Mineralogy Database

Bornite Mineral Data

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General Bornite Information

Help on Chemical  Formula: Chemical Formula: Cu5FeS4
Help on Composition: Composition: Molecular Weight = 501.84 gm
   Iron    11.13 %  Fe
   Copper  63.31 %  Cu
   Sulfur  25.56 %  S
          ______ 
          100.00 % 
Help on Empirical Formula: Empirical Formula: Cu5Fe2+S4
Help on Environment: Environment: Disseminated in igneous intrusions and a primary and secondary mineral in copper ore veins.
Help on IMA Status: IMA Status: Valid Species (Pre-IMA) 1725
Help on Locality: Locality: Cornwall, England and Arizona porphyry copper deposits. Link to MinDat.org Location Data.
Help on Name Origin: Name Origin: Named after the Austrian mineralogist, I. von Born (1742-1791).
Help on Name Pronunciation: Name Pronunciation: Bornite Say BORNITE
Help on Synonym: Synonym: ICSD 1963
  PDF 42-1405
 

Bornite Image

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  Bornite

Comments: Metallic, crystalline bornite crystal with bluish tarnish.
Location: Kamoto mine, Kolwezi, Shaba, Dem. Repub. Congo. Scale: Size Not Given.
© Lou Perloff / Photo Atlas of Minerals

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  Isomertieite   Arsenopalladinite   Gold   Bornite

Comments: Light grayish grain of intimately intergrown isomertieite and arsenopalladinite (in the center of the picture), with pale yellow gold and brownish to violet bornite. Polished section (from microprobe analysis) in reflected light.
Location: Noril'sk, Putoran Mts, Taymyrskiy Autonomous Okrug, Eastern-Siberian Region, Russia. Scale: Picture size 0.1 mm.
© Thomas Witzke / Abraxas-Verlag

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  Briartite   Catamarcaite   Bornite

Comments: Briartite-type phase (Bri) in close association with catamarcaite (Ct) lining a cavity in massive bornite (Bn) - chalcocite (Cc) ore; Sp is sphalerite (CanMin v44:1481).
Location: Bornite-rich ore from old dumps near the La Rosario vein, Capillitas epithermal deposit, Catamarca Province, Argentina.. Scale: See Image.
© Canadian Mineralogist

Bornite Crystallography

Help on Axial Ratios: Axial Ratios: a:b:c =0.5008:1:0.5008
Help on Cell Dimensions: Cell Dimensions: a = 10.95, b = 21.862, c = 10.95, Z = 16; V = 2,621.31 Den(Calc)= 5.09
Help on Crystal System: Crystal System: Orthorhombic - Dipyramidal H-M Symbol (2/m 2/m 2/m) Space Group: P bca
Help on X Ray Diffraction: X Ray Diffraction: By Intensity(I/Io): 1.937(1), 3.18(0.6), 2.74(0.5),
 

Physical Properties of Bornite

Help on Cleavage: Cleavage: {111} Imperfect
Help on Color: Color: Copper red, Bronze brown, Purple.
Help on Density: Density: 4.9 - 5.3, Average = 5.09
Help on Diaphaneity: Diaphaneity: Opaque
Help on Fracture: Fracture: Conchoidal - Fractures developed in brittle materials characterized by smoothly curving surfaces, (e.g. quartz).
Help on Habit: Habit: Granular - Generally occurs as anhedral to subhedral crystals in matrix.
Help on Habit: Habit: Massive - Granular - Common texture observed in granite and other igneous rock.
Help on Habit: Habit: Reniform - "Kidney like" in shape (e.g.. hematite).
Help on Hardness: Hardness: 3 - Calcite
Help on Luminescence: Luminescence: Non-fluorescent.
Help on Luster: Luster: Metallic
Help on Magnetism: Magnetism: Magnetic after heating
Help on Streak: Streak: grayish black
 

Optical Properties of Bornite

Help on RL Anisotrophism: RL Anisotrophism: Weak.
Help on RL Color: RL Color: Brown, pinkish.
Help on RL Pleochroism: RL Pleochroism: Weak but noticeable.
Help on Reflectivity Reflectivity
Standardized Intensity (100%) Reflection Spectra of Bornite in Air
λ R  ∑ R(λ) 
 400 nm   19.80   
 420 nm   18.80 
 440 nm   17.80 
 460 nm   17.30 
 480 nm   17.50 
 500 nm   18.60 
 520 nm   19.80 
 540 nm   21.10 
 560 nm   22.70 
 580 nm   24.40 
 600 nm   25.90 
 620 nm   27.30 
 640 nm   28.60 
 660 nm   29.70 
 680 nm   30.30 
 700 nm   30.60 
Calculated Relative Intensity Colors of Bornite in Air
Relative
Intensity
   0%   50% 100% 150% 200% 250% 300% 350% 400% 450% 490%
R                      
 

Calculated Properties of Bornite

Help on Electron Density: Electron Density: Bulk Density (Electron Density)=4.77 gm/cc
note: Specific Gravity of Bornite =5.09 gm/cc.
Help on Fermion Index: Fermion Index: Fermion Index = 0.0042761281
Boson Index = 0.9957238719
Help on Photoelectric: Photoelectric: PEBornite = 33.28 barns/electron
U=PEBornite x rElectron Density= 158.63 barns/cc.
Help on Radioactivity: Radioactivity: GRapi = 0 (Gamma Ray American Petroleum Institute Units)
Bornite is Not Radioactive
 

Bornite Classification

Help on  Dana Class: Dana Class: 02.05.02.01 (02)Sulfides - Including Selenides and Tellurides
  (02.05)where Am Bn Xp, with (m+n):p=3:2
  (02.05.02)Dana Group
 
02.05.02.01 Bornite Cu5FeS4 P bca 2/m 2/m 2/m
Help on  Strunz Class: Strunz Class: 02.BA.10 02 - SULFIDES and SULFOSALTS (sulfides, selenides, tellurides; arsenides, antimonides, bismuthides; sulfarsenites, sulf
  02.B - Metal Sulfides, M:S > 1:1 (mainly 2:1)
  02.BA -With Cu, Ag, Au
 
02.BA.10 Bornite Cu5FeS4 P bca 2/m 2/m 2/m
 

Other Bornite Information

Help on References: References: NAME( Duda&Rejl90) PHYS. PROP.(Enc. of Minerals,2nd ed.,1990) OPTIC PROP.(AntBidBlaNic1)
Help on See Also: See Also: Links to other databases for Bornite :
1 - Am. Min. Crystal Structure Database
2 - Amethyst Galleries' Mineral Gallery
3 - Athena
4 - EUROmin Project
5 - Ecole des Mines de Paris
6 - Franklin Minerals(Dunn)
7 - Franklin Minerals(Palache)
8 - GeoScienceWorld
9 - Google Images
10 - Google Scholar
11 - Handbook of Mineralogy (MinSocAm)
12 - Handbook of Mineralogy (UofA)
13 - HyperPhysics
14 - MinDAT
15 - Mineral and Gemstone Kingdom
16 - Mineralienatlas (Deutsch)
17 - Online Mineral Museum
18 - Philatelic Mineralogy
19 - QUT Mineral Atlas
20 - Ruff.Info
21 - Scandinavian mineral gallery
22 - WWW-MINCRYST

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

Bornite

Cu5FeS4
Dana No: 02.05.02.01 Strunz No: 02.BA.10
Locality:

 

Notes:

 

 
   
 


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