Isocubanite Mineral Data

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General Isocubanite Information

Chemical Formula:

CuFe2S3

Composition:

Molecular Weight = 271.44 gm

Iron 41.15 % Fe

Copper 23.41 % Cu

Sulfur 35.44 % S

______

100.00 %

Empirical Formula:

CuFe²⁺₂S₃

Environment:

Primary sulfide precipitate from hot, saline solutions that cool under seawater.

IMA Status:

Approved IMA 1988

Locality:

Submarine "black smokers", East Pacific Rise and Red Sea. Link to MinDat.org Location Data.

Name Origin:

Named as the isometric polymorph of cubanite.

Name Pronunciation:

Isocubanite + Pronunciation

Synonym:

ICSD 42105

Isochalcopyrite

PDF 27-166

Isocubanite Image

Images:

Isocubanite Isochalcopyrite

Comments: SEM image of an aggregate of idiomorphic grains of isocubanite (formerly known as isochalcopyrite) associated with minor pyrite.
Location: Submarine sulphide deposits of the East Pacific Rise (EPR) and the Red Sea. Scale: See Image.
© Mineralogical Magazine

Images:

Isocubanite Isochalcopyrite

Comments: Polished section showing isocubanite (formerly isochalcopyrite) with exsolved chalcopyrite infilling and replacing cross-bedded turbiditic hydrothermally altered sandstone.
Location: Unit VI, Deep Copper Zone, Bent Hill Massive Sulfide Deposit, Middle Valley, Northern Juan de Fuca Ridge. Scale: See Image.
© National Resouces of Canada

Isocubanite Crystallography

Cell Dimensions:

a = 5.303, Z = 1.333; V = 149.13 Den(Calc)= 4.03

Crystal System:

Isometric - HexoctahedralH-M Symbol (4/m 3 2/m) Space Group: F m3m

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

By Intensity(I/I_o): 3.059(1), 1.876(0.7), 1.602(0.5),

Crystal Structure:

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Szymanski J T , Zeitschrift fur Kristallographie , 140 (1974) p.240-248, The crystal structure of high-temperature CuFe2S3, Locality: Strathcona mine, Sudbury, Ontario

Physical Properties of Isocubanite

Color:

Bronze.

Density:

3.925

Diaphaneity:

Opaque

Hardness:

3.5 - Copper Penny

Luster:

Metallic

Optical Properties of Isocubanite

RL Color:

Pinkish brown, similar to bornite.

Reflectivity

**Standardized Intensity (100%) Reflection Spectra of Isocubanite in Air**
λ	R	∑ R(λ)
420 nm	22.70
440 nm	24.60
460 nm	26.90
480 nm	29.20
500 nm	31.30
520 nm	33.20
540 nm	34.50
560 nm	36.20
580 nm	37.40
600 nm	38.20
620 nm	39.10
640 nm	39.70
660 nm	40.30
680 nm	40.90
700 nm	41.30

**Calculated Relative Intensity Colors of Isocubanite in Air**
Relative Intensity	0%	40%	80%	100%	120%	160%	200%	240%	280%	320%	340%
R

Calculated Properties of Isocubanite

Electron Density:

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

Fermion Index:

Fermion Index = 0.01
Boson Index = 0.99

Photoelectric:

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

Radioactivity:

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

Isocubanite Classification

Dana Class:

02.09.13.03 (02)Sulfides - Including Selenides and Tellurides

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

(02.09.13)Cubanite Group

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

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

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

Strunz Class:

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

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

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

02.CB.55b Isocubanite CuFe2S3 F m3m 4/m 3 2/m

Other Isocubanite Information

References:

NAME( Dana8) PHYS. PROP.(Am.Min.,Vol.74,p503,1989) OPTIC PROP.(AntBidBlaNic1)

See Also:

Links to other databases for Isocubanite :
1 - Am. Min. Crystal Structure Database
2 - Athena
3 - EUROmin Project
4 - Ecole des Mines de Paris
5 - Google Images
6 - Google Scholar
7 - Handbook of Mineralogy (MinSocAm)
8 - Handbook of Mineralogy (UofA)
9 - MinDAT
10 - MinMax(Deutsch)
11 - MinMax(English)
12 - Mineralienatlas (Deutsch)
13 - QUT Mineral Atlas
14 - Ruff.Info

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

Isocubanite

CuFe2S3
Dana No: 02.09.13.03 Strunz No: 02.CB.55b
Locality:

Notes: