Vulcanite Mineral Data

General Vulcanite Information

Chemical Formula:

CuTe

Composition:

Molecular Weight = 191.15 gm

Copper 33.24 % Cu

Tellurium 66.76 % Te

______

100.00 %

Empirical Formula:

CuTe

Environment:

Intermixed with other tellurides.

IMA Status:

Approved IMA 1961

Locality:

Good Hope mine, Vulcan, Gunnison County, Colorado, USA. Link to MinDat.org Location Data.

Name Origin:

Named for the locality.

Name Pronunciation:

Vulcanite + Pronunciation

Synonym:

ICSD 42591

PDF 22-252

Vulcanite Image

Images:

Vulcanite

Comments: Pale yellow metallic massive vulcanite in rock.
Location: Iriki Mine, Kagoshima, Japan. Scale: See Photo.
© Jeff Weissman / Photographic Guide to Mineral Species

Images:

Vulcanite Cameronite Rickardite

Comments: Gray metallic massive cameronite showing subconchoidal fracture associated with purple rickardite and bronzy plates of vulcanite in a mass of tellurium, co-type specimen.
Location: Good Hope mine, Vulcan District, Gunnison County, Colorado, USA. Scale: See Image.
© Rruff Database

Vulcanite Crystallography

Axial Ratios:

a:b:c =0.5884:1:0.4532

Cell Dimensions:

a = 4.09, b = 6.95, c = 3.15, Z = 2; V = 89.54 Den(Calc)= 7.09

Crystal System:

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

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

By Intensity(I/I_o): 2.03(1), 2.86(0.7), 3.52(0.6),

Crystal Structure:

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Baranova R V , Pinsker Z G , Soviet Physics Crystallography , 9 (1964) p.83-85, Study of the copper-tellurium system in thin films, Locality: synthetic

Physical Properties of Vulcanite

Cleavage:

{hk0} Good, {h0l} Indistinct

Color:

Bronze, Light bronze.

Density:

7.1

Diaphaneity:

Opaque

Fracture:

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

Habit:

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

Habit:

Tabular - Form dimensions are thin in one direction.

Habit:

Twinning Common - Crystals are usually twinned.

Hardness:

1-2 - Between Talc and Gypsum

Luster:

Metallic

Optical Properties of Vulcanite

RL Anisotrophism:

Very strong, brilliant yellow-white, grayish yellow-white, yellow-orange to gray.

RL Pleochroism:

Very strong, bright yellow to blue-gray.

Reflectivity

**Standardized Intensity (100%) Reflection Spectra of Vulcanite in Air**
λ	R₁	R₂	∑ R₁(λ)	∑ R₂(λ)
400 nm	25.60	30.70
420 nm	24.40	30.00
440 nm	23.00	30.50
460 nm	21.30	37.00
480 nm	19.70	47.90
500 nm	18.10	56.80
520 nm	16.60	63.40
540 nm	15.20	67.80
560 nm	13.80	70.80
580 nm	12.70	73.10
600 nm	11.80	74.90
620 nm	11.30	76.40
640 nm	11.20	77.40
660 nm	11.60	78.20
680 nm	12.90	78.90
700 nm	15.00	79.30

**Calculated Relative Intensity Colors of Vulcanite in Air**
Relative Intensity	0%	70%	100%	140%	210%	280%	350%	420%	490%	560%	630%
R₁
R₂

Calculated Properties of Vulcanite

Electron Density:

Bulk Density (Electron Density)=6.01 gm/cc
note: Specific Gravity of Vulcanite =7.09 gm/cc.

Fermion Index:

Fermion Index = 0.05
Boson Index = 0.95

Photoelectric:

PE_Vulcanite= 258.05 barns/electron
U=PE_Vulcanite x rElectron Density=1,550.58 barns/cc.

Radioactivity:

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

Vulcanite Classification

Dana Class:

02.08.13.01 (02)Sulfides - Including Selenides and Tellurides

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

(02.08.13)Dana Group

02.08.13.01 Vulcanite CuTe Pmnm 2/m 2/m 2/m

Strunz Class:

02.CB.75 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.75 Vulcanite CuTe Pmnm 2/m 2/m 2/m

Other Vulcanite Information

References:

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

See Also:

Links to other databases for Vulcanite :
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

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

Vulcanite

CuTe
Dana No: 02.08.13.01 Strunz No: 02.CB.75
Locality:

Notes: