Mawsonite Mineral Data

General Mawsonite Information

Chemical Formula:

Cu+6Fe+++2Sn++++S8

Composition:

Molecular Weight = 868.21 gm

Iron 12.86 % Fe

Copper 43.92 % Cu

Tin 13.67 % Sn

Sulfur 29.55 % S

______

100.00 %

Empirical Formula:

Cu₆Fe³⁺₂SnS₈

Environment:

In massive to disseminated hydrothermal copper ores within highly altered volcanic rocks of Cambrian age.

IMA Status:

Approved IMA 1965

Locality:

Mt. Lyell, Tasmainia and Tingha, NSW, Australia. Link to MinDat.org Location Data.

Name Origin:

Named for Douglas Mawson (1882-1958), Australian geologist and Antarctic explorer.

Name Pronunciation:

Mawsonite + Pronunciation

Synonym:

ICSD 40047

PDF 29-557

Mawsonite Image

Images:

Mawsonite

Comments: Mawsonite inclusions in brassy yellow chalcopyrite.
Location: Mount Lyell, Queenstown, Tasmania, Australia. Scale: See Photo.
© Jeff Weissman / Photographic Guide to Mineral Species

Images:

Mawsonite

Comments: Polished Secton (PPL) showing traces of digenite (dig) throughout massive bornite (bn). A large grain of mawsonite (mw) is present at the bottom right.
Location: Kidd Creek Volcanogenic Massive Sulfide deposit, Western Abitibi Subprovince, Timmins, Ontario, Canada. Scale: Picture Size 0.5 mm.
© National Resouces of Canada

Mawsonite Crystallography

Axial Ratios:

a:c = 1:0.70472

Cell Dimensions:

a = 7.603, c = 5.358, Z = 1; V = 309.72 Den(Calc)= 4.65

Crystal System:

Tetragonal - ScalenohedralH-M Symbol (4 2m) Space Group: P 4m2

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

By Intensity(I/I_o): 3.09(1), 1.895(0.8), 1.618(0.6),

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

Szymanski J T , The Canadian Mineralogist , 14 (1976) p.529-535, The crystal structure of mawsonite, Cu6Fe2SnS8

Physical Properties of Mawsonite

Cleavage:

{???} Indistinct, {???} Indistinct

Color:

Brown orange, Bronze.

Density:

4.66

Diaphaneity:

Opaque

Habit:

Inclusions - Generally found as inclusions in other minerals.

Habit:

Microscopic Crystals - Crystals visible only with microscopes.

Hardness:

3.5-4 - Copper Penny-Fluorite

Luster:

Metallic

Magnetism:

Magnetic

Optical Properties of Mawsonite

RL Anisotrophism:

Very strong, from bright straw-yellow to bright royal blue to dark blue.

RL Color:

Brownish orange.

RL Pleochroism:

Strong, orange to brown with slight orange tint.

Reflectivity

**Standardized Intensity (100%) Reflection Spectra of Mawsonite in Air**
λ	R₁	R₂	∑ R₁(λ)	∑ R₂(λ)
400 nm	9.50	12.20
420 nm	10.50	13.50
440 nm	11.50	14.80
460 nm	13.00	16.30
480 nm	14.60	18.00
500 nm	16.50	19.80
520 nm	18.50	21.60
540 nm	20.60	23.00
560 nm	23.00	24.50
580 nm	25.60	25.80
600 nm	28.20	27.00
620 nm	30.00	28.00
640 nm	31.50	29.00
660 nm	32.90	29.90
680 nm	34.20	30.70
700 nm	35.20	31.50

**Calculated Relative Intensity Colors of Mawsonite in Air**
Relative Intensity	0%	80%	100%	160%	240%	320%	400%	480%	560%	640%	710%
R₁
R₂

Calculated Properties of Mawsonite

Electron Density:

Bulk Density (Electron Density)=4.33 gm/cc
note: Specific Gravity of Mawsonite =4.65 gm/cc.

Fermion Index:

Fermion Index = 0.02
Boson Index = 0.98

Photoelectric:

PE_Mawsonite= 65.95 barns/electron
U=PE_Mawsonite x rElectron Density= 285.41 barns/cc.

Radioactivity:

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

Mawsonite Classification

Dana Class:

02.09.03.01 (02)Sulfides - Including Selenides and Tellurides

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

(02.09.03)Mawsonite Group

02.09.03.01 Mawsonite Cu6Fe2SnS8 P 4m2 4 2m

02.09.03.02 Chatkalite Cu6FeSn2S8 P 4m2 4 2m

02.09.03.03 Stannoidite Cu8Fe3Sn2S12 I 222 2 2 2

Strunz Class:

02.CB.20 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.20 Chatkalite Cu6FeSn2S8 P 4m2 4 2m

02.CB.20 Mawsonite Cu6Fe2SnS8 P 4m2 4 2m

Other Mawsonite Information

References:

NAME( Dana8) PHYS. PROP.(Dana8) OPTIC PROP.(AntBidBlaNic1)

See Also:

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

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Ask about Mawsonite here :
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Print or Cut-and-Paste your Mawsonite Specimen Label here :

Mawsonite

Cu+6Fe+++2Sn++++S8
Dana No: 02.09.03.01 Strunz No: 02.CB.20
Locality:

Notes: