Enargite
Species
Uncommon · Cu₃AsS₄
A copper arsenic sulfosalt, grey black and metallic, named from the Greek for distinct after its perfect cleavage. First described from the copper mines of Peru, it can be an important copper ore, as at Butte, Montana, in the Andes and on Luzon, though it is seldom well crystallised.
Identity
- Formula
- Cu₃AsS₄
- Chemical class
- Sulfide
- Ore of
- Copper
Crystallography
- Crystal system
- Orthorhombic
- Habits
- Tabular, Prismatic, Massive
- Fracture
- Uneven
Physical properties
- Mohs hardness
- 3
- Density
- 4.45 g/cm³
- Luster
- Metallic, Dull
- Colors
- greenish black, iron-black, steel gray
- Streak
- grayish black
- Transparency
- Opaque
Geology
- Origins
- Hydrothermal
- Host rocks
- Granite
- Associated minerals
- Pyrite, Sphalerite, Galena, Bornite, Tetrahedrite, Chalcocite, Covellite, Barite, Quartz
- Found in
- Hydrothermal vein (lode), Porphyry copper deposit
- Geography
- Peru (Morococha, Cerro de Pasco, Quiruvilca), USA (Butte, Montana; Tintic, Utah), Argentina (Sierra de Famatina), Philippines (Mancayan, Luzon), Serbia (Bor), Austria (Brixlegg, Tyrol)
Classification
- Rarity
- Uncommon
- Gem quality
- No
Sources
- M. Pasero and others, IMA Commission on New Minerals, Nomenclature and Classification, The New IMA List of Minerals, updated September 2026. International Mineralogical Association (CNMNC), 2026.
- J. W. Anthony, R. A. Bideaux, K. W. Bladh, M. C. Nichols, Enargite. Mineral Data Publishing, Handbook of Mineralogy, 2001.
- Enargite. Wikipedia.
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