|
|
www.mineralgallery.co.za Minerals P-T |
|
|
Tennantite |
||
Name
Tennantite
Chemistry
Cu12AS4S13
Uses
As a collectors specimen
Color
Steel grey or lead grey with an occasional olive tint
Hardness
3-4.5
Specific gravity
4.6-5.2
Streak
Black
Crystals
(Cubic) Tetrahedral, seldom dodecahedral, cubes, often edge-parallel, striped and frequantly twinned
Accompanied by:
Chalcopyrite, enargite, bournonite, galena, sphalerite, arsenopyrite and pyrite
Similar to:
Tetrahedrite, freibergite, enargite, bournonite, galena and arsenopyrite.
It is fairly rare mineral and can sometimes be discarded because of it being black. I have a heap of black minerals in my yard and they are the most difficult to identify. It is found amongst lead and copper deposits.
It is mostly dull but it will have lustre on fresh metallic surfaces. It is opaque but thin layers will show up translucent red. The fracture is conchoidal to uneven. It is brittle and can be tested by sulfuric acid, in this acid it will disolve.
Our tennantite comes from Tsumeb in Namibia.
