f i n i t e , colunbite- stannite
MINERALS p y r i t e , Co-Ni minerals, c o v e l l i t e , t a n t a l i t e , Co-Ni-Fe arsenides,
delafossite, digenite, enargite, galena, gold, molybdenite,
famatinite, luzonite, mawsonite n i c c o l i t e , siegenite
....................................................................... ....................................
Medium reflectance, good polish, Forms, i n t e r n a l r e f l e c t i o n s , and Sphalerite i s the only s i m i l a r
and i t s association w i t h galena, the radioactive halo which c m n l mineral and d i s t i n c t i o n i s based or
chalcopyrite, o r bournonite are surrounds the mineral are charac- w u r t z i t e l s fibrous texture, absence
KEY c h a r a c t e r i s t i c . Often occurs as t e r i s t i c . Occurs as growth-zoned o f polysynthetic twins, and s l i g h t -
IDENTIFICATION small blebs i n galena and sphal- c r y s t a l s and colloform, o o l i t i c , l y stronger anisotropy. Wurtzite i s
CRITERIA e r i t e . Tetrahedrite and tennantite and d e n d r i t i c masses. Pitchblende c m n l y zoned and usually occurs
form a corrplete s o l i d solution. i s the massive fine-grained ( c o l l c as concentric and r a d i a t i n g aggreg-
form) form o f uraninite. gates o f acicular c r y s t a l s . Far
less comnon than sphalerite.
....................................
 NONCOLORED MINERALS 17
............... .................................... .................................... ....................................
GROUP NUMBER 5 6 6
............... .................................... .................................... ....................................
MINERAL Zincite Calaveri t e Chalcoci t e
............... .................................... .................................... ....................................
COMPOSITION (Zn,Mn)O AuTe2 CUZS
................................................... ........................................................................
SYSTEM Hexagonal Monoclinic Orthorh&ic< 103 deg. C >hexagonal
................................................... ........................................................................
POLISHING (0001) o f t e n v i s i b l e Not v i s i b l e (111) may be v i s i b l e
CLEAVAGE
................................................... ........................................................................
AIR Low: p i n k i s h brown t o gray Strong: white u i t h s l i g h t brownish Medium: gray-white t o b l u i s h white
yellow t i n t
REFLECTANCE
AND .................................... .................................... ....................................
COLOR 01 1 Low: dark p i n k i s h brown t o dark Strong: white with s l i g h t brownish Medium: gray-white t o b l u i s h white
gray yellow t i n t
............ .................................... ................................. ....................................
R% 11.8 61.3 - 65.9 ( a t 540 n) 33.1 - 33.4
............ ...................................................................... ....................................
VHN 190 - 219 198 - 209 84 - 87
............ .................................... ................................. ....................................
POLISHING
Medium (4.5-5):
Cchausmannit e
<<franklinite, Soft (2.5-3):
<<chalcopyrite
-
o r <galena, Soft (2.5-3): >jacanthite,
>>argentite, -digenite, -galena,
HARDNESS <bornite

................................................... .................................... ....................................

AIR Weak Weak but d i s t i n c t along g r a i n Ueak t o nonpleochroic
boundaries: yellowish brown,
yellowish white
PLEOCHROISM .................................... ....................................
OIL Masked by i n t e r n a l r e f l e c t i o n s Weak but d i s t i n c t along g r a i n .Ueak t o nonpleochroic: occasionally
boundaries: yellowish brown, observable along g r a i n boundaries
yellowish white
I
...................................................
Masked by i n t e r n a l r e f l e c t i o n s
.................................... ....................................
Weak: brown t o dark gray t i n t s ,
grayish red, green, greenish brown
Ueak t o moderate: emerald green t o
l i g h t pinkish
AN ISOTROP ISM

I ............ ........................................................................ ....................................

INTERNAL Abundant: red, orange, t o yellowish Not present Not present
REFLECTIONS
............... .................................... .................................... ....................................
TWINNING Not present Generally not v i s i b l e , sometimes (111) observed i n hexagonal form
lamellar twins a t g r a i n borders
............... .................................... .................................... ....................................
Chalcophanite, f r a n k l i n i t e , Chalcopyrite, f r e i b e r g i t e , galena, Cu minerals, galena, sphalerite,
ASSOCIATED hausmannite, magnetite gold-electrum, krennerite, s i l v e r , stannite, t e t r a h e d r i t e - t e n n a n t i t e
MINERALS tetradymite

................................................... ........................................................................
Low reflectance, abudant red t o This mineral does not have good Bluish white t o gray-white color,
yellow i n t e r n a l r e f l e c t i o n s , and diagnostic characteristics, but anisotropy, and association with
well-developed cleavage are char- the very high reflectance, weak Cu s u l f i d e s are c h a r a c t e r i s t i c .
KEY a c t e r i s t i c . Occurs as rounded and s l i g h t l y colored anisotropism, Occurs as anhedral p o l y c r y s t a l l i n e ,
IDENTIFICATION grains. Forms oriented intergrowths and association w i t h other t e l l u r - aggregates and vein f i l l i n g s .
CRITERIA w i t h hausmannite. ides are the best i d e n t i f i c a t i o n
criteria.
18 SPRY AND GEDLINSKE

............... ........................................................................ ....................................

GROUP NUMBER 6 6 6
............... ........................................................................ ....................................
MINERAL Djurleite Freibergi t e Galena
............... ........................................................................ ....................................
COMPOSITION (Ag,Cu, Fe)12(Sb,As)4S13 PbS
Cu31S16
...........................................................................................................................
SYSTEM Orthorhdic Cubic Cubic

POLISHING Not present I

...........................................................................................................................
(100) r a r e l y v i s i b l e
pits I (100) o f t e n v i s i b l e as triangular
I ............... I.... ................................ .................................... ....................................
AIE Medium: grayish white w i t h b l u i s h Mediun: gray Strong: white t o l i g h t gray
tint
REFLECTANCE
AND .................................... .................................... ....................................
COLOR OIL Medium: d i s t i n c t l y b l u i s h white Mediun: gray w i t h f a i n t yellow- Strong: white t o l i g h t gray; some-
brown t i n t times reddish t i n t
................................................... .......................................................................
R% -30.0 29.4 43.1
................................................... .......................................................................
VHN 74 - 83 ( a t 50 g) 252 - 375 59 - 65
................................................... .......................................................................
Soft (2.5-3): -chalcocite, -galena, Soft (2): <galena, <sphalerite Soft (2.5): >>acanthite-argentite,
POLISHING <sphaleri t e >proust it e - p y r a r g y r i te,
HARDNESS <bournoni te, <tetrahedr it e tennan-

I
tite
................................................... .......................................................................
AIR/ Weak Nonpleochroic Nonpleochroic

........................................................................ ....................................
Weak Nonpleochroic Nonpleochroic

............... ................... .................................... ......................

Weak Isotropic Isotropic

AN ISOTROP ISM

............... ........................................................................
INTERNAL Comnon: brownish red Not present
REFLECTIONS
_ ....................................................... _
I
.........................
TWINNING Not present I ~ o present
t I ....................................
~ o present
t
....................................
................................................... ...................................
Cu minerals, galena, s p h a l e r i t e Calaverite, chalcopyrite, Acanthite-argentite, arsenopyrite,
ASSOCIATED Co-Fe-Ni arsenides, galena, bournonite, chalcopyrite, cubanite,
MINERALS krenneri te, pearceite-polybasi te, magnetite, marcasite, p r o u s t i t e -
p r o u s t i t e - p y r a r g y r i t e , s i Lver, pyrargyrite, pyrite, pyrrhotite,
sphaleri t e sphalerite, t e t r a h e d r i t e - t e n n a n t i t e
.................................... ................................... ....................................
Bluish t i n t , association with Cu Brownish red i n t e r n a l r e f l e c t i o n s , Strong reflectance, t r i a n g u l a r
minerals, hardness, weak pleochro- lack o f pleochroism, hardness, p i t s , and association with sphaler.
ism, and weak anisotropy are char- isotropism, and f a i n t yellow-brown i t e and p y r i t e are c h a r a c t e r i s t i c .
KEY acteristic. t i n t i n o i l are c h a r a c t e r i s t i c . Occurs as anhedral masses t o
IDENTIFICATION Occurs as i r r e g u l a r masses and euhedral cubes. The perfect (100)
CRITERIA inclusions o f anhedral c r y s t a l s cleavage i s u s u a l l y v i s i b l e as
with and i n associated minerals. triangular p i t s .
 NONCOLORED MINERALS 19

................................................... ........................................................................
GROUP NUMBER 6 6 7
................................................... ........................................................................
MINERAL Silver Tetradymi t e AL Largentum
................................................... ........................................................................
Ag Bi2Te2S Ag l.xSbx
iCOMPOSITlON I
...........................................................................................................................
SYSTEM Cubic

I
Hexagonal
........................................................................................................................... I Hexagonal

I
POLISHING
CLEAVAGE 1 Basal cleavage always v i s i b l e
................................................... .................................... I I
REFLECTANCE
AND
AIR Strong: b r i g h t white with creamy
t i n t , tarnishes r a p i d l y t o reddish
Strong: white with creamy or l i g h t
yellow t i n t
.................................... ....................................
Strong: white with s l i g h t gray
tint I
COLOR OIL Strong: may apprear s l i g h t l y Strong: white with creamy or l i g h t Strong: white w i t h s l i g h t gray
yellow when i t contains a small yellow t i n t tint
amount o f gold
................................................... .................................... ....................................
R% 94.2 50.9 - 57.1 -70
................................................... .................................... ....................................
VHN 55 - 63 51.1 - 56.9 143 - 157
................................................... .................................... ....................................
Soft (2.5-3): >galena, Soft (2.5): <galena Medium (3.5-4): > s i l v e r
POLISHING <tetrahedri te-tennantite,
HARDNESS <<sphalerite

I ...........................................................................................................................
AIR Nonpleochroic Weak: greenish gray t i n t s Nonpleochroic

PLEOCHROISM .................................... .................................... ....................................

OIL Nonpleochroic Weak: greenish gray t i n t s Nonpleochroic

................................................... .................................... ....................................

Isotropic Moderate: b l u i s h gray t o yellow- Weak
gray

................................................... .................................... ....................................

INTERNAL Not present Not present Not present
REFLECTIONS
............... .................................... ....................................
TWINNING Rare: lamellar twins Rare: lamellar twins
................................................... .................................... ....................................
Allargentun, arsenic, b i s w t h , Arsenopyrite, calaverite, chalco- Ag and Bi minerals, b r e i t h a u p t i t e ,
ASSOCIATED b r e i t h a u p t i t e , calaverite, dyscras- p y r i t e , galena, krennerite, n i c c o l i t e , pararamnelsbergite,
MINERALS i t e , f r e i b e r g i t e , galena, Ni-Co magnetite, p y r i t e , p y r r h o t i t e ramnelsbergi te, s i l v e r
arsenides, sphalerite, stromeyer-
i t e , tetrahedrite-tennantite
................................................... .................................... ....................................
Strong reflectance and isotropism Creamy white color, anhedral Can be confused w i t h dyscrasite
are c h a r a c t e r i s t i c . Occurs as granular texture and perfect basal which i s p r a c t i c a l l y never
i r r e g u l a r masses, veinlets, cleavage are c h a r a c t e r i s t i c . Forms lamellar. Occurs as lamellar
KEY blebs, and as dendrites w i t h i n intergrowths with other t e l l u r i d e s . intergrowths i n s i l v e r .
IDENTIFICATION arsenides. Tarnishes reddish
CRITERIA r a p i d l y . Lamellar intergrowths
with a l largentum.
20 SPRY AND GEDLINSKE

............... ........................................................................ ....................................

GROUP NUMBER 7 7 7
............... ........................................................................ ....................................
MINERAL Carrollite Coffinite Cooperi t e
............... ........................................................................ ....................................
COMPOSITION Cu(Co,Ni I2S4 U(Si04)l-x(OH)4x (Pt,Pd,Ni)S
............... ........................................................................ ....................................
SYSTEM Cubic Tetragonal Tet ragona l
............... ........................................................................ ....................................
POLISHING (100) o f t e n v i s i b l e , (111) may be Not v i s i b l e (111) may be v i s i b l e
CLEAVAGE visible
............... ........................................................................
AIR Strong: creamy white, sometimes Low: gray Medium: brownish white
w i t h s l i g h t pinkish t i n t
REFLECTANCE
........................................................................ ....................................
OIL Strong: creamy white, sometimes Low: gray Medium: brownish white
w i t h s l i g h t pinkish t i n t
............... ............................................................................................................
R% 45.0 7.9 - 8.0 39.0 ( a t 550 m)
............... ............................................................................................................
VHN 525 - 542 230 - 302 505 - 588
............... ............................................................................................................
Hard (4.5-5.5): >chalcopyrite, Hard (5-6): -pitchblende Medium (4): Cplatinm, < < s p e r r y l i t e
POLISHING <pyrite
HARDNESS

.................................................................................. ....................................
AIR Nonpleochroic Weak t o nonpleochroic Weak

~PLEOCHRO1~~
OIL
...................
Nonpleochroic
--- ..-. -.--.
I
---- .......................
Weak t o nonpleochroic
-.--

I
....-- .....................--- ...........
Weak ht d i s t i n c t along g r a i n

............................... I. . ................................. ...................

Isotropic Weak t o absent -
Weak t o i s o t r o o i c : arav-oink to

I
, ,

I gray-green; r e ' l a t i v e l y strong i n

oil

INTERNAL
REFLECTIONS
Not present Rare: brown or deep b l u i s h gray

...........................................................................................................................
TWINNING Not present Not present Not present
I
Bornite, chalcocite, chalcopyrite, Brannerite, goethite, pitchblende, Braggite, platinum, s p e r r y l i t e ,
ASSOCIATED digenite, p y r i t e , p y r r h o t i t e , pyrite, uraninite and other platinum minerals
siegeni t e

.................................... ................................... ....................................

Creamy white color i s character- Association with pitchblende and Hardness, Lower r e f l e c t i v i t y , and
i s t i c . C a r r o l l i t e i s whiter than low reflectance are c h a r a c t e r i s t i c the weak anisotropy d i s t i n g u i s h
l i n n a e i te, siegenite, and Occurs as euhedral tetragonal i t from other platinum minerals and
KEY v i o l a r i t e . Occurs as anhedral crystals, as f i n e aggregates, and also p y r r h o t i t e . Occurs usually as
IDENTIFICATION granular masses t o subhedral and as colloform bands. very small, t h i c k tabular i n c l u -
CRITERIA euhedral octahedra. sions i n p l a t i n m o r surrounding
i t . A l t e r s t o platinum s t a r t i n g a t
i t s borders.
 NONCOLORED MINERALS 21

............... ............................................................................................................
GROUP NUMBER 7 7 7
............... ............................................................................................................
MINERAL Maghemit e Maucheri t e Pent Lardi t e
............... ............................................................................................................
...........................................................................................................................
SYSTEM Cubic Tetragonal Cubic
POLISHING
CLEAVAGE
I
...........................................................................................................................
I...........................................................................................................................
Not v i s i b l e '

AIR Medium: white t o grayish blue Strong: white with weak pinkish Strong: l i g h t creamy or yellowish
tint
REFLECTANCE
AND .................................... ................................. .......................................
COLOR OIL Medium: b l u i s h gray Strong: white with weak pinkish Strong: Light creamy o r yellowish
tint
.............. .................................... ....................................
R% 24.4 46.5
.............. .................................... ....................................
VHN 412 ( a t 50 g)
.............. ....................................
268 - 285
....................................
Medium (5): >magnetite, <hematite Medium (3.5-4): >chalcopyrite,
POLISHING <pyrrhotite
1 HARDNESS

...........................................................................................................................

I AIR
I Nonpleochroic

l P L E o C H R o l s ~ ................................
0111 Nonpleochroic
-.
I
Nonpleochroic

Nonpleochroic
Nonpleochroic

I...... ............................
Nonpleochroic I
.................................... ........................................................................
Isotropic Weak t o i s o t r o p i c : more d i s t i n c t Isotropic
in oil

.................................... ........................................................................
INTERNAL Rare: brownish red Not present Not present
REFLECTIONS
................................................... ........................................................................
TWINNING Not present Frequent t w i n Lamellae Not present
........................................................................
Goethite, hematite, ilmenite, Breithauptite, chranite, c o b a l t i t e , Bravoite, chalcopyrite, chranite,
ASSOCIATED magnetite dyscrasite, Linnaeite, n i c c o l i t e , cubanite, ilmenite, magnetite,
Ni-Co arsenides, pentlandite, m i l l e r i t e , pyrrhotite, sperrylite,
pyrrhotite, sphalerite valleriite
.................................... ........................................................................
Color, reflectance higher than mag- S l i g h t pinkish color, strong F l a m l i k e exsolutions i n pyrrho-
n e t i t e but lower than hematite, reflectance, weak anisotropy, t i t e , octahedral cleavage, and
and isotropism are c h a r a c t e r i s t i c . f i b r o u s texture, t w i n Lamellae, a l t e r a t i o n t o b r a v o i t e are charac-
KEY Forms as a r a r e o x i d a t i o n product and association with n i c c o l i t e t e r i s t i c . Generally occurs as
IDENTI FlCATlON o f magnetite and i s i r r e g u l a r l y are c h a r a c t e r i s t i c . Comnonly occurs granular v e i n l e t s o r as "flames" 01
CRITERIA present i n oxidized magnetite as as euhedral c r y s t a l s and as anhe- lamellae i n p y r r h o t i t e . A l t e r s t o
lamellae and porous patches. d r a l aggregates with frequent t w i n v i o l a r i t e , m i l l e r i t e , and
lamllae. bravoi te.
22 SPRY AND GEDLINSKE

........................................................................
GROUP NUMBER 7 7 8
........................................................................
Platinum
...................................................
Tetrahedrite - Tennantite Bixbvi t e

COMPOSITION Pt

I ............... II.................. :. . . . . . . . .I
SYSTEM Cubic

I .................. :.................I
Cub1c

1 .................. :. . . . . . . . .I
Cubic

IPOLISHING
CLEAVAGE
Not v i s i b l e
................................
May be v i s i b l e
...................................
(111) may be v i s i b l e
....................................
Strong: white with b l u i s h t o Mediun: grayish white t o greenish Medium: gray with cream t o yellow-
yellowish t i n t gray-white, greenish shade espec- brown t i n t
REFLECTANCE i a l l y i n tennantite
................................ ................................... ....................................
COLOR 01L Strong: white with b l u i s h t o Mediun: grayish white t o greenish Medium: gray with cream t o yellow-
yellowish t i n t gray-white, t e t r a h e d r i t e may have brown t i n t
s l i g h t bluish t i n t
............... ................................ ................................... ....................................
R% 70.3 30 - 30.5 22.2
............... ................................ ................................... ....................................
VHN 122 - 129 285 - 354 946 - 1402
............... ................................ ................................... ....................................
Medium (4-4.5): >sphalerite, Medium (3-4.5): -chalcopyrite, Hard (6): >hausmannite,
POLISHING < p y r r h o t it e >digenite, csphalerite -brauni t e
HARDNESS

.................................... .................................... ....................................

Nonpleochroic Nonpleochroic Nonpleochroic

PLEOCHROISM .................................... .................................... ....................................

Ol l Nonpleochroic Nonpleochroic Nonpleochroic

.................................... .................................... ....................................

Isotropic lsot ropi c I s o t r o p i c : some anomalous
anisotropism

.............. .................................... .................................... ....................................

INTERNAL Not present Brownish red, comnon i n tennantite; Not present
REFLECTIONS reddish, r a r e i n t e t r a h e d r i t e
............... ........................................................................ ....................................
TWINNING Not present Not present Cruciform twins c o m n with
parquet texture
............... .................................... .................................... ....................................
Braggite, chalcopyrite, c h r m i t e , Ag minerals, bornite, bournoni te, Braunite, hausmannite, jacobsite,
ASSOCIATED cooperite, magnetite, pentlandite, brannerite, calaverite, chalco- pyrolusite
MINERALS pyrrhotite, s p e r r y l i t e p y r i t e , Co-Ni minerals, c o v e l l i t e ,
delafossite, digenite, enargite,
famatini te, Luzoni te, mawsonite
I... ............ ................................... .................................... ....................................
Strong reflectance and association Medium reflectance, good polish, Cruciform twins and yellow t i n t arc
w i t h other p l a t i n o i d s are charac- and i t s association with galena, c h a r a c t e r i s t i c . Occurs as euhedral
t e r i s t i c . Occurs as i s o l a t e d euhe- chalcopyrite, or bournonite are c r y s t a l s and as granular aggre-
KEY d r a l t o subhedral c r y s t a l s . c h a r a c t e r i s t i c . Often occurs as gates. Cleavage (111) and zonal
IDENTIFICATION small blebs i n galena and sphal- growth may be v i s i b l e .
CRITERIA e r i t e . Tetrahedrite and tennantite
form a complete s o l i d solution.
 NONCOLORED MINERALS 23

..................................................
GROUP NUMBER 8
..................................................
MINERAL Brauni t e
..................................................
COMPOSITION 3Mn203.MnSi4

SYSTEM
POLISHING
CLEAVAGE
II
....................................................................................... ....................................
Tetragona l
Not v i s i b l e
Cubic

visible
I
.......................................................................................
I
Cubic
....................................
(100) o f t e n v i s i b l e , (111) may be May be v i s i b l e
.................................... .................................... ....................................
AIR Low: gray w i t h brownish t i n t Strong: creamy white, sometimes Lou: dark gray t o brownish gray
with s l i g h t pinkish t i n t
REFLECTANCE
AND .................................... .................................... ....................................
COLOR 01 L Low: gray w i t h brownish t i n t Strong: creamy white, sometimes Low: dark gray t o brownish gray
with s l i g h t pinkish t i n t
............... ........................................................................ ....................................
R% 18.6 - 19.5 45.0 12.3
............... ........................................................................ ....................................
VHN 689 - 776 525 - 542 1332
............... ........................................................................ ....................................
Hard (6-6.5): >magnetite, < b i x b y i t e Hard (4.5-5.5): >chalcopyrite, Hard (5.5): >magnetite, -ilmenite
POLISHING <pyrite
HARDNESS

........................................................................ ....................................
Weak: gray ~on~leochroic Nonpleochroic

........................................................................ ....................................
Moderate: shades o f dark gray Nonpleochroic Nonpleochroic

............ .................................... .................................... ....................................

Weak tut d i s t i n c t i n o i l : brownish isotropic Isotropic
gray t o s l a t e blue, o f t e n undulose
ANISOTROPISM

............ .................................. ................................... ....................................

INTERNAL Rare: dark brown t o deep red Not present C m n : brown t o red-brown i n Mg-
REFLECTIONS AL-rich samples; absent i n Fe-rich
samples
............
TWINNING / ..................................
Rare
...................................
Not present
........................................................................
....................................
Not present
....................................
Bixbyite, hausmannite, hematite, Bornite, chalcocite, chalcopyrite, Hematite, ilmenite, magnetite,
ASSOCIATED jacobsi te, magnetite, mangani te, digeni te, p y r i t e , p y r r h o t i t e , m i l l e r i t e , pentlandite, p y r r h o t i t e ,
MINERALS pyrolusite siegenite s p e r r y l i t e , ulvospinel, v a t l e r i i t e

.................................... .................................... ....................................

Low reflectance, weak anisotropy, Creamy white c o l o r i s character- Low reflectance, hardness, isotrop.
ard association w i t h other man- i s t i c . C a r r o l l i t e i s whiter than ism, and i n t e r n a l r e f l e c t i o n s are
ganese minerals are c h a r a c t e r i s t i c . linnaeite, siegenite, and c h a r a c t e r i s t i c . Usually occurs as

IKEY Occurs as anhedral granular masses v i o l a r i te. Occurs as anhedral subhedral (rounded) t o euhedral
IDENTIFICATION and as subhedral t o euhedral crys- granular masses t o subhedral and c r y s t a l s o r as coarsely c r y s t a l l i n c
CRITERIA t a l s . Zonal textures have been euhedral octahedra. aggregates. Cataclastic e f f e c t s
reported. c m n . Zonal textures with lighter
( F e - r i c h ) rims are comnon. May
form myrmeki t i c intergrowths.
....................................
24 SPRY AND GEDLINSKE

............... .................................... .................................... ..................................

GROUP NUMBER 8 8 8
............... .................................... .................................... ..................................
MINERAL Cobal t i t e Coffinite Gersdorf f it e
............... .................................... .................................... ..................................
COMPOSITION CoAsS NiAsS
................................................... ......................................................................
SYSTEM Orthorhmbic< 800 deg. C >cubic Tetragonal Chic
................................................... ......................................................................
POLISHING (100) may be v i s i b l e Not v i s i b l e (100) o f t e n v i s i b l e as triangular
CLEAVAGE pits
................................................... .................................... ..................................
I
REFLECTANCE
AIR
I Strong: white w i t h pink o r v i o l e t
tint
Low: gray Strong: white with yellowish or
pinkish cream t i n t
.................................... ......................................................................
gOR OIL! Strong: white w i t h pink o r v i o l e t
tint
Low: gray Strong: white w i t h yellowish or
pinkish cream t i n t
.............. ........................................................................ ....................................
R% 50.5 7.9 - 8.0 54.2
.............. ........................................................................ ....................................
VHN 935 - 1131 230 - 302 782 - 835
.............. ........................................................................ ....................................
Hard (5.5-6): >skutterudite, Hard (5-6): -pitchblende Hard (5.5): >Linnaeite,
POLISHING -arsenopyrite, < p y r i t e -skutterudite, < < p y r i t e
HARDNESS

I AIR
I Weak: white t o pinkish white I
...........................................................................................................................
Weak t o nonpleochroic I Nonpleochroic

PLEOCHROISM ........................................................................ ....................................

OIL Weak: white t o pinkish white Weak t o nonpleochroic Nonpleochroic

....................................................................................... ....................................
Weak t o moderate i n o i l : blue- Weak t o absent I s o t r o p i c : some anomalous aniso-
gray t o brown tropism
AN lSOTROPl SM

............... ........................................................................ ....................................

INTERNAL Not present Rare: brown or deep b l u i s h gray Not present
REFLECTIONS
............... .................................... ........................................................................
TWINNING Shows complex twins w i t h lamellar
intergrowths
Not present I C-nly t h i n small lamellae /
.................................... ........................................................................
Arsenopyrite, bisnxrth, chalco- Brannerite, goethite, pitchblende, Ag and Bi minerals, b r e i t h a u p t i t e ,
ASSOCIATED p y r i t e , cubanite, dyscrasite, pyrite, uraninite chalcopyrite, c o b a l t i t e , galena,
MINERALS g e r s d o r f f i t e , glaucodot, gold, linnaeite, niccolite, pyrite,
molybdenite, p y r r h o t i te, s i lver skutterudite, sphalerite, ullmanite
................................................... ................................... ....................................
Pink-white color, hardness, euhe- Association with pitchblende and Yellowish o r pinkish t i n t , clea-
d r a l crystals, weak anisotropy, anc low reflectance are c h a r a c t e r i s t i c vage, hardness, and the euhedral
complex twins are c h a r a c t e r i s t i c . Occurs as euhedral tetragonal c r y s t a l s are c h a r a c t e r i s t i c . May
KEY C m n l y occurs as euhedral crys- crystals, as f i n e aggregates, and show zonal growth.
IDENTIFICATION t a l s and as p o l y c r y s t a l l i n e aggre- as colloform bands.
CRITERIA gates.
 NONCOLORED MINERALS

...........................................................................................................................
GROUP NUMBER 8 8 8
...........................................................................................................................
MINERAL J acobsi t e Linnaeite Magnetite
...........................................................................................................................
COMPOS IT ION (~n+', F ~ + ~ , M ~ ) ( F ~ + ~ , M ~ + ~ ) ~ o ~ CoCo2S4 Fe+2 Fe2+3O4
....................................................................................... ....................................
SYSTEM Cubic Cubic Cubic
....................................................................................... ....................................
POLISHING Not v i s i b l e (100) may be v i s i b l e Not v i s i b l e
CLEAVAGE
....................................................................................... ....................................
AIR Low: rose-brown t o brownish gray Strong: white with creamy t i n t Medium: gray, cwnwnly with brown-
I I ish t i n t
REFLECTANCE
AN0 ................................. .................................... ....................................
COLOR 01 L Low: gray with o l i v e t i n t Strong: white with creamy t i n t Medium: gray, cwnwnly with brown-
ish t i n t
.......................................................................
49.5 20.0
.......................................................................
450 - 613 592 (average)
.......................................................................
Hard (4.5-5.5): >>chalcopyrite, Hard (5.5): > p y r r h o t i t e ,
>pyrrhotite, < < p y r i t e < i lmenite, <<hematite, <<pyrite

...........................................................................................................................
AIR Nonpleochroic Nonpleochroic Nonpleochroic

........................................................................ ....................................
Nonpleochroic Nonpleochroic Nonpleochroic

.................................... ................................ ....................................

Isotropic Isotropic Isotropic

............ .................................... ................................... ....................................

INTERNAL Rare: deep red especially when Not present Not present except when Mn r i c h
REFLECTIONS Mn-rich
...........................................................................................................................
TWINNING Not present Not present (111) c m n l y lamellar twinning
............... .................................... .................................... ....................................
Bixbyite, braunite, hausmannite, Bravoi te, b r e i thauptite, chalco- Bravoite, chalcopyrite, cubanite,
ASSOCIATED f r a n k l i n i t e , p s i lomelane, pycite, c o v e l l i t e , cubanite, galena, hematite, i Lmenite,
MINERALS pyrolusite g e r s d o r f f i t e mi l l e r i t e , n i c c o l i t e , marcasite, pent l a r d i t e , p y r i t e ,
pyrite, pyrrhbtite, s a f f l o r i t e , p y r r h o t i t e , r u t i le, sphalerite,
siegenite, ullmanite ulvospinel, v a l l e r i i t e , z i n c i t e
.................................... .................................... ....................................
Association w i t h manganese oxides, Creamy white color and reflectance, Hardness, brownish t i n t , and mag-
olive-brown t i n t , and isotropism lower than p y r i t e are character- n e t i c character are c h a r a c t e r i s t i c .
are c h a r a c t e r i s t i c . Occurs as i s t i c . Occurs as euhedral c r y s t a l s Occurs as euhedral, subhedral, and

11
anhedral grains and rounded sub- and subhedral aggregates. May be s k e l e t a l crystals, and as anhedral
IDENTIFICATION hedral c r y s t a l s . A l t e r s t o other intergrown i n lamellar p a t t e r n w i t t aggregates. Often contains exsolu-
CRITERIA minerals including goethite, associated minerals. t i o n or oxidation lamellae of hema-
hematite, p s i lomelane, and pyro- t i t e . Larnellae of i l m e n i t e and
lusite. ulvospinel are comnon. A l t e r s t o
hematite and goethite.
....................................
26 SPRY AND GEDLINSKE

............... ........................................................................ ....................................

GRWP NUMBER 8 8 8
............... ........................................................................ ....................................
MINERAL Pyrite Siegenite Skutterudite
............... ........................................................................ ....................................
COMPOSITION FeS2 (Ni ,CO)~S~ CoAs2. 3 ,
................................................... .................................... ....................................
SYSTEM Cubic Cubic Cubic
................................................... .................................... ....................................
POLISHING (100) o f t e n v i s i b l e (100) may be v i s i b l e (100) may be v i s i b l e
I...._ .......... I..... ...............................I......... ........................... I....................................
AIR Strong: yellowish white Strong: creamy white w i t h s l i g h t Strong: creamy white t o grayish
pink t i n t white, o f t e n i n zones
REFLECTANCE
.................................... .......................................................................
OIL Strong: yellowish white Strong: creamy white w i t h s l i g h t Strong: creamy white t o grayish
pink t i n t white, o f t e n i n zones
............... .................................... .......................................................................
R% 51.7 45.4 54.4
............... .................................... .......................................................................
VHN 1505 - 1620
............... ....................................
503 - 525 792 -
.......................................................................
907

Hard (6-6.5): >arsenopyrite, Hard (4.5-5.5): -1innaeite Hard (5.5-6): >niccol ite,
POLISHING >hematite, l n a r c a s i t e -saffLorite, <pyrite
HARDNESS

.................................... .................................... ...................................

Nonpleochroic Nonpleochroic Nonpleochroic

.................................... ....................................
Nonpleochroic Nonpleochroic

.................................... ....................................
Usually i s o t r o p i c : however, i t may Isotropic Isotropic
be weakly anisotropic (blue-green
AN ISOTROP ISM t o orange-red)

IINTERNAL
REFLECTIONS
I
................................................... .................................... ....................................
Not present Not present Not present

...........................................................................................................................
TWINNING Not v i s i b l e Not present Not present
................................................... ........................................................................
P r a c t i c a l l y a l l minerals but Bravoite, c a r r o l l i t e , Cu and Cu-Fe Ag and Bi minerals, arsenic,
ASSOCIATED e s p e c i a l l y arsenopyrite, chalco- sulfides, linnaeite, pitchblende, breithauptite, gersdorffite,
MINERALS p y r i t e , galena, magnetite, p y r i t e , uraninite, v i o l a r i t e n i c c o l i t e , p y r i t e , ramnelsbergite,
marcasite, p y r r h o t i t e , s p h a l e r i t e s a f f l o r i t e , s i l v e r , ullmanite
.................................... ........................................................................
Yellowish white color, strong Creamy white color with pink t i n t , Characterized by frequent euhedral
reflectance, hardness, and uneven strong reflectance, and hardness habit. Comnonly and c h a r a c t e r i s t i c -
p o l i s h i n g are c h a r a c t e r i s t i c . are c h a r a c t e r i s t i c . D i f f i c u l t t o a l l y occurs as r a d i a l bladelike
KEY Occurs as euhedral cubes and p y r i t - d i s t i n g u i s h from l i n n a e i t e . Occurs c r y s t a l s with well-developed growth
IOENTIFICATlON ohedra, as anhedral c r y s t a l l i n e as euhedral and subhedral c r y s t a l s zoning.
CRITERIA masses, and as botryoidal masses and anhedral p o l y c r y s t a l l i n e aggre-
w i t h rhythmic zoning and r a d i a t i n g gates.
texture. Most common s u l f i d e .
 NONCOLORED MINERALS 27
............... .................................... .................................... ....................................
GROUP NUMBER 8 8
8
............... .................................... .................................... ....................................
MINERAL Sperryl i t e UL Lmanni t e
Violarite
............... .................................... .................................... ....................................
COMPOSITION PtAs2 NiSbS Ni2FeS4
............... .................................... .................................... ....................................
SYSTEM Cubic Cubic Cubic
............... .................................... .................................... ....................................
POLISHING (100) may be v i s i b l e (100) o f t e n v i s i b l e as t r i a n g u l a r (100) o f t e n v i s i b l e , (111) may be
CLEAVAGE pits visible
............... .................................... .................................... ....................................
AIL Strong: pure w h i t e Strong: w h i t e w i t h b l u i s h t i n t Strong: brownish gray w i t h v i o l e t
tint
REFLECTANCE
AND .................................... ....................................
COLOR 01 I Strong: w h i t e w i t h f a i n t creamy Strong: w h i t e w i t h b l u i s h gray t i n t Strong: brownish gray w i t h v i o l e t
or bluish t i n t tint
.............. .................................... I

R% 55.5 ( a t 540 m)
.............. ....................................
VHN 960 - 1277
.............. ....................................
Hard (6.5-7): >>platinum, - p y r i t e Hard (5-5.5): >Linnaeite, Hard (4.5-5.5): > c h a l c o p y r i t e ,
POLISHING -9ersdorffite. <pyrite <Linnaeite, < p y r r h o t i t e

I I
.................................................................................... ....................................
AIR Nonpleochroic Nonpleochroi c Nonpleochroic

PLEOCHROISM .................................... ....................................

OIL Nonpleochroic Nonpleochroic Nonpleochroic

.................................... ....................................
I s o t r o p i c , b u t some v a r i e t i e s show Isotropic
a s l i g h t anisotropism

I........... .... ................................. .................................... ....................................

INTERNAL Not present Not present Not present
REFLECTIONS
...........................................................................................................................
TWINNING Not present Not present Not present
.................................... .................................... ....................................
Braggite, chromite, cooperi te, Ag and B i minerals, c h a l c o p y r i t e , B r a v o i t e , c h a l c o p y r i t e , cubanite,
ASSOCIATED cubanite, gold, i Lmenite, galena, g e r s d o r f f i t e , gold, m i l l e r i t e , Ni-Co arsenides, p y r i t e ,
MINERALS magnetite, p e n t l a n d i t e , platinum, linnaeite, niccolite, pyrite, pyrrhotite, seigenite
val l e r i i t e skutterudite
................................................... .......................................................................
Associated minerals, w h i t e c o l o r , B l u i s h t i n t , t r i a n g u l a r p i t s , and Brownish gray c o l o r w i t h v i o l e t
hardness, and tendency t o develop subhedral t o euhedral c r y s t a l s a r e t i n t i s c h a r a c t e r i s t i c . Commonly
idiomorphically are c h a r a c t e r i s t i c . c h a r a c t e r i s t i c . Occurs as dispersed occurs as a porous a l t e r a t i o n
KEY I t i s w h i t e r and has a s t r o n g e r subhedral t o euhedral c r y s t a l s . I t product along g r a i n boundaries and
IDENTIFICATION tendency t o form euhedra than p y - i s sometimes zoned. fractures of pentlandite, pyrrho-
CRITERIA r i t e . P l a t i n u m i s s o f t e r and more t i t e , and m i l l e r i t e . Occurs as
xenomorphic and a l s o has a higher equant anhedral g r a i n s and some-
reflectance. times as f i n e l a m e l l a r i n t e r -
growths.
........................................................................
28 SPRY AND GEDLINSKE

............... ........................................................................ ....................................

GROUP NUMBER 9 9 10
............... ........................................................................ ....................................
MINERAL Pearcei t e . Polybasite Realgar Cuprite
............... ........................................................................ ....................................
COMPOSITION -
...............
SYSTEM
_ Ag16As2S11 ( A ~ , C U ) ~ ~ S ~ ~ S ~ ~

Monoc lin i c
......._.
ASS
........................................................................
Monoclinic
cu2o

Cubic

POLISHING
CLEAVAGE
I (001) r a r e l y v i s i b l e
........................................................................
Not v i s i b l e (111) r a r e l y v i s i b l e
I............ ...I....................................I....................................I.................................... I

REFLECTANCE
AIR

oI I. 1
Medium: gray-white t o greenish Mediun: grayish white with p u r p l i s h
tint
.................................... ........................................................................
Medium: blue-green- gray
Medium: white gray with b l u i s h
tint
1
Mediun: grayish white with p u r p l i s h Low: white-gray with greenish
t i n t ; nxlch l i g h t e r i n a i r tint
................................................... .................................... ....................................
R% 30.7 - 32.5 22.1 26.6
................................................... .................................... ....................................
VHN 180 - 192 47 - 60 193 - 207
................................................... .................................... ....................................
Soft (1.5-2): - f r e i b e r a-i t e . , Soft (1.5-2): <orpiment, < < s t i b n i t e Medium (3-4): >copper, >tenorite,
POLISHING
HARDNESS I <stephani te, < < p y r i t e >chalcopyrite, <goethite

............... ..................................................................... ....................................

AIR Weak t o nonpleochroic Weak but d i s t i n c t : gray with Weak t o nonpleochroic
reddish t o b l u i s h t i n t
........................................................................ ....................................
Moderate: green t o gray with v i o - Weak but d i s t i n c t : gray with Masked by deep red i n t e r n a l
let-blue t i n t reddish t o b l u i s h t i n t reflections
.................................... .................................... ....................................
Moderate t o strong i n a i r : b r i g h t Moderate t o strong: o f t e n Moderate t o strong when coarse
green and green-blue t i n t s ; strong masked by i n t e r n a l r e f l e c t i o n s grained and along g r a i n boundaries:
i n o i 1: blue, gray, y e l low-green, gray-blue t o olive-green; t i n t s
brown are l a r g e l y masked by i n t e r n a l
reflections
............... .................................... .................................... ....................................
INTERNAL Abundant: deew red Abundant: intense red, orange- red, Abundant deep red
REFLECTIONS yellowish red or orange
...........................................................................................................................
TWINNING Not present Not present Not present
............... .................................... ........................................................................
Ag and Ni-Co minerals, chalco- As s u l f o s a l t s , cinnabar, graphite, Chalcocite, chalcopyrite, copper,
ASSOCIATED p y r i t e , f r e i b e r g i t e , galena, orpiment, p y r i t e , sphalerite, c o v e l l i t e , delafossite, goethite,
MINERALS pyrite, sphalerite stibnite tenorite

................................................... .................................... ....................................

Color, green anisotropism, and Softness, mediun reflectance, White-gray color with b l u i s h t i n t s ,
deep red i n t e r n a l r e f l e c t i o n s are and h i g h l y abundant i n t e r n a l colored anisotropy with extensive
c h a r a c t e r i s t i c . Pearceite and poly- r e f l e c t i o n s are c h a r a c t e r i s t i c . i n t e r n a l r e f l e c t i o n s , and associ-
KEY b a s i t e form complete s o l i d solu- Occurs as i r r e g u l a r p l a t e l i k e a t i o n w i t h native copper are char-
IDENTIFICATION t i o n . Occurs as p l a t e l i k e t o equant masses with orwiment. a c t e r i s t i c . Occurs as euhedral o c t -
CRITERIA grains. Pearceite polarizes i n ahedra and i n a f i n e - g r a i n e d
green, polybasi t e i n green-blue. "earthy" form.
 NONCOLORED MINERALS 29
............... .................................... .................................... ....................................
GROUP NUMBER 10 10 11
............... .................................... .................................... ....................................
MINERAL Scheeli t e Zinci t e Cassiterite
............... .................................... .................................... ....................................
COMPOSITION CaW04 (Zn,Mn)O SnOZ
................................................... .................................... ....................................
SYSTEM Tetragonal Hexagonal Tetragonal
................................................... .................................... ....................................
POLISHING
CLEAVAGE I visible
(0001) o f t e n v i s i b l e
................................................... ........................................................................
(110) r a r e l y v i s i b l e

REFLECTANCE
AIR
I Low: gray t o white Low: pinkish brown t o gray Low: brownish gray

AND .................................... .................................... ...................................

COLOR OIL Low: gray t o white Low: dark pinkish brown t o dark Low: brownish gray t o dark gray
gray
............ .................................... ..................................
R% 9.9 - 10.0 11.5 - 12.4
............ .................................... ..................................
VHN
............
387 - 409
.................................... 1168 - 1332
..................................
Medium (5): <wolframite, < p y r i t e Hard (6-7): >>bisrruth,
POLISHING >>bisrmthinite, >>molybdenite,
HARDNESS >stanni t e

............................. ....................................
AIR Nonpleochroic Weak t o nonpleochroic

......................................................................
/PLEoCHRo~s~
OIL Nonpleochroic by i n t e r n a l r e f l e c t i o n s 1 Weak t o moderate: gray t o brownish I
Moderate: but masked by i n t e r n a l Masked by i n t e r n a l r e f l e c t i o n s Moderate, masked by i n t e r n a l r e -
reflections f l e c t i o n s i n o i 1: gray t o dark gray
AN ISOTROPISM

................................................... ........................................................................
INTERNAL Abundant: white Abundant: red, orange, t o yellowish Abundant: whitish yellow t o yellow-
REFLECTIONS brown
............... ............................................................................................................
TWINNING Not present Not present (101) very comnon
........................................................................ ....................................
Arsenopyri te, bismuth, Chalcophanite, f r a n k l i n i te, Ag s u l f o s a l t s , bismuth, bismuth-
ASSOCIATED bismuthinite, molybdenite, p y r i t e , hausmannite, magnetite i n i t e , bornite, c o l u n b i t e - t a n t a l i t e
MINERALS p y r r h o t i t e , wolframite galena, hematite, magnetite, maws-
onite, molybdenite, p y r i t e , r u t i l e ,
sphalerite, stannite, wolframite
........................................................................ ....................................
Fluoresces pale blue t o yellow Low reflectance, abundant red t o Low reflectance, frequent twins,
under u l t r a v i o l e t Light. Low yellow i n t e r n a l r e f l e c t i o n s , and abundant i n t e r n a l r e f l e c t i o n s , and
reflectance and white i n t e r n a l wel I-developed cleavage are char- hardness are c h a r a c t e r i s t i c . Occurs
KEY r e f l e c t i o n s are c h a r a c t e r i s t i c . a c t e r i s t i c . Occurs as rounded as c o w a c t anhedral masses and as
IDENTIFICATION Occurs as equant t o l a t h l i k e p o l y - grains. Forms oriented intergrowths subhedral t o euhedral c r y s t a l s
CRITERIA c r y s t a l l i n e aggregates,often as a with hausmannite. which are o f t e n zoned.
p a r t i a l replacement o f wolframite.
30 SPRY A N D GEDLINSKE

................................................... ........................................................................
GROUP NUMBER 11 11 11
................................................... ........................................................................
MINERAL Colunbite - T a n t a l i t e Goethite Hematite
................................................... ........................................................................
COMPOSITION (F ~ + ~ , M ~ ) ( T ~ , N ~ ) ~ o ~ C1 - FeO.OH a - Fe203
................................................... ........................................................................
SYSTEM Orthorhhic Orthorhombi c
Hexagonal
................................................... ........................................................................
POLISHING (100) o f t e n v i s i b l e (010) r a r e l y v i s i b l e (IOTI), (0001) may be v i s i b l e
CLEAVAGE (010) may be v i s i b l e
...................................................

REFLECTANCE
AND
AIR Low: gray-white w i t h brownish t i n t Low: gray-white, may have b l u i s h
tint
.................................... .................................... ....................................
Medium: gray-white with b l u i s h
tint
I
COLOR OIL Low: gray-white w i t h brownish t i n t Low: gray Medium: b l u i s h gray
I
.................................... .................................... ....................................
15.3 - 17.3 15.5 - 17.5 26.1 - 30.2
.................................... .................................... ....................................
240 - 1021 667 1038
.................................... .................................... ....................................
Hard (6): >galena, Hard (5-5.5): -Lepidocrocite, Hard (5-6): >goethite, > i lmenite,
POLISHING - or <cassiterite <hematite >magnetite, - or < c a s s i t e r i t e ,
HARDNESS - o r < r u t il e

I ................................................... ........................................................................
AIR1 Weak Weak I Weak

PLEOCHROISM .................................... ........................................................................

