Tetrahedrite
1509402
200510956
2008-03-24T11:05:57Z
Escarbot
1554195
robot Adding: [[zh:黝銅礦]]
{{Infobox mineral
| name = Tetrahedrite
| category = Mineral: sulfosalt
| boxwidth =
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| image = Tetraedryt, Rumunia, Capnic.jpg
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| caption = A sample of grey tetrahedrite, with white quartz
| formula = (Cu,Fe)<sub>12</sub>Sb<sub>4</sub>S<sub>13</sub>
| molweight = 1,643.31 gm
| color = Steel gray to iron-gray
| habit = massive to well formed crystals
| system = [[Cubic (crystal system)|Cubic]]
| twinning =
| cleavage = None
| fracture = Uneven
| tenacity =
| mohs = 3½ - 4
| luster = Metallic
| streak = Black
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| diaphaneity = Opaque
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'''Tetrahedrite''' is a copper antimony [[sulfosalt]] mineral with formula: ([[copper|Cu]],[[iron|Fe]])<sub>12</sub>[[antimony|Sb]]<sub>4</sub>[[sulfur|S]]<sub>13</sub>. It is the antimony endmember of the continuous [[solid solution]] series with arsenic bearing [[tennantite]]. Pure endmembers of the series are seldom if ever seen in nature. Of the two, the antimony rich phase is more common. Other elements also substitute in the structure, most notably iron and zinc along with less common silver, mercury and lead. Bismuth also substitutes for the antimony site and ''bismuthian tetrahedrite'' or ''annivite'' is a recognized variety. The related, silver dominant, mineral species [[freibergite]], although rare, is notable in that it can contain up to 18% silver.
Tetrahedrite gets its name from the distinctive [[tetrahedron]] shaped [[Cubic (crystal system)|cubic]] crystals. The mineral usually occurs in massive form, it is a steel grey to black metallic mineral with [[Mohs hardness]] of 3.5 to 4 and [[specific gravity]] of 4.6 to 5.2.
It occurs in low to moderate temperature [[hydrothermal]] veins and in some [[contact metamorphism|contact metamorphic]] deposits. It is a minor [[ore]] of copper and associated metals. It was first described in 1845 for occurrences in Freiberg, [[Saxony]], [[Germany]].
==See also==
*[[Bornite]]
*[[Cuprite]]
*[[Tennantite]]
==References==
* Hurlbut, Cornelius S.; Klein, Cornelis, 1985, ''Manual of Mineralogy'', 20th ed., Wiley, ISBN 0-471-80580-7
* [http://www.mindat.org/min-3924.html Mindat]
* [http://mineral.galleries.com/minerals/sulfides/tetrahed/tetrahed.htm Mineral galleries]
* [http://www.webmineral.com/data/Tetrahedrite.shtml Webmineral data]
[[Category:Copper minerals]]
[[Category:Sulfosalt minerals]]
[[ca:Tetraedrita]]
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[[es:Tetraedrita]]
[[nl:Anniviet]]
[[pl:Tetraedryt]]
[[ru:Тетраэдрит]]
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[[zh:黝銅礦]]