Mineralogy Database

Covellite Mineral Data

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General Covellite Information

Help on Chemical  Formula: Chemical Formula: CuS
Help on Composition: Composition: Molecular Weight = 95.61 gm
   Copper  66.46 %  Cu
   Sulfur  33.54 %  S
          ______ 
          100.00 % 
Help on Empirical Formula: Empirical Formula: CuS
Help on Environment: Environment: Secondary origin in the oxidation zone of sulfide copper deposits.
Help on IMA Status: IMA Status: Valid Species (Pre-IMA) 1832
Help on Locality: Locality: Monte Somma, Vesuvius, Naples, Naples province, Campania, Italy. Link to MinDat.org Location Data.
Help on Name Origin: Name Origin: Named after the Italian mineralogist, N. Covelli (1790-1829).
Help on Name Pronunciation: Name Pronunciation: Covellite + Pronunciation Say COVELLITE
Help on Synonym: Synonym: Covelline
  ICSD 63327
  PDF 6-464
 

Covellite Image

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  Covellite

Comments: Covellite crystal group.
Location: Butte, Montana, USA. Scale: 8 x 4 cm.
© Fabre Minerals

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  Nukundamite   Covellite

Comments: Metallic brownish rim of nukundamite with dark purplish-blue covellite on fine-grained pyrite.
Location: Ronneburg U deposit, Gera district, Thuringia, Germany. Scale: Picture size 7 mm.
© Thomas Witzke / Abraxas-Verlag

Covellite Crystallography

Help on Axial Ratios: Axial Ratios: a:c = 1:4.31012
Help on Cell Dimensions: Cell Dimensions: a = 3.792, c = 16.344, Z = 6; V = 203.53 Den(Calc)= 4.68
Help on Crystal System: Crystal System: Hexagonal - Dihexagonal Dipyramidal H-M Symbol (6/m 2/m 2/m) Space Group: P 63/mmc
Help on X Ray Diffraction: X Ray Diffraction: By Intensity(I/Io): 2.813(1), 1.896(0.75), 3.048(0.65),
Help on Forms: Forms:

Mouse
Dbl Clk - Start-Stop Rotation
RMB - Cycle Display Modes
Drag1 - Manipulate Crystal
Drag2 - Resize

Keyboard
S - Stereo
I - Indicies
<space> - Start-Stop Rotation
F - Fit to Screen
M - Menu

Help on Above

Forms: ( 1 0 1) ( 0 0 1)

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Physical Properties of Covellite

Help on Cleavage: Cleavage: {0001} Perfect
Help on Color: Color: Indigo blue, Light blue, Dark blue, Black.
Help on Density: Density: 4.6 - 4.76, Average = 4.68
Help on Diaphaneity: Diaphaneity: Opaque
Help on Fracture: Fracture: Brittle - Generally displayed by glasses and most non-metallic minerals.
Help on Habit: Habit: Foliated - Two dimensional platy forms.
Help on Habit: Habit: Platy - Sheet forms (e.g. micas).
Help on Hardness: Hardness: 1.5-2 - Talc-Gypsum
Help on Luminescence: Luminescence: Non-fluorescent.
Help on Luster: Luster: Metallic
Help on Magnetism: Magnetism: Nonmagnetic
Help on Streak: Streak: black gray
 

Optical Properties of Covellite

Help on Dichroism (e): Dichroism (e): deep blue.
Help on Dichroism (w): Dichroism (w): blackish blue.
Help on Optical Data: Optical Data: Uniaxial (+), w=1.45, e=2.62, bire=1.1700.
Help on RL Anisotrophism: RL Anisotrophism: Strong.
Help on RL Color: RL Color: Indigo-blue, commonly highly iridescent, brass yellow to deep red.
Help on RL Pleochroism: RL Pleochroism: Marked, deep blue to blue-white.
Help on Reflectivity Reflectivity
Standardized Intensity (100%) Reflection Spectra of Covellite in Air
λ R1 R2  ∑ R1(λ)   ∑ R2(λ) 
 400 nm   16.60   30.70 
   
 420 nm   15.70   29.80 
 440 nm   14.80   28.90 
 460 nm   13.70   27.80 
 480 nm   12.20   26.60 
 500 nm   10.60   25.10 
 520 nm    8.80   23.50 
 540 nm    6.80   21.90 
 560 nm    5.20   20.40 
 580 nm    3.80   19.30 
 600 nm    3.00   19.00 
 620 nm    3.20   19.50 
 640 nm    4.60   20.20 
 660 nm    8.70   20.80 
 680 nm   15.20   21.40 
 700 nm   24.20   22.30 
Calculated Relative Intensity Colors of Covellite in Air
Relative
Intensity
   0% 100% 200% 300% 400% 500% 600% 700% 800% 900% 1000%
R1                      
R2                      
 

Calculated Properties of Covellite

Help on Electron Density: Electron Density: Bulk Density (Electron Density)=4.41 gm/cc
note: Specific Gravity of Covellite =4.68 gm/cc.
Help on Fermion Index: Fermion Index: Fermion Index = 0.0025153223
Boson Index = 0.9974846777
Help on Photoelectric: Photoelectric: PECovellite = 31.55 barns/electron
U=PECovellite x rElectron Density= 139.00 barns/cc.
Help on Radioactivity: Radioactivity: GRapi = 0 (Gamma Ray American Petroleum Institute Units)
Covellite is Not Radioactive
 

Covellite Classification

Help on  Dana Class: Dana Class: 02.08.12.01 (02)Sulfides - Including Selenides and Tellurides
  (02.08)where Am Bn Xp, with (m+n):p=1:1
  (02.08.12)Covellite Group
 
02.08.12.01 Covellite CuS P 63/mmc 6/m 2/m 2/m
 
02.08.12.02 Klockmannite CuSe P 63/mmc 6/m 2/m 2/m
Help on  Strunz Class: Strunz Class: 02.CA.05a 02 - SULFIDES and SULFOSALTS (sulfides, selenides, tellurides; arsenides, antimonides, bismuthides; sulfarsenites, sulf
  02.C - Metal Sulfides, M:S = 1:1 (and similar)
  02.CA -With Cu
 
02.CA.05a Covellite CuS P 63/mmc 6/m 2/m 2/m
 

Other Covellite Information

Help on References: References: NAME( Sinkankas66) PHYS. PROP.(Enc. of Minerals,2nd ed.,1990) OPTIC PROP.(AntBidBlaNic1)
Help on See Also: See Also: Links to other databases for Covellite :
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 - GeoScienceWorld
8 - Glendale Community College
9 - Google Images
10 - Google Scholar
11 - Handbook of Mineralogy (MinSocAm)
12 - Handbook of Mineralogy (UofA)
13 - MinDAT
14 - Mineralienatlas (Deutsch)
15 - Online Mineral Museum
16 - QUT Mineral Atlas
17 - Ruff.Info
18 - Scandinavian mineral gallery
19 - WWW-MINCRYST

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Ask about Covellite here :
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Mindat.org's Discussion Groups
Original Rockhounds Discussion Group
Rockhounds Discussion Group on Yahoo Groups
Mineral Discussion Forum from Fabre Minerals - also available in Espaņol

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

Covellite

CuS
Dana No: 02.08.12.01 Strunz No: 02.CA.05a
Locality:

 

Notes:

 

 
   
 


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