Weak t o moderate along g r a i n Moderate: but masked by i n t e r n a l Weak
boundaries reflections

I
................................................... ........................................................................
Weak, mcderate i n o i l Moderate but d i s t i n c t : gray-blue,
gray-yellow, brownish, greenish
Moderate: grayish blue, grayish
yellow, greenish gray, l i g h t brown
ANISOTROPISM gray tints

INTERNAL
REFLECTIONS
1
....................................................................................
C m n : red t o red-brown Abundant: brownish yellow t o
reddish brown
....................................
Cwnwn: deep red

TWINNING
I. . . . . . .
I
...........................................................................................................................
Rare Not present
. .................................... .................................... ....................................
(10T1) very c m n

Cassiterite, galena, hematite, Chalcopyrite, c o f f i n i t e , copper, Braggite, brannerite, braunite,

ASSOCIATED i lmenite, pitchblende, r u t i le, cuprite, delafossite, galena, c a s s i t e r i t e , chromite, colurrbite-
MINERALS u r a n i n i te, wolf rami t e hematite, Lepidocrocite, manganite, t a n t a l i t e , goethite, ilmenite,
psilomelane, p y r i t e , sphalerite, magnetite, pyrolusite, r u t i l e ,
tenori t e sphaleri t e
.................................... .................................... ....................................
Low reflectance, weak anisotropy, Colloform texture, d i s t i n c t b l u i s h Medium reflectance, d i f f i c u l t
and abundant i n t e r n a l r e f l e c t i o n s anisotropy, and abundant i n t e r n a l polish, d i s t i n c t anisotropy, and
are c h a r a c t e r i s t i c . Occurs as r e f l e c t i o n s are c h a r a c t e r i s t i c . red i n t e r n a l r e f l e c t i o n s are
KEY euhedral c r y s t a l s and anhedral Comnon i n porous colloform bands c h a r a c t e r i s t i c . Usually occurs as
IDENTIFICATION aggregates. May be zoned. Occurs with r a d i a t i n g fibrous t e x t u r e o r bladed or needlelike subparallel
CRITERIA frequently as t i n y exsolution blebs as porous pseudomrphs a f t e r py- o r r a d i a t i n g aggregates. Lamellar
i n c a s s i t e r i t e . May occur as t u f t s r i t e . Nearly always secondary. twinning comnon. Comnon as exsol-
of r a d i a t i n g c r y s t a l s . Resembles u t i o n lenses or lamel lae i n
wolframite. i lmenite or magnetite.
I........... .... .................................... ....................................
 NONCOLORED MmERALS 31
...........................................................................................................................
GRWP NUMBER 11 12 12
...........................................................................................................................
Wolframit? Acanthite - Argentite Stephani t e
(Fe,Mn)W04 Ag2S Ag5SbS4
............... ........................................................................ ....................................
SYSTEM Monoc lin i c Monoclinic< 177 deg. C >cubic Orthorhombic
............... ........................................................................ ....................................
POLISHING (010). (100) o f t e n v i s i b l e Not v i s i b l e Not v i s i b l e
CLEAVAGE
............... ............................................................................................................
AIR Low: gray o r grayish white Mediun: l i g h t gray o f t e n with green Medium t o strong: gray-white with
tint Light brown o r pinkish v i o l e t t i n t
REFLECTANCE
AND .................................... .................................... ....................................
COLOR 011 Low: gray w i t h f a i n t brownish o r Mediun: gray w i t h greenish t i n t Medium: gray with d i s t i n c t pink
yellow t i n t tint
............... .................................... .................................... ....................................
R% 15.0 - 16.2 30.3 - 31.3
............... .................................... .................................... ....................................
28.1 - 30.4

VHN 312 - 342 23 - 26 26 - 124

............... .................................... .................................... ....................................
Hard (6-6.5): >scheelite, Soft (2-2.5): <galena, < s i l v e r Soft (2-2.5): >pearceite-
POLISHING
HARDNESS ->stanni te, -pyrite,
or <cassiterite
polybasite, > p r o u s t i t e - p y r a r g y r i t e ,
<tetrahedrite-tennantite

I. . ........... I. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I I
.................................... .................................... I
I AIR Weak t o nonpleochroic Weak t o nonpleochroic Weak but d i s t i n c t : gray t o pinkish
I
IPLEOCHROlSM
OIL
I .................................... .................................... .....................................
Weak t o nonpleochroic Weak t o nonpleochroic Weak: white t o brown-pink

1
..................................... ...................................
;;4; t o mcderate i n o i l : yellow t o Moderate: shades o f gray
....................................
Moderate t o strong i n o i l : green
t o v i o l e t t o yellow-brown

.............. ..................................... ................................... ....................................

INTERNAL C m n : deep red especially i n o i l Not present Not present
REFLECTIONS and i f Mn r i c h
............... .................................... .................................... ....................................
TWINNING (100) very comnon (001) broad lamellae abundant Lamellar twins comnon, mostly pseu-
dohexagonal twins following (100)
.................................... .................................... ....................................
Arsenopyrite, bisnxlth, bismuthin- Ag minerals, galena, s i l v e r Ag minerals, Cu-Fe sulfides,
ASSOCIATED i t e , c a s s i t e r i t e , chalcopyrite, Ni-Co-Fe arsenides
MINERALS p y r i t e , c o l u n b i t e - t a n t a l i t e , gold,
mawsonite, molybdenite, scheelite,
stannite
.................................... .................................... ....................................
Lamellar form, i n t e r n a l refLec- Green t i n t and r a p i d corrosion are Lamellar twins, greenish t o yellow-
tions, and low reflectance are c h a r a c t e r i s t i c . Lamellar twins brown p o l a r i z a t i o n colors, brownish
c h a r a c t e r i s t i c . Occurs as euhedral r e s u l t from inversion from cubic o r pinkish t i n t , and Lack o f i n t e r -
p l a t e l e t s and as masses o f i n t e r - t o monoclinic i n d i c a t i n g a temper- nal r e f l e c t i o n s are c h a r a c t e r i s t i c .
IDENTIFICATION penetrating laths. ature of deposition >177 degrees C . Occurs as anhedral aggregates and
CRITERIA Acanthite i s monoclinic and argen- euhedral c o l u m a r c r y s t a l s .

I I
t i t e i s cubic.
32 SPRY AND GEDLINSKE

............ ........................................................................ ....................................

GRIYJP NUMBER 12 13 13
............ ........................................................................ ....................................
MINERAL Tetradymite Bournoni t e Chalcostibite
............ ........................................................................ ....................................
COMPOSITION Bi2Te2S PbCuSbS3 Cu6Ti2SbS4
............... ........................................................................ ....................................
SYSTEM Hexagonal Orthorhmbic Orthorhombic
............... ........................................................................ ....................................
POLISHING Basal cleavage always v i s i b l e Not v i s i b l e (001) o f t e n v i s i b l e , (100) and
CLEAVAGE (010) r a r e l y v i s i b l e
............... ........................................................................ ....................................
AIR Strong: w h i t e w i t h creamy o r l i g h t @trong: g r a y i s h w h i t e w i t h d i s t i n c t Strong: w h i t e w i t h p i n k i s h gray
yellow t i n t b l u i s h green t i n t tint
REFLECTANCE
AND ....................................
COLOR 01 L Strong: w h i t e w i t h creamy o r l i g h t Strong: g r a y i s h w h i t e w i t h d i s t i n c t Strong: w h i t e w i t h a brown t i n t
yellow t i n t b l u i s h green t i n t
.................................... ....................................
34.6 - 39.2 36.9 - 42.2
.................................... ....................................
166 - 212 ( a t 20 - 50 g) 283 - 309
.................................... ....................................
S o f t (2.5): <galena S o f t ( 3 ) : >galena, >boulangerite, Medium ( 3 - 4 ) : >bournonite,
POLISHING <chalcopyrite, <sphalerite <chalcopyrite, <sphalerite
HARDNESS

.................................... ....................................
Weak: may be v i s i b l e on g r a i n Weak
boundaries and on t w i n lamellae
PLEOCHROISM ........................................................................
OIL Weak: greenish gray t i n t s Weak: w h i t e w i t h b l u i s h green t i n t Moderate: cream t o brown
t o white with olive-brown t i n t
............... .................................... ........................................................................
Moderate: b l u i s h gray t o y e l l o w - Weak b u t d i s t i n c t along g r a i n Moderate t o strong: p i n k i s h t o
gray boundaries: p a l e blue, greenish greenish or b l u i s h gray, d i s t i n c t
ANISOTROPISM gray, brownish yellow, dark brown, blue t i n t s
purplish
............... ........................................................................ ....................................
INTERNAL Not present ~ o present
t Rare: p a l e r e d
REFLECTIONS
............... .................................... .................................... ....................................
TWINNING Rare: l a m e l l a r t w i n n i n g (110) v e r y c m n , nunerous p a r a l l - May show s t i b n i t e l i k e deformation
e l p o l y s y n t h e t i c orthogonal t w i n s twins
.................................... .................................... ....................................
Arsenopyrite, c a l a v e r i t e , chalco- Ag minerals, boulangerite, chalco- Ag minerals, b i s m u t h i n i t e ,
ASSOCIATED p y r i t e , galena, k r e n n e r i t e , p y r i t e , c h a l c o s t i b i t e , galena, bournonite, c h a l c o p y r i t e , cinnabar,
MINERALS magnetite, p y r i t e , p y r r h o t i t e s i l v e r , s p h a l e r i te, s t a n n i t e , galena, jamesonite, p y r i t e ,
tetrahedrite-tennantite sphalerite
.................................... .................................. ...................................
Creamy w h i t e c o l o r , anhedral P a r a l l e l l a m e l l a r t w i n s a r e char- P i n k i s h t i n t and anisotropism
g r a n u l a r texture, and p e r f e c t basal a c t e r i s t i c . The b l u i s h green t i n t a r e c h a r a c t e r i s t i c . Occurs as
cleavage a r e c h a r a c t e r i s t i c . Forms and weak a n i s o t r o p y a r e a l s o anhedral g r a i n s . Rarely as euhedra
KEY intergrowths with other t e l l u r i d e s . distinct. prismatic crystals. Triangular
IDENTIFICATION p i t s may be v i s i b l e .
CRITERIA
 NONCOLORED MINERALS 33

............... ........................................................................ ....................................

GROUP NUMBER 13 13 14
............... ........................................................................ ....................................
MINERAL Dyscrasi t e G L aucodot Brauni t e
............... ........................................................................ ....................................
COMPOSITION Ag3Sb (Co, Fe)AsS 3Mn 0 .MnSi03
2 3
................................................... .......................................................................
SYSTEM Orthorhonbic Orthorhmbic Tet ragonal
................................................... .......................................................................
POLISHING Not v i s i b l e Not v i s i b l e Not v i s i b l e
CLEAVAGE
................................................... .......................................................................
AIR Strong: w h i t e o f t e n w i t h y e l l o w i s h Strong: w h i t e t o L i g h t cream Low: gray w i t h brownish t i n t
tint
REFLECTANCE
.................................... ................................ ...................................
COLOR OIL Strong: g r a y i s h w h i t e Strong: w h i t e w i t h b l u e t i n t Low: gray w i t h brownish t i n t

............... .................................... .................................... ....................................

R% 62.1 - 63.2 50.0 - 50.6 18.6 - 19.5
............... .................................... .................................... ....................................
VHN 146 - 160 1097 - 1115 689 - 776
............... .................................... .................................... ....................................
Medium (3.5-4): >galena, > s i l v e r , Mediun ( 5 ) : <arsenopyrite, Hard (6-6.5): >magnetite, < b i x b y i t c
POLISHING <chalcopyrite ccobalti t e
HARDNESS

................................................... .................................... ..............................

/
I PLEOCHROISM
AIR

OIL
I Weak: w h i t e t o creamy w h i t e

..................................
Weak: w h i t e t o creamy w h i t e
Weak t o nonpleochroic Weak: g r a y

.........................................................................
Weak t o nonpleochroic Moderate: shades of d a r k gray

........................................................................ ....................................
Weak t o moderate: i n d i s t i n c t t i n t s Weak t o moderate, weaker than Weak b u t d i s t i n c t i n o i l : brownish
o f brown a r s e n o p y r i t e : b l u i s h t o orange- gray t o s l a t e - b l u e , o f t e n undulose
ANISOTROPlSM brown o r red-brown

............... .................................... .................................. ....................................

INTERNAL Not Dresent Not present Rare: d a r k brown t o deep r e d
REFLECTIONS
...........................................................................................................................
TWINNING I r r e g u l a r jigsaw forms Not present
............... .................................... .................................... ....................................
/ iiare

Antimony, arsenic, b r e i thaupt i t e , Arsenopyrite, c o b a l t i t e , Ni-Co B i x b y i t e , hausmannite, hematite,

ASSOCIATED c h a l c o p y r i t e , c o b a l t i t e , galena, arsenides, p y r i t e j a c o b s i t e , magnetite, manganite,
MINERALS Loellingite, miargyrite, pyrite, pyrolusite
silver
............... .................................... .................................... ....................................
Strong r e f l e c t a n c e , y e l l o w i s h t i n t , Resenbles a r s e n o p y r i t e b u t a n i s o - Low r e f l e c t a n c e , weak anisotropy,
and weak a n i s o t r o p y a r e c h a r a c t e r - t r o p y i s weaker. U s u a l l y and a s s o c i a t i o n w i t h o t h e r man-
i s t i c . Occurs as euhedral p l a t e l i k e occurs as subhedral t o euhedral ganese m i n e r a l s a r e c h a r a c t e r i s t i c .
t o square c r y s t a l s and as aggre- c r y s t a l s o f t e n with inclusions. Occurs as anhedral granular masses
gates o f anhedral c r y s t a l s . and as subhedral t o euhedral c r y s -
t a l s . Zonal t e x t u r e s have been
reported.
34 SPRY AND GEDLINSKE

............... .................................... .................................... ....................................

GROUP NUMBER 14 15 15
............... .................................... .................................... ....................................
MINERAL Cobal t i t e Cassiterite Cinnabar
............... .................................... .................................... ....................................
COMPOSITION CoAsS
...........................................................................................................................
SYSTEM Orthorhorhic< 800 deg. C >cubic Tetragonal Hexagonal

POLISHING
CLEAVAGE
(100) may be v i s i b l e I
...........................................................................................................................
/ (110) r a r e l y v i s i b l e I (10TO) r a r e l y v i s i b l e
I
........................................................................
Strong: white w i t h pink o r v i o l e t Low: brownish gray Medium: white with b l u i s h t o
tint greenish gray t i n t
REFLECTANCE
.................................... ........................................................................
COLOR OIL Strong: white w i t h pink o r v i o l e t Low: brownish gray t o dark gray Medium: white with b l u i s h t o
tint greenish gray t i n t
............... ........................................................................ ....................................
R% 50.5 11.5 - 12.4 24.6 - 29.6
............... ........................................................................ ....................................
VHN 935 - 1131 1168 - 1332 82 - 156
............... ........................................................................ ....................................
Hard (5.5-6): x k u t t e r u d i t e , Hard (6-7): >>bismuth, Soft (2-2.5): >realgar,
POLISHING -arsenopyrite, < p y r i t e >>bismuthini te, >>rmLyMeni te,
>stanni t e
- o r > s t i t m i t e , <galena, < < p y r i t e
HARDNESS

............... .................................... .................................... ....................................

AIR Weak: white t o pinkish white Weak t o nonpleochroic Weak t o d i s t i n c t along g r a i n
boundaries
PLEOCHROlSM .................................... .................................... ....................................
Weak: white t o p i n k i s h white Weak t o moderate: gray t o brownish Moderate: yellowish gray-white t o
gray brownish gray-white
.................................... ........................................................................
Weak t o moderate i n o i l : b l u e - Moderate, masked by i n t e r n a l r e - Strong, but t i n t s may be masked by
gray t o brown f l e c t i o n s : gray t o dark gray i n t e r n a l r e f l e c t i o n s : l i g h t green
ANISOTROPISM colors may be observed; also
various shades of gray with blue
and green t i n t s
.............. .................................... ........................................................................
INTERNAL Not present Abundant: whitish yellow t o yellow- Abundant: b r i g h t red
REFLECTIONS brown
................................................... .................................... ....................................
TWINNING Shows complex twins with lamellar (1 01 ) very c m n Sinuous and polysynthetic twins
intergrowths may be present
.................................................. .................................... ....................................
Arsenopyrite, bisrmth, chalco- Ag s u l f o s a l t s , bisrmth, bismuth- B e r t h i e r i t e , chalcopyrite,
ASSOCIATED p y r i t e , cubanite, dyscrasite, i n i t e , bornite, c o l u n b i t e - t a n t a l i t c c h a l c o s t i b i t e , galena, gold,
MINERALS g e r s d o r f f i t e , glaucodot, gold, galena, hematite, magnetite, maws- marcasite, orpiment, p y r i t e ,
rnolybdeni te, p y r r h o t i t e , s i Lver onite, molybdenite, p y r i t e , r u t i l e , realgar, s t i b n i t e
sphalerite, stannite, wolframite
.................................................. .................................... ....................................
Pink-white color, hardness, euhe- Low reflectance, frequent twins, Medium reflectance, abundant i n -
d r a l crystals, weak anisotropy, a n abundant i n t e r n a l r e f l e c t i o n s , and t e r n a l r e f l e c t i o n s , and frequent
complex twins are c h a r a c t e r i s t i c . hardness are c h a r a c t e r i s t i c . Occur: association w i t h s t i b n i t e are
KEY Comnonly occurs as euhedral crys- as compact anhedral masses and as c h a r a c t e r i s t i c . T y p i c a l l y anhedral
IDENTlFICATION t a l s and as p o l y c r y s t a l l i n e aggre- subhedral t o euhedral c r y s t a l s but may be euhedral. Shows redder
CRITERIA gates. which are o f t e n zoned. i n t e r n a l r e f l e c t i o n s than r u t i l e
o r realgar.

........... ....I
 NONCOLORED MINERALS 35
...........................................................................................................................
GROUP NUMBER 15 15 15
...........................................................................................................................
MINERAL Cuprite Goethite Hausmannit e
...........................................................................................................................
- FeO.OH
+2 +3
CuZO C1 Mn Mn 204
I COMPOS I ION
...........................................................................................................................
SYSTEM Cubic Orthorhmbic Tet ragona l
...........................................................................................................................
POLISHING (111) r a r e l y v i s i b l e (010) r a r e l y v i s i b l e (001) r a r e l y v i s i b l e
CLEAVAGE
...........................................................................................................................

REFLECTANCE
AIR
I Medium: white-gray w i t h b l u i s h
tint I Low: gray-white, may have b l u i s h
tint I Low: b l u i s h t o brownish gray-white

AND ........................................................................
COLOR 011 Low: white-gray w i t h greenish Low: gray Low: dark gray
tint
............... .................................... ........................................................................
R% 26.6 15.5 - 17.5 17.6 - 19.6
............... .................................... ........................................................................
VHN 193 - 207 667 536 - 566
............... .................................... ........................................................................
Medium (3-4): >copper, >tenorite, Hard (5-5.5): -lepidocrocite, Hard (5.5): mangani te,
POLISHING >chalcopyrite, <goethi t e <hematite <pyrolusi te, <bixbyi te, <brauni te,
HARDNESS <jacobsite

............... ....................................
AIR Weak t o nonpleochroic

PLEOCHROISM ........................................................................ ....................................

01 L Masked by deep red i n t e r n a l Moderate: but masked by i n t e r n a l Moderate: b l u i s h gray t o brownish
reflections r e f Lections gray
........................................................................ ....................................
Moderate t o strong when coarse Moderate but d i s t i n c t : gray-blue, Strong: yellowish o r yellow-brown,
grained and along g r a i n boundaries: gray-yellow, brownish, greenish l i g h t gray or b l u i s h gray
gray-blue t o olive-green; t i n t s gray
are l a r g e l y masked by i n t e r n a l
reflections
............... ........................................................................ ....................................
INTERNAL Abundant: deep red Abundant: brownish yellow t o Abundant especially i n o i l : red
REFLECTIONS reddish brown
............... .................................... .................................... ....................................
TWINNING Not present Not present C m n lamellar along (101)
.................................... ........................................................................
Chalcocite, chalcopyrite, c o p p r , Chalcopyrite, c o f f i n i t e , copper, Bixbyite, braunite, chalcophanite,
ASSOCIATED c o v e l l i t e , delafossite, goethite, cuprite, delafossite, galena, f r a n k l i n i t e , jacobsite, manganite,
MINERALS tenorite hematite, lepidocrocite, manganite, psilomelane, pyrolusite, z i n c i t e
psilomelane, p y r i t e , sphalerite,
tenori t e
I... ............ .................................... .......................................................................
White-gray color with b l u i s h t i n t s , Colloform texture, d i s t i n c t b l u i s h Lamellar twins, b r i g h t anisotropy,
colored anisotropy with extensive anisotropy, and abundant i n t e r n a l abundant red i n t e r n a l r e f l e c t i o n s ,
i n t e r n a l r e f l e c t i o n s , and associ- r e f l e c t i o n s are c h a r a c t e r i s t i c . euhedral tendency, and association
a t i o n w i t h n a t i v e copper are char- Conmon i n porous colloform bands with Mn minerals are characteris-
IDENTIFICATION a c t e r i s t i c . Occurs as euhedral o c t - with r a d i a t i n g fibrous t e x t u r e or t i c . Also occurs as coarse-grained
CRITERIA ahedra and i n a f i n e - g r a i n e d as porous pseudomrphs a f t e r py- equigranular anhedral crystals,
l l e a r t h ~ " form. r i t e . Nearly always secondary. often i n veinlets.
36 SPRY AND GEDLINSKE

............... .................................... .................................... ....................................

GROUP NUMBER 15 15 15
............... .................................... .................................... ....................................
MINERAL Hematite Mangani t e Pearceite - Polybasite
............... .................................... .................................... ....................................
COMPOSITION cl - Fe203 MnO(OH) Agl6AS2Sll - (As,CU)~~S~~S~~
................................................... ........................................................................
SYSTEM Hexagonal Monoclinic Monoclinic
................................................... ........................................................................
POLISHING (10T1). (0001) may be v i s i b l e (010) and (110) may be v i s i b l e (001) r a r e l y v i s i b l e
CLEAVAGE
........................................................................

REFLECTANCE
AIR
I Medium: gray-white with b l u i s h
tint
Low: gray t o brownish gray Medium: gray-white t o greenish

.................................... ........................................................................
COLOR OIL Medium: b l u i s h gray Low: gray t o brownish gray Medium: blue-green.gray

.................................... ................................... ....................................

26.1 - 30.2 14.8 - 20.7 30.7 - 32.5
.................................... ................................... ....................................
1038
....................................
698 - 772
....................................
180 - 192
....................................
Hard (5-6): >goethite, >ilmenite, Mediun ( 4 ) . <hausmanni te, Soft (1.5-2): - f r e i b e r g i t e ,
POLISHING
HARDNESS
magnetite,
- -
or < r u t i l e
or <cassiterite, magnetite, <<braunite,
<<pyrolusi t e
<stephaniter <<pyrite

................................................... .................................... ....................................

AIR Weak Weak t o moderate along c e r t a i n Weak t o nonpleochroic
sections: brownish gray
.................................... .................................... ....................................
Weak Moderate: brownish gray Moderate: green t o gray with vio.
let-blue t i n t
.................................... .................................... ....................................
Moderate: grayish blue, grayish Strong: yellow, bluish, gray, Moderate t o strong i n a i r : b r i g h t
yellow, greenish gray, l i g h t brown violet-gray green and green-blue t i n t s ; strong
tints i n o i l : blue, gray, yellow-green,
brown
.................................... ....................................
INTERNAL C m n : deep red Comnon: blood red especially i n Abundant: deep red
REFLECTIONS o i l and p a r a l l e l (010)
...........................................................................................................................
TWINNING (10T1) very c m n (011) not uncomon Not present
................................... .................................... ....................................
Braggite, brannerite, braunite, Braunite, chalcophanite, goethite, Ag and Ni-Co minerals, chalco-
ASSOCIATED c a s s i t e r i t e , chromite, columbite- hausmanni te, p s i Lomelane, p y r i t e , f r e i b e r g i t e , galena,
MINERALS t a n t a l i t e , goethite, ilmenite, pyrolusite pyrite, sphalerite
magnetite, p y r o l u s i t e , r u t i l e ,
sphalerite
................................... ........................................................................
Medium reflectance, d i f f i c u l t Brown t i n t , anisotropy, and blood Color, green anisotropism, and
polish, d i s t i n c t anisotropy, and red i n t e r n a l r e f l e c t i o n s are char- deep red i n t e r n a l r e f l e c t i o n s are
red i n t e r n a l r e f l e c t i o n s are a c t e r i s t i c . Occurs as prismatic t o c h a r a c t e r i s t i c . Pearceite and poly-
IDENTIFICATION c h a r a c t e r i s t i c . Usually occurs as Lamellar c r y s t a l aggregates o f t e n b a s i t e form complete s o l i d solu-
CRITERIA bladed or needlelike subparallel intergrown with p y r o l u s i t e and t i o n . Occurs as p l a t e l i k e t o equant
o r r a d i a t i n g aggregates. Lamellar p s i lomelane. grains. Pearceite polarizes i n
twinning comnon. Comnon as exsol- green, polybasite i n green-blue.
u t i o n lenses or lamellae i n
i l m e n i t e or magnetite.
...................................
 NONCOLORED MINERALS 37

................................................... ........................................................................
GROUP NUMBER 15 15 15
................................................... ........................................................................
MINERAL Realgar Ruti Le Zincite
................................................... .......................................................................
COMPOSITION ASS Ti02 (Zn,Mn)O
I
........................................................................ ....................................
............
SYSTEM Monoc lin i c Tetragonal Hexagonal
............ ... ........................................................................ ....................................
POLISHING Not v i s i b l e (110) o f t e n v i s i b l e (0001) o f t e n v i s i b l e
CLEAVAGE
...............
1 AIR^ Medium: grayish white w i t h p u r p l i s h Low: l i g h t gray with f a i n t b l u e Low: pinkish brown t o gray
tint tint
REFLECTANCE
AND .................................... .................................... ....................................
COLOR OIL Medium: grayish white w i t h purplish Low: l i g h t gray with f a i n t blue Low: dark pinkish brown t o dark
t i n t ; much l i g h t e r i n a i r tint Q ray
...........................................................................................................................
R% 22.1 20.3 11.8
...........................................................................................................................
VHN 47 - 60 1132 - 1187 190 - 219
...........................................................................................................................
Soft (1.5-2): <orpiment, < < s t i b n i t e Hard (6-6.5): >ilmenite, Medium (4.5-5): <<franklinite,
< c a s s i t e r i t e , <hematite <<hausrnannit e

.................................... ....................................
Weak Weak
reddish t o b l u i s h t i n t
PLEOCHROISM .. .................................... ....................................
OIL Weak but d i s t i n c t : gray with Moderate Masked by i n t e r n a l r e f l e c t i o n s
reddish t o b l u i s h t i n t
................................................... .................................... ....................................
Moderate t o strong: o f t e n Moderate t o strong, but colors are Masked by i n t e r n a l r e f l e c t i o n s
masked by i n t e r n a l r e f l e c t i o n s masked by i n t e r n a l r e f l e c t i o n s
ANISOTROPISM

............... ....................................
INTERNAL Abundant: intense red, orange-red, Abundant: white, yellowish, reddish Abundant: red, orange, t o yellowish
REFLECTIONS yellowish red o r orange brown
................................................... ................................... .....................................
TWINNING Not present Comnonly lamellar twinning Not present

I. . . . . . . . ....................................
As s u l f o s a l t s , cinnabar, graphite,
.................................... ....................................
Brannerite, c a s s i t e r i t e , colunbite- Chalcophanite, f r a n k l i n i t e ,
ASSOCIATED orpiment, p y r i t e , sphalerite, t a n t a l i t e , hematite, i lmenite, hausmannite, magnetite
MINERALS stibnite maghemite, magnetite

................................ .................................... ....................................

1
Softness, medium reflectance, Abundant i n t e r n a l r e f l e c t i o n s , Low reflectance, abundant red t o
and h i g h l y abundant i n t e r n a l twins, and hardness are charact- yellow i n t e r n a l r e f l e c t i o n s , and
r e f l e c t i o n s are c h a r a c t e r i s t i c . e r i s t i c . Occurs as euhedral t o sub- well-developed cleavage are char-
KEY Occurs as i r r e g u l a r p l a t e l i k e hedral needlelike t o colunnar a c t e r i s t i c . Occurs as rounded
IDENTIFICATION masses with orpiment. crystals. grains. Forms oriented intergrowths
CRITERIA with hausmannite. .
38 SPRY AND GEDLINSKE

............... .................................... .................................... ....................................

GROUP NUMBER 16 16 16
............... .................................... .................................... ....................................
MINERAL Bismuth Bisrmthinite Boulangeri t e
............... .................................... .................................... ....................................
COMPOSITION Bi B i 2S3
Pb5Sb4S11
................................................... .................................... ....................................
SYSTEM Hexagonal Orthorhmbic Monoclinic
................................................... .................................... ....................................
POLISHING Rarely v i s i b l e (010) o f t e n v i s i b l e Not v i s i b l e
CLEAVAGE
................................................... .................................... ....................................
AIR Strong: w h i t e t o creamy white, Strong: w h i t e w i t h s l i g h t y e l l o w Strong: w h i t e w i t h b l u i s h green
p i n k i s h cream tint tint
REFLECTANCE
AND .................................... ........................................................................
COLOR OIL Strong: w h i t e t o creamy white, Strong: w h i t e w i t h b l u i s h gray t i n t Strong: g r a y - g r e e n
p i n k i s h cream
.................................... ........................................................................
66.7 38.5 - 45.4 37.4 - 41.8
.................................... ........................................................................
...........
15 - 18 110 - 136
.................................... ........................................................................
92 - 125

S o f t (2-2.5): >molyWenite, S o f t (2-2.5): >bisrmth, <gold, S o f t (2.5-3): <bournonite, <galena

POLISHING < b i s m u t h i n i t e , <galena, < < c a s s i t e r i t e , <<wolframite
HARDNESS <<arsenopyrite, < < c a s s i t e r i t e

............... .................................... .................................... ....................................

AIR Weak Weak Weak b u t d i s t i n c t : gray.green t o
gray-white

PLEOCHROISM .................................... .................................... ....................................

01 L Moderate: creamy t o p i n k i s h Moderate: w h i t e w i t h cream b l u i s h Moderate: g r a y - g r e e n t o g r a y - w h i t e
tint
.................................... .................................... ....................................
Moderate t o strong: c h a r a c t e r - Strong i n o i l : s l a t e - g r a y , y e l l o w - Moderate t o strong: l i g h t tan,
i s t i c a l l y greenish i s h brown, g r a y - v i o l e t , y e l l o w - brown, b l u i s h gray, greenish shades
green t o l i g h t green t i n t s

.................................... .....................................
INTERNAL Not present Not present Rare: r e d
REFLECTIONS
............... .................................... .................................... ....................................
TWINNING Common l a m e l l a r Stressed induced t w i n s w i t h undu- Not present
lose e x t i n c t i o n o f t e n seen
.......... .................................... .................................... ....................................
Arsenopyrite, b i s r m t h i n i t e , Arsenopyrite, B i and Co-Ni miner- Bournonite, c h a l c o p y r i t e , galena,
ASSOCIATED b r a v o i te, c a s s i t e r i t e , chalcopyrite, a l s , bisrmth, c a s s i t e r i t e , chalco- jamesonite, p y r i t e , s p h a l e r i t e ,
MINERALS Co-Ni minerals, galena, molybden- s t i b i t e , gold, magnetite, p i t c h - tetrahedrite-tennantite
ite, pyrite, pyrrhotite, silver, blende, p y r r h o t i t e , s c h e e l i t e ,
sphalerite, stannite, wolframite tetradymi te, u r a n i n i t e
.................................... .................................... ....................................
Strong r e f l e c t a n c e , softness, Moderate pleochroism, s t r o n g a n i s o - B l u i s h green t i n t , anisotropy, and
creamy c o l o r , r e d d i s h t a r n i s h i n g , pism i n l i g h t greenish t i n t s , associated m i n e r a l s a r e c h a r a c t e r -
anisotropy, and l a m e l l a r t w i n s a r e p e r f e c t cleavage, and a s s o c i a t i o n i s t i c . U s u a l l y occurs as granular
KEY c h a r a c t e r i s t i c . Occurs as i r r e g u l a r w i t h b i s r m t h and B i m i n e r a l s a r e o r f i b r o u s aggregates.
IDENTIFICATION masses o r i n c l u s i o n s o f anhedral c h a r a c t e r i s t i c . Occurs as subhedral
CRITERIA crystals. L a t h l i k e c r y s t a l s . Less comnonly
as g r a n u l a r masses.
 NONCOLORED MINERALS 39

................................................... .......................................................................
GROUP NUMBER 16 16 16
................................................... .......................................................................
MINERAL Bournoni t e Krenneri t e Stromeyeri t e
................................................... .......................................................................
COMPOSITION PbCuSbS3 AuTe2 AgCuS
...........................................................................................................................
SYSTEM Orthorhonbic Orthorhanbi c Orthorhonbic
...........................................................................................................................
POLISHING Not v i s i b l e (001) o f t e n v i s i b l e Not v i s i b l e
CLEAVAGE
............... .................................... .................................... ....................................
AIR Strong: grayish white w i t h d i s t i n c t Strong: creamy white Medium: gray-white with v i o l e t
b l u i s h green t i n t pinkish t i n t
REFLECTANCE
AND .................................... .................................... ....................................
COLOR 011 Strong: grayish white w i t h d i s t i n c t Strong: creamy white Medium: gray-white with v i o l e t
b l u i s h green t i n t pinkish t i n t
............... .................................... .................................... ....................................
R% 34.6 - 39.2 71.9 ( a t 540 nm) 26.3 - 29.7
............... .................................... .................................... ....................................
VHN 166 - 212 ( a t 20 - 50 g) 117 - 130 ( a t 25 g) 30 - 32
............... .................................... .................................... ....................................
s o f t (3): >galena, >boulangerite, Soft (2-3): <chalcopyrite, <gold Soft (2.5-3): >acanthite-argentite,
POLISHING <chalcopyrite, <sphalerite <galena
HARDNESS

I ...................................
Weak but d i s t i n c t along g r a i n
....................................
Weak

1
boundaries and on t w i n lamellae boundaries: yellowish creamy, may
have a v i o l e t - g r a y t i n t
PLEOCHROISM .................................... ................................... ...................................
OIL Weak: white with b l u i s h green tint Weak but d i s t i n c t along g r a i n Moderate: gray-brown t o l i g h t
t o white with olive-brown t i n t boundaries: yellowish creamy, may gray with blue or pink t i n t
have a v i o l e t - g r a y t i n t
............... .................................... ................................... ...................................
Weak but d i s t i n c t along g r a i n Strong: l i g h t gray, yellow, brown Strong: l i g h t v i o l e t , purple, blue
boundaries: pale blue, greenish brown, orange-yellow
AN ISOTROP ISM gray, brownish yellow, dark brown,
purplish
............... ........................................................................ ...................................
INTERNAL ~ o Dresent
t Not present Not present
REFLECTIONS
............... .................................... .................................... ....................................
TWINNING (110) very comnon, numerous p a r a l l - M u l t i p l e twinning may occur Not present
e l polysynthetic orthogonal twins
............... .................................... .................................... ....................................
~g minerals, boulangerite, chalco- Calaverite, chalcopyrite, bornite, Acanthite-argenti te, chalcopyrite,
ASSOCIATED p y r i t e , c h a l c o s t i b i te, galena, f r e i b e r g i t e , gold, tetradymite galena, s i l v e r
MINERALS s i l v e r , sphalerite, stannite,
tetrahedrite-tennantite
.................................... .......................................................................
P a r a l I e l Lamellar twins are char- Strong reflectance, softness, Anisotropic colors are character-
a c t e r i s t i c . The b l u i s h green t i n t strong anisotropy, and association i s t i c . Occurs as granular aggre-
and weak anisotropy are also with other t e l l u r i d e s are charac- gates and small v e i n l e t s . Often
distinct. t e r i s t i c . Cleavage distinguishes i t intergrown with other Ag minerals.
IDENTIFICATION from calaverite.
CRITERIA
40 SPRY AND GEDLINSKE

............... ........................................................................ ....................................

GRWP NUMBER 16 17 17
............... ........................................................................ ....................................
MINERAL Tetradymite Antimony Arsenic
............... ........................................................................ ....................................
COMPOSITION Bi2Te2S Sb
................................................... ........................................................................
SYSTEM Hexagonal Hexagonal Hexagonal
................................................... ........................................................................
POLISHING Basal cleavage always v i s i b l e Rarely v i s i b l e (0001) o f t e n v i s i b l e
................................................... ........................................................................
AIR Strong: white w i t h creamy o r l i g h t Strong: white with s l i g h t creamy Strong: white w i t h creamy t i n t ,
yellow t i n t tint tarnishes r a p i d l y t o brownish
REFLECTANCE gray i n a few hours
AND .................................... ........................................................................
COLOR OIL Strong: white w i t h creamy o r l i g h t
yellow t i n t
Strong: white with s l i g h t creamy
tint
........................................................................
Strong: white w i t h creamy t i n t

....................................
I
50.9 - 57.1 71.1 - 73.0 51.3 - 56.4
........................................................................ ....................................
51.1 - 56.9 84 - 98 83 - 149
............ ........................................................................ ....................................
Soft (2.5): <galena Mediun (3-3.5): > s t i t m i t e , Medium ( 3 - 4 ) : >antinmy, > s i l v e r ,
POLISHING <arsenic, <dyscrasi t e cloellingite
HARDNESS

.................................... .................................... ....................................

! Weak: greenish gray t i n t s Weak t o nonpleochroic Weak t o nonpleochroic

.................................... .................................... ....................................

Weak: greenish gray t i n t s Weak but d i s t i n c t along-grain Moderate along g r a i n boundaries:
b u n d a r i es grayish white t o yellow o r b l u i s h
gray
.................................... .................................... ....................................
Moderate: b l u i s h gray t o yellow- Moderate t o strong: yellowish gray, Moderate t o strong: s t e e l gray,
gray brownish, b l u i s h gray, orange- yellow-gray t o dark gray t i n t s
brown

.................................... ........................................................................
INTERNAL Not present Not present Not present
REFLECTIONS
............. .................................... ........................................................................
TWINNING Rare: lamellar twinning (01T2) polysynthetic lamellar twins Lamellae very c m n
cornnon
.................................... ........................................................................
Arsenopyrite, calaverite, chalco- Ag and Ni-Co minerals, arsenic, Antimony, b r e i t h a u p t i t e , dyscrasite,
ASSOCIATED p y r i t e , galena, krennerite, arsenopyrite, dyscrasite, p y r i t e , l o e l l i n g i t e , orpiment, p y r i t e ,
MINERALS magnetite, p y r i t e , p y r r h o t i t e stibnite ramnelsbergite, s a f f l o r i t e , s i l v e r ,
skutterudite
.................................... ........................................................................
Creamy white color, anhedral Strong reflectance, anisotropism Lamellar twins and the r a p i d tarn-
granular texture, and perfect basal i n orange-brown t i n t s , and lamellar i s h i n g are c h a r a c t e r i s t i c . Occurs
cleavage are c h a r a c t e r i s t i c . Forms twins are c h a r a c t e r i s t i c . Occurs as as f i n e - t o coarse-grained anhedral
KEY intergrowths with other t e l l u r i d e s . f i n e - t o coarse-grained aggregates, aggregates and comnonly as c o l l o -
IDENTIFICATION r a r e l y euhedral. Often occurs as form bands.
CRITERIA small grains i n s t i b n i t e .
 NONCOLORED MmERALS 41
............... ........................................................................
GRWP NUMBER 17 17
............... ........................................................................
MINERAL Cubani t e Enargi t e
............... ........................................................................
COMPOSITION CuFe2S3 Cu3AsS4
................................................... ........................................................................
SYSTEM Tetragonal Orthorhmbic
Orthorhonbic
................................................... ........................................................................
POLISHING Not v i s i b l e (001) may be v i s i b l e (110) o f t e n v i s i b l e
CLEAVAGE (110) r a r e l y v i s i b l e
................................................... ........................................................................
AIR Moderate: f a i n t b l u i s h or brownish Strong: creamy gray, pale brown,or Medium: Light pinkish brown or
peach pinkish gray
........................................................................
COLOR f a i n t b l u i s h or brownish Strong: gray-brown t o cream-white v i o l e t - g r a y o r brownish

................................................... ........................................................................
R% 34.5 - 35.5 ( a t 589 nm) 35.4 - 39.4 24.2 - 25.2
................................................... ........................................................................
VHN 742 - 1030 247 - 287 285 - 327
................................................... ........................................................................
Medium (4): - or >platinum, Mediun (3.5-4): >chalcopyrite, Medium (3-3.5): >bornite, >galena,
POLISHING
HARDNESS
<sperrylite <sphalerite, <<pyrrhot i t e - o r >luzonite,
<sphaleri t e
-
o r ztennantite,
I
I
....................................
Weak Weak: cream-gray, pale brown t o Weak: pinkish gray t o grayish vio.
let
....................................
Strong: pinkish gray t o grayish
violet
.................................... .................................... ....................................
Strong: b l u e t o brown Strong: h i g h l y c h a r a c t e r i s t i c blue Strong: bluish, greenish, reddish,
t i n t s , brownish t o blue orange t i n t s

.................................... .................................... ....................................

Not present Not present Rare: deep red

............... .................................... .................................... ....................................

TWINNING Rare s i n g l e t w i n Lamellae and Thin t w i n lamellae Rare: p a r a l l e l (320)
chessboard twins
............... .................................... .................................... ....................................
Cooperite, platinun, s p e r r y l i t e , Alabandite, arsenopyrite, chalco- Arsenopyrite, bornite, chalcocite,
ASSOCIATED and other Pt minerals p y r i t e , c o b a l t i t e , galena, ilmen- chalcopyrite, copper, covet l i t e ,
MINERALS i t e , l i n n a e i t e , rnackinawite, magne digenite, famatinite, luzonite,
t i te, pentlandite, p y r r h o t i t e , mawsonite, molybdenite, p y r i t e ,
s p e r r y l i t e , sphalerite, v i o l a r i t e sphalerite, stannite, tennantite
.............. .................................... ................................... ....................................
Association with other p l a t i n o i d s Pleochroism i n brown t i n t s , strong Light pink-brown color, medium
and resemblence t o p y r r h o t i t e are anisotropy i n blue t i n t s , and ex- reflectance, and h i g h l y colored
most c h a r a c t e r i s t i c . Rare mineral. s o l u t i o n lamellae i n chalcopyrite anisotropy are c h a r a c t e r i s t i c .
KEY Occurs as inclusions i n platinum are c h a r a c t e r i s t i c . Occurs as anhedral t o subhedral
IDENTI FlCATlON o r intergrown with i t . Occurs as grains. Luzonite i s more orange-
CRITERIA idianorphic tabular c r y s t a l s . yellow and always shows lamellar
twins.
42 SPRY AND GEDLINSKE

....................................................................................... ....................................
GROUP NUMBER 17 17 17
....................................................................................... ....................................
MINERAL Pararamnelsbergite Pyrrhoti t e Stanni t e
....................................................................................... ....................................
COMPOSITION N iAs2 Fel.xS * Cu2FeSnS4
....................................................................................... ....................................
SYSTEM Orthorhombic Monoclinic, hexagonal Tetragonal
....................................................................................... ....................................
POLISHING (001) r a r e l y v i s i b l e (0001) may be v i s i b l e , (10TO) (110) r a r e l y v i s i b l e
CLEAVAGE r a r e l y seen
....................................................................................... ....................................
AIR Strong: white Strong: creamy pinkish brown Medium: gray with brownish o l i v e -
green t i n t
REFLECTANCE
........................................................................ ....................................
COLOR OIL Strong: white Strong: creamy pinkish brown Medium: o l i v e - g r a y

...........................................................................................................................
R% 56.3 - 57.8 34.8 - 39.9Cmono); 34.0 - 39.2Chex) 26.0 - 27.3
...........................................................................................................................
VHN 762 - 792 373 - 409(mono); 230 - 318(hex) 140 - 326
...........................................................................................................................
Medium (5): > n i c c o l i t e , Mediun (4) ; >>chalcopyrite, Medium (4), >chalcopyrite,
POLISHING <skutterudi t e -pentlandite, <<arsenopyrite, <sphalerite, <<arsenopyrite
HARDNESS <<pyrite

........................................................................
Weak t o strong: creamy brown t o Weak
reddish brown along g r a i n boundar-
ies
PLEOCHROlSM ................................... ........................................................................
Moderate on g r a i n boundaries: Moderate t o strong: creamy brown t o Weak but d i s t i n c t : l i g h t brown t o
yellowish t o b l u i s h white reddish broun along g r a i n boundar- brown-olive-gray
ies
.................................................. ........................................................................
Strong: p i n k i s h brown t o brown, Strong: yellow-gray, greenish gray, Moderate t o strong: yellowish
Less than r a m l s b e r g i t e and with. or grayish blue brown, grayish olive-green, b l u i s h

1
ANISOTROPISM out the blue or violet-gray

...........................................................................................................................
INTERNAL ~ o present
t Not present Not present
REFLECTIONS
...........................................................................................................................
ITWINNING / Rare I Not present
I I Abundant: (111) f i n e patches or
coarse lamellae
...........................................................................................................................
Ag, Bi, and Ni-Co-Fe minerals, Arsenopyrite, brannerite, c a r r o l l - Arsenopyrite, bisrruth, bournonite,
ASSOCIATED allargentun, bismuth, proustite, i t e , chalcopyrite, c o b a l t i t e , c a s s i t e r i t e , chalcopyrite,
MINERALS p y r i t e , ramnelsbergi t e cubanite, galena, ilmenite, mag-, enargite, jamesonite, mawsonite,
n e t i t e , marcasite, mi l l e r i t e , pent- p y r i t e , p y r r h o t i t e , sphalerite,
Landite, p y r i t e , s t a n n i t e wolframite, w u r t z i t e
...........................................................................................................................
Strong reflectance, white color, Creamy pinkish brown color and the Brownish olive-green t i n t , abundant
euhedral habit, anisotropy i n strong anisotropy are character- twins (orthogonal and f i n e ) , and
pinkish brown t i n t s , and associa- i s t i c . Cubanite i s s o f t e r . Occurs anisotropy are c h a r a c t e r i s t i c .
KEY t i o n with ramnelsbergite are char- comnonly as anhedral granular Occurs as anhedral grains, granular
IDENTIFICATION a c t e r i s t i c . Occurs as tabular crys- aggregates. * FeS i s t r o i l i t e . aggregates, and as oriented i n t e r -
CRITERIA t a l s with rectangular o u t l i n e s and growths i n associated minerals.
as mosaics of intergrown c r y s t a l s .
May be zoned.
............... ............................................................................................................
 NONCOLORED MINERALS 43
................................................... ........................................................................
GROUP NUMBER 18 18 18
................................................... ........................................................................
MINERAL Arsenopyri t e ILrnenite
LoeLLingi t e
................................................... ........................................................................
COMPOSITION +2 .
/ SYSTEM
FeAsS
....................................
Monoc lin i c
Fe Ti03

I Hexagonal
..........._
FeAs2

Orthorhombic
............
I........
POLISHING
CLEAVAGE
I
.......I....................................
Rarely v i s i b l e
....................... .................................................
Not v i s i b l e Not v i s i b l e
...........................................................................................................................
AIR Strong: white w i t h f a i n t creamy, Low: gray-white with brownish, Strong: white, o f t e n with yellow.
yellowish, or pinkish t i n t pink,or v i o l e t t i n t ish t i n t
REFLECTANCE
AND ............................................................................................................
COLOR OIL Strong: white with f a i n t creamy,
yellowish, or pinkish t i n t
Low: Light brown

............... ........................................................................ ....................................

Strong: white, o f t e n w i t h yellow-
ish t i n t
I
R% 51.9 - 52.2 17.0 - 20.1 52.4 - 54.1
............... ........................................................................ ....................................
VHN 715 - 1354 659 - 703 446 - 560
............... ........................................................................ ....................................
Hard (5.5-6): > l o e l l i n g i t e , Hard (5-6): m a g n e t i t e , <hematite Hard (5-5.5): >>sphalerite,
POLISHING magnetite, < p y r i t e > s a f f l o r i t e , <arsenopyrite
HARDNESS

............... ..................................................................... ....................................

AIR Weak Weak Weak

/ PLEOCHROlSM
oILI ............................. ----
Weak Moderate: pinkish brown t o dark
brown
....................................
Weak but d i s t i n c t : b l u i s h white t o
yellowish white
........................................................................ ....................................
Strong, but not as strong as Strong: l i g h t greenish gray, Strong, stronger than arsenopyrite:
l o e l l i n g i t e : blue, green, reddish brownish gray orange-yellow, red-brown, blue,
ANISOTROPISM brown-yellow green

I...............)....... ............................. )....................................[....................................,

INTERNAL
REFLECTIONS
Not present Rare: dark brown

............... ........................................................................ ....................................

Not present
I
TWINNING Lamellar twinning common Lamellar very comnon (10T1) Simple or compound twins very
c m n
........................................................................ ....................................
Chalcopyrite, c o b a l t i t e , cubanite, Bravoite, chromite, columbite- Antimony, arsenic, arsenopyri te,
ASSOCIATED enargite, galena, glaucodot, gold, t a n t a l i t e , cubanite, hematite, B i minerals, c a s s i t e r i t e ,
MINERALS jamesonite, l o e l l i n g i t e , mawsonite, maghemite, magnetite, p e n t l a r d i t e , dyscrasite, galena, Ni-Co arsenides,
p y r r h o t i t e , sphalerite, stannite, pyrite, pyrrhotite, r u t i l e , orpiment, sphalerite, stannite,
wolframite s p e r r y l i t e , ulvospinel, v a l l e r i i t e u r a n i n i t e , wolfrarnite
............... ........................................................................ ....................................
Common lozenge-shaped o r rhomb- Low reflectance, brown-gray color, Star-shaped twins, strong aniso-
shaped form, zoning, color, and lamellar twins, and the associatior tropy, and color are characteris-
anisotropy are c h a r a c t e r i s t i c . with r u t i l e , hematite, and magne- t i c . Occurs as r a d i a t i n g masses of
KEY Commonly observed as euhedral t o t i t e are c h a r a c t e r i s t i c . Occurs as anhedral t o subhedral c r y s t a l s i n
IDENTIFlCATION subhedral c r y s t a l s . More yellow subhedral t o anhedral grains ard as concentric layers w i t h other arsen-
CRITERIA t i n t , harder, and s l i g h t l y less exsolution Larnellae or lenses i n ide minerals. Also present as
anisotropic than l o e l l i n g i t e . hematite or magnetite. euhedral c r y s t a l s and s t a r l i k e
triplets.
44 SPRY AND GEDLmSKE

............... .................................... .................................... ....................................

GROUP NUMBER 18 18 18
............... .................................... .................................... ....................................
MINERAL Pyrolusite Ramnelsbergite Safflorite
............... .................................... .................................... ....................................
COMPOSITION Mn02 CoAs2
................................................... ........................................................................
SYSTEM Tetragonal Orthorhombi c Orthorhdic
................................................... ........................................................................
POLISHING (010) may be v i s i b l e (110) r a r e l y v i s i b l e Not v i s i b l e
CLEAVAGE
...................................................
AIR Medium t o strong: white with Strong: white Strong: white o f t e n with b l u i s h
d i s t i n c t creamy yellow t i n t tint
REFLECTANCE
AND .................................... I.... ................................ I..... ............................... I
COLOR OIL Medium t o strong: white w i t h Strong: white Strong: white o f t e n w i t h b l u i s h
d i s t i n c t creamy yellow t i n t tint
................................................... ........................................................................
R% 29.0 - 40.0 53.2 - 56.3 55 - 60
................................................... ........................................................................
VHN 146 - 243 585 - 803 285 - 464
................................................... ........................................................................
Hard (6-6.51, can vary depending Hard (5.5-6): w i c c o l i t e , Hard (4.5-5.5): >skutterudite,
POLISHING on g r a i n s i z e and o r i e n t a t i o n -pararamnelsbergite, - s k u t t e r u d i t e <arsenopyrite, c o b a l t i t e ,
HARDNESS <loellingite

.... .................................................................... ........................................

AIR Moderate: yellowish white t o l i g h t Weak Weak: b l u i s h t o gray
yellowish gray
PLEOCHROISM .................................... ..................................
yellowish white t o w h i t e Moderate: yellowish t o b l u i s h

............... .................................... ........................................................................

Strong: p u r p l i s h blue, pinkish,
Weak: b l u i s h t o gray

Strong, but not as strong as l o e l l

1
Strong: yellowish, brownish,
greenish blue, s l a t e gray brownish, and greenish; stronger i n g i t e : blue-gray t o dark brown;
ANISOTROPISM than pararamnelsbergite which i s d i f f e r i n g f o r d i f f e r e n t zones i n

I NTERNAL /
pinkish brown t o brown zonal textures
...........................................................................................................................
)lot present Not present Not present

I
REFLECTIONS
................................................... ................................... ....................................
(TWINNING N O ~present Consistant and c h a r a c t e r i s t i c Star-shaped twins common
twin lamellae
................................................... ................................... ....................................
Alabandite, b i x b y i t e , braunite, Ag and Bi minerals, allargentum, Ag and Bi minerals, antimony,
ASSOCIATED chalcophanite, goethite, arsenic, bisnuth, n i c c o l i t e , arsenic, bravoite, b r e i t h a u p t i t e ,
pararamnelsbergite, s i l v e r , dyscrasite, L innaei te, N i -Co arsen.
MINERALS hausmanni te, hematite, jacobsi te,
magnetite, manganite, p s i Lomelane 1 skutterudi t e ides, s i l v e r
.................................... .................................... ....................................
Association with Mn minerals, Strong reflectance, white color, Star-shaped twins, strong anisot-
reflectance, yellow t i n t s , anisotropy i n blue t o purple-blue ropy, and color are c h a r a c t e r i s t i c .
anisotropy, and frequent cracks t i n t s , twins, and association w i t h Occurs as r a d i a t i n g masses of anhe-
KEY r e s u l t i n g from manganite pseudo- Ni.Co minerals are c h a r a c t e r i s t i c . a l t o subhedral c r y s t a l s i n concen-
IDENTIFICATION morphs are c h a r a c t e r i s t i c . Occurs Occurs as f i n e - g r a i n e d aggregates t r i c Layers with other arsenide
CRITERIA as coarse-grained tabular c r y s t a l s of i n t e r l o c k i n g c r y s t a l s . Often i n minerals. ALSO present as euhedral
o r as banded aggregates. zonal, s p h e r u l i t i c , radiating, and c r y s t a l s and s t a r l i k e t r i p l e t s
fibrous textures.
 NONCOLORED MINERALS 45

............... ........................................................................ ....................................

GROUP NUMBER 19 19 19
............... ........................................................................ ....................................
MINERAL Cinnabar Jamesoni t e Lepidocroci t e
............... ........................................................................ ....................................
COMPOSITION H9S Pb4FeSb6Sq4 FeO.OH
................................................... ........................................................................
SYSTEM Hexagonal Monoclinic Orthorhombic

POLISHING
CLEAVAGE
I
...................................................
(lOTO) rarely visible
........................................................................
May be v i s i b l e
................................................... ........................................................................
Not v i s i b l e

AIR Medium: white with b l u i s h t o Strong: white Low: grayish white

greenish gray t i n t
REFLECTANCE
AND .................................... ........................................................................
COLOR OIL Medium: white with b l u i s h t o Strong: white Low: gray w i t h yellow or d i r t y
greenish gray t i n t greenish t i n t
............... ........................................................................ ....................................
R% 24.6 - 29.6 37.4 - 42.9 11.6 - 18.4
............... ........................................................................ ....................................
VHN 82 - 156 113 - 117 402
............... ........................................................................ ....................................
Soft (2-2.5): >realgar, Soft (2-3): -boulangerite, Medium (5): <goethite
POLISHING -o r > s t i h i t e , <galena, < < p y r i t e <galena, <stannite
HARDNESS

I ............... .....................................................................
AIR Weak t o d i s t i n c t along g r a i n
boundaries
Strong: white t o yellow-green

........................................................................ ....................................
....................................
Moderate: gray t o brownish gray

Moderate: yellowish gray-white t o Strong: white t o y e l low-green Moderate t o strong: white with
brownish gray-white b l u i s h t i n t , dark gray
.................................... ................................. ....................................
Strong, but t i n t s may be masked by Strong: gray, tan, brown, l i g h t Strong: shades of gray and white
i n t e r n a l r e f l e c t i o n s : l i g h t green blue, dark blue
ANISOTROPISM colors may be observed; also
various shades of gray with blue
and green t i n t s
.................................... .................................... ....................................
INTERNAL Abundant: b r i g h t red Comnon: reddish i n Bi jamesonite C m n : red
REFLECTIONS

TWINNING Sinuous and polysynthetic twins

may be present
1
............... .................................... .................................
Twin lamellae very c m n
....................................
Not present

.................................... .................................... ....................................

B e r t h i e r i t e , chalcopyrite, Arsenopyrite, boulangerite, chalco- Goethite, p y r i t e , and many minerals
ASSOCIATED c h a l c o s t i b i t e , galena, gold, p y r i t e , c h a l c o s t i b i t e , galena, o f the oxidation zone o f ore dep-
MINERALS marcasi te, orpiment, p y r l te, Pb sulfantimonides, p y r i t e , osi t s
realgar, s t i b n i t e sphaleri te, stanni t e
.................................... .................................... ....................................
Medium reflectance, abundant i n - Twins p a r a l l e l t o the elongation, Moderate pleochroism, intense
t e r n a l r e f l e c t i o n s , and frequent pleochroism, and anisotropism are and uncolored anisotropy, low
association with s t i b n i t e are c h a r a c t e r i s t i c . Occurs as needle- reflectance, and association with
KEY c h a r a c t e r i s t i c . Typical Ly anhedral l i k e or l a t h l i k e c r y s t a l s or goethite are c h a r a c t e r i s t i c . Occur:
IDENTIFICATION but may be euhedral. Shows redder bundles. as a weathering product of Fe
CRITERIA i n t e r n a l r e f l e c t i o n s than r u t i l e oxides and s u l f i d e s w i t h goethite.
o r realgar.
 SPRY AND GEDLINSKE

............... ................................... ................................ ....................................

GROUP NUMBER 19 19 19
............... ................................... ................................ ....................................
MINERAL Miargyrite Orpiment P r o u s t i t e - Pyrargyrite
............... ................................... ................................. ....................................
COMPOSITION A9SbS2 Ag3AsS3 - Ag3SbS3
As2S3
.................................................. .................................... ....................................
SYSTEM Monocl in i c Monoclinic Hexagonal
.................................................. .................................... ....................................
POLISHING Not v i s i b l e (010) o f t e n v i s i b l e Not v i s i b l e
CLEAVAGE
.................................................. .................................... ....................................
AIR Strong: white Mediun: whitish gray t o gray Medium: b l u i s h gray-white;
p r o u s t i t e i s bluer and s l i g h t l y
REFLECTANCE darker than pyrargyri t e
AND ................................... .................................... ....................................
COLOR OIL Medium: white w i t h b l u i s h t i n t Mediun: whitish gray t o gray Medium: b l u i s h gray-whi te;
p r o u s t i t e i s bluer and s l i g h t l y
darker than pyrargyri t e
................................... ................................... ...................................
31.6 - 34.5
...................................
23.0 - 27.5
...................................
27.4 - 30.3
...................................
88 - 130 22 - 58 103 - 144 ( a t 50 g)
................................... ................................... ...................................
Soft (2.5): >dyscrasite, Soft (1.5-2): >realgar, Soft (2.5-3): >>argentite,
POLISHING > p l y b a s 1t e i s m a l e r i t e , <<arsenopyrite, > p e a r c e i t e - p l y b a s i t e , <galena
HARDNESS <<stibnite

............... .................................... ................................. ....................................

Alfi Moderate: white t o b l u i s h gray Strong: white t o d u l l gray with Moderate t o strong: proustite,
reddish t i n t white w i t h yellowish t i n t t o bluisb
gray; pyrargyrite, shades o f gray
PLEOCHROISM .................................... ....................................
Oll Moderate: white t o b l u i s h gray with Strong: grayish white t o gray with Strong: proustite, grayish blue
reddish cream t i n t red t i n t w i t h brownish t i n t t o dark grayish
blue; pyrargyrite, shades o f gray
............... .................................... .................................... ....................................
Strong, but may be masked by i n t e r - Strong, but o f t e n masked by i n t e r - Strong, but may be masked by i n t e r .
nal r e f l e c t i o n s : blue-gray t o nal r e f l e c t i o n s nal r e f l e c t i o n s : grayish t o brown.
ANISOTROPISM , brownish ish t i n t s

INTERNAL
REFLECTIONS
I
................................................... .................................... ....................................
C m n : deep red Abundant: intense white t o vellow Abundant: intense red t o orange

/TUINNING 1
...................................................
Rare p l y s y n t h e t i c twins
....................................
Not present
....................................
....................................
Simple or lamellar twins may be
observed
....................................
............... ....................................
Ag and Co-Ni minerals, dyscrasite, Arsenic, arsenopyri te, cinnabar, Ag s u l f o s a l t s , arsenopyrite,
ASSOCIATED galena, pearceite-polybasite, l o e l l i n g i t e , marcasite, p y r i t e , chalcopyrite, Co-Ni minerals, f r e i -
MINERALS sphalerite, t e t r a h e d r i t e - tennanti t c realgar, sphalerite, s t i b n i t e bergite, galena, p y r i t e , sphaler-
i t e , tetrahedrite-tennantite
.................................... .................................... ....................................
Deep red i n t e r n a l r e f l e c t i o n s , Softness, intense yellow i n t e r n a l Bluish t i n t and abundant red i n t e r -
strong anisotropy, and strong r e f l e c t i o n s , and association with nal r e f l e c t i o n s are c h a r a c t e r i s t i c .
reflectance are c h a r a c t e r i s t i c . realgar are c h a r a c t e r i s t i c . Occurs P r o u s t i t e i s darker than pyrarg-
Occurs as granular anhedral aggre. as tabular i n t e r l o c k i n g anhedral y r i t e and shows more abundant i n t -
gates. masses ard as needlelike o r Lath- ernal r e f l e c t i o n s . Occurs as i r r e g -
Like c r y s t a l s . u l a r grains and aggregates.
Crystals sometimes zoned. Prousite
i s associated w i t h As minerals and
p y r a r g y r i t e with Sb minerals.
....................................
 NONCOLORED MINERALS 47
...........................................................................................................................
GROUP NUMBER 19 20 20
...........................................................................................................................
MINERAL Psi 1omel ane Berthierit e Boulangeri t e
...........................................................................................................................
COMPOSITION General term f o r massive manganese FeSb2S4 Pb5Sb4S11
oxides
...........................................................................................................................
SYSTEM No d e f i n i t e c r y s t a l system Orthorhmbic Monoc lin i c
...........................................................................................................................
POLISHING Not v i s i b l e Rarely v i s i b l e Not v i s i b l e
CLEAVAGE
...........................................................................................................................
AIR Medium: b l u i s h gray t o grayish Strong: white-gray w i t h pinkish Strong: white with b l u i s h green
white or brownish t i n t tint
REFLECTANCE
AND ............................................................................................................
COLOR OIL Medium: b l u i s h gray t o grayish Strong, rmch Lower than i n a i r : Strong: gray-green
white white-gray w i t h pinkish or brownish
tint
...........................................................................................................................
R% 15.0 - 30.0 - 42.0 36.6 37.4 - 41.8
...........................................................................................................................
VHN 203 - 813 - 213 102 92 - 125
...........................................................................................................................
Hard (5-6): >manganite, < p y r o l u s i t e Soft (2-3): z s t i b n i t e , -cinnabar, S o f t (2.5-3): <bournonite, <galena
POLISHING <$*alerite, <<arsenopyrite,
HARDNESS <<pyrite

............................................................................................................
Strong: white t o b l u i s h gray Strong: brownish pink t o gray-white Weak but d i s t i n c t : gray-green t o

1I. . . . . . .
t o white gray-white

PLEOCHROISM ........................................................................ ....................................

OIL Strong: white t o b l u i s h gray Strong: yellow-green o r o l i v e t o Moderate: gray-green t o gray-white
grayish yellow-green t o white
. ........................................................................ ....................................
Strong: gray-white, sometimes Strong: blue, gray, white, brown, Moderate t o strong: l i g h t tan,
brownish pink brown, b l u i s h gray, greenish shades
AN ISOTROP ISM

INTERNAL Rare: brown Not present I Rare: red

REFLECTIONS
....................................................................................... ...................................
TWINNING Not present Not present Not present
............................................................................................................
Chalcophanite, goethite, graphite, Ag s u l f o s a l t s , arsenopyrite, Bournonite, chalcopyrite, galena,
ASSOCIATED hausmannite, manganite, p y r o l u s i t e chalcopyrite, cinnabar, galena, jamesonite, p y r i t e , sphalerite,
MINERALS gold, sphalerite, s t i b n i t e , p y r i t e tetrahedrite-tennantite

........................................................................ ....................................
Col loform texture, moderate Association with s t i b n i t e , strong Bluish green t i n t , anisotropy, and
reflectance, anisotropy, and pleochroism, and anisotropism are associated minerals are character-
pleochroism are c h a r a c t e r i s t i c . c h a r a c t e r i s t i c . Occurs as euhedral i s t i c . Usually occurs as granular
KEY Occurs as b o t r y o i d a l MSSeS o f very needlelike c r y s t a l s and as subhe- or^ f i b r o u s aggregates.
IDENTIFICATION f i n e acicular c r y s t a l s i n concent- d r a l aggregates.
CRITERIA r i c layers.

...............
48 SPRY AND GEDLINSKE

............... ........................................................................ ....................................

GROUP NUMBER 20 20 20
............... ........................................................................ ....................................
MINERAL Calcite Chalcophanite Graphite
............... ........................................................................ ....................................
COMPOSITION CaC03 (Z~,F~+~,M~+~)M~+~~O~.~H~O C
................................................... .................................... ....................................
SYSTEM Hexagonal Triclinic Hexagonal
................................................... .................................... ....................................
POLISHING Often v i s i b l e (0001) always v i s i b l e (0001) may be v i s i b l e
CLEAVAGE
...................................................

REFLECTANCE
AND
AIR Low: g r a y

........................
Low t o medium: w h i t e t o gray Low: brownish g r a y t o g r a y i s h
black
........................................................................
I
COLOR OIL Low: gray Low t o medium: w h i t e t o gray Low: brownish g r a y t o g r a y i s h
black
............... ............................................................................................................
R% No data 9.9 - 24.9 6.8 - 17.4
............... ............................................................................................................
VH N No d a t a 188 - 253 12 - 16 ( a t 50 g)
............... ........................................................................ ....................................
S o f t ( 3 ) : <<quartz S o f t (2.5): m a n g a n i t e , S o f t ( 1 - 2 ) : Less than most
POLISHING <<frank[ i n i t e associated minerals
HARDNESS

................................................... .................................... ....................................

AIR Strong Strong: pure w h i t e t o dark g r a y Strong: brown-gray w i t h y e l l o w
t i n t t o b l u i s h gray

PLEOCHROISM .................................... .................................... ....................................

OIL Strong Strong: pure w h i t e t o dark g r a y Strong: brown-gray w i t h y e l l o w
t i n t t o almost c o n p l e t e l y b l a c k
....................................................................... ....................................
Strong, b u t p a r t l y masked b y v e r y Strong: w h i t e t o g r a y Strong: straw y e l l o w t o dark brown
Light i n t e r n a l r e f l e c t i o n s t o violet-gray
AN ISOTROP ISM

I.... ........... ................................... .................................... ....................................

INTERNAL Light internal reflections Not present, except when Zn r i c h Not present
REFLECTIONS
............... ............................................................................................................
TWINNING Polysynthetic twins ~ o present
t ~ o present
t
....................................................................... ...................................
Many m i n e r a l s i n c l u d i n g F r a n k l i n i t e , hausmannite, Arsenopyri te, galena, magnetite,
ASSOCIATED arsenopyrite, c h a l c o p y r i t e , galena, manganite, psilomelane, p y r o l u s i t e p s i Lomelane, p y r i t e , p y r r h o t i t e ,
MINERALS magnetite, s p h a l e r i t e , p y r i t e , zincite realgar, sphalerite
pyrrhotite, quartz
....................................................................... ...................................
Low r e f l e c t a n c e , s t r o n g pleochro- Strong a n i s o t r o p i s m and p l e o c h r o i s Strong pleochroism and a n i s o t r o p -
ism and anisotropism, and p o l y - i n w h i t e t o gray a r e c h a r a c t e r i s - ism w i t h y e l l o w t i n t , low r e f e c -
synthetic twins are c h a r a c t e r i s t i c . t i c . Occurs as aggregates o f t a b - tance, and p e r f e c t l y developed
O f t e n x e n m o r p h i c and may occur u l a r and r a d i a t i n g c r y s t a l s and as cleavage a r e c h a r a c t e r i s t i c . Occur
as euhedral c r y s t a l s . F r e q u e n t l y c o l l o f o r m bands i n secondary Mn as small p l a t e s , laths, and bundle
replaced by q u a r t z . C m n gangue ores. o f blades. Undulose e x t i n c t i o n
mineral. c m n . More comnon than molywen-
it e .
I............ ...
 NONCOLORED MINERALS 49
............... ................................*... .......................................................................
GROUP NUMBER 20 20 20
................................................... .......................................................................
MINERAL Mackinawite Marcasite MolyWenite
................................................... .......................................................................
COMPOSITION (Fe,Ni )9S8 FeS2 MoS2
............... ................................... .......................................................................
SYSTEM Tetragonal Orthorhwbic Hexagonal
............... ................................... .......................................................................
POLISHING (001) may be v i s i b l e (101) o f t e n v i s i b l e (0001) o f t e n v i s i b l e
CLEAVAGE
............... .................................... .................................... ...................................
AIR Strong: pinkish o r reddish gray Strong: yellowish white with Medium t o strong: white t o gray,
greenish o r pinkish t i n t may have b l u i s h t i n t
REFLECTANCE
AND .................................... .................................... ...................................
COLOR 01 L Strong: pinkish o r reddish gray Strong: yellowish white with Medium t o strong: white t o gray,
greenish o r pinkish t i n t may have b l u i s h t i n t
............... .................................... .................................... ...................................
R% 22 - 46 48.2 - 55.8
............... .................................... .................................... ...................................
19.5 - 38.5

VHN 52 - 58
............... ....................................
1288 - 1681 8 - 100
.................................... ...................................
Medium (4): - p y r r h o t i t e Hard (6-6.5): -pyrite, >pyrrhotite Soft (1-1.5): <bismuth,
POLISHING <<cassiterite, <<cobalt ite,
HARDNESS <<wolframite

.................................... .................................... ...................................

Strong: pinkish gray t o gray Strong: white with brown t i n t , Strong: white t o gray with bluish
yellow with green t i n t tint
.................................... ................................... ...................................
Strong: pinkish gray t o gray Strong: white with brown t i n t , Strong: white t o gray with bluish
yellow w i t h green t i n t tint
.................................... .................................... ...................................
Strong: grayish white, bluish, Strong: blue, green-yellow Strong: white with pinkish or
brownish dark blue t i n t

1 NTERNAL
REFLECTIONS
1
................................................... .........................
~ o present
t Not present

................................................... .......................................................................
...................
Not present

TWINNING Lamellar twins may be v i s i b l e Lamellar twins nearly always Not present
present
................................................... .......................................................................
Arsenopyrite, chalcopyrite, Cinnabar, galena, magnetite, Bisrmth, brannerite, c a s s i t e r i t e ,
ASSOCIATED c o b a l t i t e , cubani te, magnetite, orpiment, p y r i t e , p y r r h o t i t e , c o b a l t i t e , Co-Ni arsenides,
MINERALS pentlandite, p y r r h o t i t e sphaleri t e enargite, galena, magnetite,
n i c c o l i t e , pitchblende, sphalerite
uranini te, wolf rami t e
.................................... .......................................................................
Strong pleochroiSm and anisotrop- Strong anisotropisrn i n b l u e t o Strong anisotropism and pleochro-
ism, and association as small ex- green-yellow, strong reflectance, ism, lamellar texture, and cleavag~
s o l u t i o n blebs with chalcopyrite lameltar twins, and association (0001) are c h a r a c t e r i s t i c . Occurs
KEY o r p e n t l a r d i t e are c h a r a c t e r i s t i c . with p y r i t e are c h a r a c t e r i s t i c . as small, o f t e n deformed, plates
IDENTIFICATION Association with cubanite i s also Occurs as subhedral t o Lamellar and i r r e g u l a r inclusions. More
CRITERIA c h a r a c t e r i s t i c . Occurs as small intergrowths with p y r i t e as euhe- r a r e l y as rosettes or colloform
wormlike grains and lamellae. d r a l crystals. Also occurs as bands.
1 r a d i a t i n g colloform bands.
I
50 SPRY AND GEDLINSKE

................................................... ........................................................................
GROUP NUMBER 20 20 20
................................................... ........................................................................
MINERAL Stibnite Sylvanite Tenori t e
................................................... ........................................................................
COMPOSITION AgAuTe4 CuO
Sb2S3
................................................... ........................................................................
SYSTEM Orthorhonbic Monoclinic Monoclinic
................................................... ........................................................................
POLISHING Rarely v i s i b l e (010) and (100) may be v i s i b l e Not v i s i b l e
CLEAVAGE
................................................... .................................... ....................................
AIR Strong: white t o grayish white Strong: creamy white Medium: gray-white with brown t i n t

REFLECTANCE

oILI .................................... ........................................................................

Strong: white t o grayish white

............... ..................................
Strong: creamy white Medium, much lower than i n a i r :
gray w i t h brownish t i n t
.................................... ....................................
R% 31.1 - 48.1 50.3 - 59.0 20.9 - 25.2
............... .................................. .................................... ....................................
VHN 42 - 153 91 - 104 304 - 339
............... .................................. .................................... ....................................
Soft (2): > o r p i m n t , >realgar, Soft (1.5-2): >acanthite-argentite, Medium (3.5): >copper, <cuprite,
POLISHING
HARDNESS
- or <berthierite <galena, <gold, s p h a l e r i t e <delafossi te, <goethi t e

................................................... ........................................................................
AIR Strong: d u l l gray-white, brownish Moderate: creamy white t o creamy Moderate: white t o gray
gray, white brown
PLEOCHROlSM ........................................................................
Strong: d u l l gray-white, brownish Moderate: creamy white t o creamy Strong: white t o gray w i t h brown.
gray, white brown violet t i n t
....................................................................................... ....................................
Strong, but o f t e n undulose e x t i n c - Strong: l i g h t b l u i s h gray t o dark Strong: blue t o l i g h t creamy gray
t i o n : blue, gray, brown, pinkish brown
ANISOTROPISM brown

.............................. ............................... ...............................

INTERNAL NO^ ~ r e s e n t I -L;'Dresent 1 -No;-~resent

........................................................................ ....................................
Pressure twins, deformation twins Polysynthetic twins always present Lamellar twins comnon
c m n
........................................................................ ....................................
Ag minerals, antimony, b e r t h i e r i t e , Acanthite-argentite, bornite, Copper, Cu- Fe oxides, delaf ossi te,
ASSOCIATED chalcopyrite, cinnabar, gold, As, Bi, and Sb sulfides, galena, goethite
MINERALS orpiment, p y r i t e , p y r r h o t i t e , gold, sphalerite, t e l l u r i d e s
realgar, sphaleri t e
.................................... .................................... ....................................
Deformed twins, strong pleochroism, Remarkable t w i n Lamllae, strong Brown t i n t , strong anisotropy, and
a d anisotropy are c h a r a c t e r i s t i c . reflectance, pleochroism and t w i n lamellae are characteristic.
Occurs as granular aggregates and anisotropism, and association Occurs as aggregates of acicular
KEY Lathlike crystals. with t e l l u r i d e s are c h a r a c t e r i s t i c . c r y s t a l s and as concentrically
IDENTIFICATION Occurs as s k e l e t a l blades. grown aggregates.
CRITERIA
 NONCOLORED MINERALS

............... ....................................
GROUP NUMBER 20
............... ....................................
MINERAL Val l e r i i t e
............... ....................................
COMPOSITION 1 ~(F~,CU)S.~(M~,AL)(OH)~
...................................................
SYSTEM Hexagonal
...................................................
POLISHING
CLEAVAGE
I Not v i s i b l e
1
...................................................
AIR Low: brown, bronze t o gray

REFLECTANCE
AND ....................................
COLOR 01 L Low: brown, bronze t o gray

............... ...................................
R% 14.2 - 22.0
............... ...................................
VHN 30 ( a t 50 g)
............... ...................................
Medium (3.5-4): -pentlandite,

I
POLISHING
HARDNESS
>chalcopyrite, < c h r m i t e

..................................................
AIR Strong: bronze t o gray

I P L E O C H R O ~ s ~....................................
OIL1 Strong: bronze t o gray I
....................................
Strong: white t o gray-bronze with
a s a t i n l i k e texture
ANISOTROPISM

............ ....................................
INTERNAL Not present
REFLECTIONS
...................................................
TWINNING ~ o present
t
....................................
Chalcopyrite, c h r m i t e , ilmenite,
ASSOCIATED magnetite, m i l l e r i t e , pentlandite,
MINERALS sperrylite

....................................
Low reflectance, strong pleochro-
ism, and anisotropy are character-
i s t i c . Occurs as veinLets, i n t e r -

IKEY
s t i t i a l f i l l i n g s , a d t i n y blebs
IDENTIFICATION i n and around associated minerals.
CRITERIA Graphite and rnackinawite are
similar.
 INDEX

Acanthite, 3 1 Djurleite, 18 Pitchblende, 16

Alabandite, 11 Dyscrasite, 3 3 Platinum, 22
Allargentum, 1 9 Electrum, 9 Polybasite, 28, 36
Amphibole, 1 1 Enargite, 5, 41 Proustite, 46
Antimony, 40 Famatinite, 2 Psilomelane, 47
Argentite, 3 1 Feldspar, 1 3 Pyrargyrite, 46
Arsenic, 40 Franklinite, 1 3 Pyrite, 9, 26
Arsenopyrite, 4 3 Freibergite, 14, 18 Pyrolusite, 44
Berthierite, 47 Galena, 18 Pyroxene, 1 5
Biotite, 11 Garnet, 14 Pyrrhotite, 6, 42
Bismuth, 38 Gersdorffite, 24 Quartz, 1 5
Bismuthinite, 3 8 Glaucodot, 33 Rammelsbergite, 44
Bixbyite, 22 Goethite, 30, 3 5 Realgar, 28, 37
Bornite, 6, 7 Gold, 9 Rutile, 37
Boulangerite, 38, 47 Graphite, 48 Safflorite, 44
Bournonite, 32, 39 Hausmannite, 35 Scheelite, 29
Braggite, 41 Hematite, 30, 36 Siegenite, 26
Brannerite, 12 Idaite, 2 Silver, 1 9
Braunite, 23, 3 3 Ilmenite, 4 3 Skutterudite, 26
Bravoite, 7 Jacobsite, 14, 25 Sperrylite, 27
Breithauptite, 1 Jamesonite, 45 Sphalerite, 1 5
Calaverite, 17 Krennerite, 39 Stannite, 42
Calcite, 48 Lepidocrocite, 45 Stephanite, 3 1
Carrollite, 20, 23 Linnaeite, 25 Stibnite, 50
Cassiterite, 29, 34 Loellingite, 43 Stromeyerite, 39
Chalcocite, 6, 1 7 Luzonite, 2 Sylvanite, 50
Chalcophanite, 48 Mackinawite, 3, 49 Tantalite, 12, 30
Chalcopyrite, 7, 8 Maghemite, 2 1 Tennantite, 9, 16, 22
Chalcostibite, 32 Magnetite, 25 Tenorite, 50
Chromite, 12, 23 Manganite, 36 Tetrad~mite,19, 32, 40
Cinnabar, 34, 45 Marcasite, 3, 49 Tetrahedrite, 9, 16, 22
Cobaltite, 24, 34 Maucherite, 2 1 Ullmanite, 27
Coffinite, 20, 24 Mawsonite, 3 Ulvite, 10
Columbite, 12, 30 Miargyrite, 46 Ulvospinel, 10
Cooperite, 20 Millerite, 5 Uraninite, 16
Copper, 8 Molybdenite, 49 Valleriite, 4, 5 1
Covellite, 1 Niccolite, 4, 5 Violerite, 27
Cubanite, 4, 41 Orpiment, 46 Wolframite, 3 1
Cuprite, 13, 28, 3 5 Pararammelsbergite, 42 Wurtzite, 1 6
Delafossite, 1 Pearceite, 28, 36 Zincite, 17, 29, 37
Digenite, 8 Pentlandite, 21