Bornite Mineral Data

General Bornite Information

Chemical Formula:

Cu5FeS4

Composition:

Molecular Weight = 501.84 gm

Iron 11.13 % Fe

Copper 63.31 % Cu

Sulfur 25.56 % S

______

100.00 %

Empirical Formula:

Cu₅Fe²⁺S₄

Environment:

Disseminated in igneous intrusions and a primary and secondary mineral in copper ore veins.

IMA Status:

Valid Species (Pre-IMA) 1725

Locality:

Cornwall, England and Arizona porphyry copper deposits. Link to MinDat.org Location Data.

Name Origin:

Named after the Austrian mineralogist, I. von Born (1742-1791).

Name Pronunciation:

Bornite

Synonym:

ICSD 1963

PDF 42-1405

Bornite Image

Images:

Bornite

Comments: Metallic, crystalline bornite crystal with bluish tarnish.
Location: Kamoto mine, Kolwezi, Shaba, Dem. Repub. Congo. Scale: Size Not Given.
© Lou Perloff / Photo Atlas of Minerals

Images:

Bornite Isomertieite Arsenopalladinite Gold

Comments: Light grayish grain of intimately intergrown isomertieite and arsenopalladinite (in the center of the picture), with pale yellow gold and brownish to violet bornite. Polished section (from microprobe analysis) in reflected light.
Location: Noril'sk, Putoran Mts, Taymyrskiy Autonomous Okrug, Eastern-Siberian Region, Russia. Scale: Picture size 0.1 mm.
© Thomas Witzke / Abraxas-Verlag

Images:

Bornite Briartite Catamarcaite

Comments: Briartite-type phase (Bri) in close association with catamarcaite (Ct) lining a cavity in massive bornite (Bn) - chalcocite (Cc) ore; Sp is sphalerite (CanMin v44:1481).
Location: Bornite-rich ore from old dumps near the La Rosario vein, Capillitas epithermal deposit, Catamarca Province, Argentina.. Scale: See Image.
© Canadian Mineralogist

Bornite Crystallography

Axial Ratios:

a:b:c =0.5008:1:0.5008

Cell Dimensions:

a = 10.95, b = 21.862, c = 10.95, Z = 16; V = 2,621.31 Den(Calc)= 5.09

Crystal System:

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

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

By Intensity(I/I_o): 1.937(1), 3.18(0.6), 2.74(0.5),

Crystal Structure:

Mouse
drag1 - LMB Manipulate Structure
drag2 - RMB Resize/Rotate
Keyboard
S - Stereo Pair on/off
H - Help Screen
I - Data Info
A - Atoms On/Off
P - Polyhedra On/Off
B - Bonds On/Off
Help on Above

Tunell G , Adams C E , American Mineralogist , 34 (1949) p.824-829, On the symmetry and crystal structure of bornite

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

Physical Properties of Bornite

Cleavage:

{111} Imperfect

Color:

Copper red, Bronze brown, Purple.

Density:

4.9 - 5.3, Average = 5.09

Diaphaneity:

Opaque

Fracture:

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

Habit:

Granular - Generally occurs as anhedral to subhedral crystals in matrix.

Habit:

Massive - Granular - Common texture observed in granite and other igneous rock.

Habit:

Reniform - "Kidney like" in shape (e.g.. hematite).

Hardness:

3 - Calcite

Luminescence:

Non-fluorescent.

Luster:

Metallic

Magnetism:

Magnetic after heating

Streak:

grayish black

Optical Properties of Bornite

RL Anisotrophism:

Weak.

RL Color:

Brown, pinkish.

RL Pleochroism:

Weak but noticeable.

Reflectivity

**Standardized Intensity (100%) Reflection Spectra of Bornite in Air**
λ	R	∑ R(λ)
400 nm	19.80
420 nm	18.80
440 nm	17.80
460 nm	17.30
480 nm	17.50
500 nm	18.60
520 nm	19.80
540 nm	21.10
560 nm	22.70
580 nm	24.40
600 nm	25.90
620 nm	27.30
640 nm	28.60
660 nm	29.70
680 nm	30.30
700 nm	30.60

**Calculated Relative Intensity Colors of Bornite in Air**
Relative Intensity	0%	50%	100%	150%	200%	250%	300%	350%	400%	450%	490%
R

Calculated Properties of Bornite

Electron Density:

Bulk Density (Electron Density)=4.77 gm/cc
note: Specific Gravity of Bornite =5.09 gm/cc.

Fermion Index:

Fermion Index = 0.0042761281
Boson Index = 0.9957238719

Photoelectric:

PE_Bornite= 33.28 barns/electron
U=PE_Bornite x rElectron Density= 158.63 barns/cc.

Radioactivity:

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

Bornite Classification

Dana Class:

02.05.02.01 (02)Sulfides - Including Selenides and Tellurides

(02.05)where Am Bn Xp, with (m+n):p=3:2

(02.05.02)Dana Group

02.05.02.01 Bornite Cu5FeS4 P bca 2/m 2/m 2/m

Strunz Class:

02.BA.10 02 - SULFIDES and SULFOSALTS (sulfides, selenides, tellurides; arsenides, antimonides, bismuthides; sulfarsenites, sulf

02.B - Metal Sulfides, M:S > 1:1 (mainly 2:1)

02.BA -With Cu, Ag, Au

02.BA.10 Bornite Cu5FeS4 P bca 2/m 2/m 2/m

Other Bornite Information

References:

NAME( Duda&Rejl90) PHYS. PROP.(Enc. of Minerals,2nd ed.,1990) OPTIC PROP.(AntBidBlaNic1)

Search for Bornite using:

[AOL] [Bing] [Dog Pile] [GeoScienceWorld] [HotBot] [Ixquick] [Lycos] [MAMMA] [Scirus] [Teoma] [WebCrawler] [Wikipedia] [YAHOO]

Visit our Advertisers for Bornite :

A Bijoux Google Search for Bornite
Adam's Minerals Google Search for Bornite
Cape Minerals Google Search for Bornite
Dakota Matrix Minerals Google Search for Bornite
Excalibur Mineral Corp. Google Search for Bornite
Exceptional Minerals Google Search for Bornite
John Betts Fine Minerals Search for Bornite
McDougall Minerals Google Search for Bornite
Mineral News Website Link
Rock and Mineral Shows Google Search for Bornite
Weinrich Minerals, Inc. Google Search for Bornite

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

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

Bornite

Cu5FeS4
Dana No: 02.05.02.01 Strunz No: 02.BA.10
Locality:

Notes: