Molybdenite Mineral Data

General Molybdenite Information

Chemical Formula:

MoS2

Composition:

Molecular Weight = 160.07 gm

Molybdenum 59.94 % Mo

Sulfur 40.06 % S

______

100.00 %

Empirical Formula:

MoS₂

Environment:

High temperature hydrothermal veins. Important in disseminated deposits of the porphyry type.

IMA Status:

Valid Species (Pre-IMA) 1807

Locality:

Common world wide occurrences. Link to MinDat.org Location Data.

Name Origin:

Greek, molybdos = "lead."

Name Pronunciation:

Molybdenite + Pronunciation

Synonym:

Castaingite-(Cu)

Molybdic ochre

Muchuanite - mixture of molybdenite and jordisite

Molybdenite Image

Images:

Molybdenite

Comments: Sharp metallic molybdenite crystal on matrix.
Location: Crown Point Mine, Washington. Scale: 4x4x2.3 cm.
© Isaias Casanova / IC Minerals

Molybdenite Crystallography

Axial Ratios:

a:c = 1:3.8924

Cell Dimensions:

a = 3.16, c = 12.3, Z = 2; V = 106.37 Den(Calc)= 5.00

Crystal System:

Hexagonal - Dihexagonal DipyramidalH-M Symbol (6/m 2/m 2/m) Space Group: P 6₃/mmc

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

By Intensity(I/I_o): 6.15(1), 2.277(0.45), 1.83(0.25),

Forms:

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Forms: ( 1 0 2) ( 1 0 1) ( 0 1 0) ( 0 0 1)

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Crystal Structure:

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Schonfeld B , Huang J J , Moss S C , Acta Crystallographica, Section B , 39 (1983) p.404-407, Anisotropic mean-square displacements (MSD) in single crystals, of 2H- and 3R-MoS2, Note: 2H polytype, this is the most common in nature, Locality: synthetic

View Additional jPOWD Structure files for Molybdenite
[1] [2]

Physical Properties of Molybdenite

Cleavage:

{0001} Perfect

Color:

Black, Lead gray, Gray.

Density:

5.5

Diaphaneity:

Opaque

Fracture:

Sectile - Curved shavings or scrapings produced by a knife blade, (e.g. graphite).

Habit:

Disseminated - Occurs in small, distinct particles dispersed in matrix.

Habit:

Foliated - Two dimensional platy forms.

Habit:

Massive - Uniformly indistinguishable crystals forming large masses.

Hardness:

1 - Talc

Luminescence:

Non-fluorescent.

Luster:

Metallic

Magnetism:

Nonmagnetic

Streak:

greenish gray

Optical Properties of Molybdenite

RL Anisotrophism:

Very strong.

RL Color:

Gray, very pale yellow to deep reddish brown in transmitted light.

RL Pleochroism:

Very strong.

Reflectivity

**Standardized Intensity (100%) Reflection Spectra of Molybdenite in Air**
λ	R₁	R₂	∑ R₁(λ)	∑ R₂(λ)
400 nm	21.00	55.00
420 nm	22.20	54.80
440 nm	23.40	54.60
460 nm	24.10	53.80
480 nm	23.80	52.30
500 nm	22.70	49.70
520 nm	21.90	47.10
540 nm	21.30	45.50
560 nm	20.90	44.40
580 nm	20.60	44.00
600 nm	20.40	44.60
620 nm	20.20	45.30
640 nm	20.00	45.70
660 nm	20.00	45.60
680 nm	19.90	45.40
700 nm	19.70	44.20

**Calculated Relative Intensity Colors of Molybdenite in Air**
Relative Intensity	0%	50%	100%	150%	200%	250%	300%	350%	400%	430%
R₁
R₂

Calculated Properties of Molybdenite

Electron Density:

Bulk Density (Electron Density)=4.62 gm/cc
note: Specific Gravity of Molybdenite =5.00 gm/cc.

Fermion Index:

Fermion Index = 0.15
Boson Index = 0.85

Photoelectric:

PE_Molybdenite= 101.34 barns/electron
U=PE_Molybdenite x rElectron Density= 468.49 barns/cc.

Radioactivity:

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

Molybdenite Classification

Dana Class:

02.12.10.01 (02)Sulfides - Including Selenides and Tellurides

(02.12)where Am Bn Xp, with (m+n):p=1:2

(02.12.10)Molybdenite Group

02.12.10.01 Molybdenite MoS2 P 6₃/mmc 6/m 2/m 2/m

02.12.10.02 Drysdallite Mo(Se,S)2 P 6₃/mmc 6/m 2/m 2/m

02.12.10.03 Tungstenite WS2 P 6₃/mmc 6/m 2/m 2/m

Strunz Class:

02.EA.30 02 - SULFIDES and SULFOSALTS (sulfides, selenides, tellurides; arsenides, antimonides, bismuthides; sulfarsenites, sulf

02.E - Metal Sulfides, M:S £ 1:2

02.EA -M:S = 1:2

02.EA.30 Drysdallite Mo(Se,S)2 P 6₃/mmc 6/m 2/m 2/m

02.EA.30 Jordisite MoS2 None

02.EA.30 Molybdenite MoS2 P 6₃/mmc 6/m 2/m 2/m

02.EA.30 Tungstenite WS2 P 6₃/mmc 6/m 2/m 2/m

Other Molybdenite Information

References:

NAME( Sinkankas66) PHYS. PROP.(Enc. of Minerals,2nd ed.,1990) OPTIC PROP.(AntBidBlaNic1)

See Also:

Links to other databases for Molybdenite :
1 - Alkali-Nuts(English)
2 - Alkali-Nuts(Francais)
3 - Am. Min. Crystal Structure Database
4 - Amethyst Galleries' Mineral Gallery
5 - Athena
6 - Franklin Minerals(Palache)
7 - GeoScienceWorld
8 - Glendale Community College
9 - Google Images
10 - Google Scholar
11 - Handbook of Mineralogy (MinSocAm)
12 - Handbook of Mineralogy (UofA)
13 - MinDAT
14 - Mineralienatlas (Deutsch)
15 - Online Mineral Museum
16 - QUT Mineral Atlas
17 - Ruff.Info
18 - Scandinavian mineral gallery
19 - WWW-MINCRYST
20 - YupRocks
21 - theimage

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

Molybdenite

MoS2
Dana No: 02.12.10.01 Strunz No: 02.EA.30
Locality:

Notes: