Roxbyite Mineral Data

General Roxbyite Information

Chemical Formula:

Cu1.78S

Composition:

Molecular Weight = 145.18 gm

Copper 77.91 % Cu

Sulfur 22.09 % S

______

100.00 %

Empirical Formula:

Cu_1.78S

Environment:

Products of corrosion of a 1375 BC bronze harpoon head from a shipwreck.

IMA Status:

Approved IMA 1988

Locality:

Roxby Downs, AS, Australia. Eastern Mediterranean Sea. Link to MinDat.org Location Data.

Name Origin:

Named from the locality.

Name Pronunciation:

Roxbyite

Roxbyite Image

Images:

Roxbyite

Comments: Bronzy, metallic, massive roxbyite associated with hematite, co-type sample.
Location: Olympic Dam mine, Roxby Downs, South Australia, Australia. Scale: See Image.
© Rruff Database

Roxbyite Crystallography

Axial Ratios:

a:b:c =1.7407:1:0.4323

Cell Dimensions:

a = 53.79, b = 30.9, c = 13.36, Z = 512; beta = 90° V = 22,205.80 Den(Calc)= 5.56

Crystal System:

Monoclinic - Prismatic H-M Symbol (2/m) Space Group: C 2/m

$Help on X Ray Diffraction:$ X Ray Diffraction:

By Intensity(I/I_o): 1.933(1), 2.375(0.9), 1.857(0.8),

Physical Properties of Roxbyite

Cleavage:

{100} Poor

Color:

Bluish black.

Density:

5.555

Diaphaneity:

Opaque

Habit:

Aggregates - Made of numerous individual crystals or clusters.

Habit:

Powdery - Forms a loose, poorly-coherent pulverulent mass.

Hardness:

2.5-3 - Finger Nail-Calcite

Luster:

Metallic - Dull

Optical Properties of Roxbyite

RL Anisotrophism:

Very weak.

RL Color:

White to off-shite with a blue tinge.

Calculated Properties of Roxbyite

Electron Density:

Bulk Density (Electron Density)=5.18 gm/cc
note: Specific Gravity of Roxbyite =5.56 gm/cc.

Fermion Index:

Fermion Index = 0.001656554
Boson Index = 0.998343446

Photoelectric:

PE_Roxbyite= 36.38 barns/electron
U=PE_Roxbyite x rElectron Density= 188.42 barns/cc.

Radioactivity:

GRapi = 0 (Gamma Ray American Petroleum Institute Units)
Roxbyite is Not Radioactive

Roxbyite Classification

Dana Class:

02.04.07.04 (02)Sulfides - Including Selenides and Tellurides

(02.04)where Am Bn Xp, with (m+n):p=2:1

(02.04.07)Chalcocite Group ([Cu]2-x S] formulae)

02.04.07.01 Chalcocite Cu2S P 2₁/c 2/m

02.04.07.02 Djurleite Cu31S16 P 2₁/n 2/m

02.04.07.03 Digenite Cu9S5 R 3m 3 2/m

02.04.07.04 Roxbyite Cu1.78S C 2/m 2/m

02.04.07.05 Anilite Cu7S4 P nma 2/m 2/m 2/m

02.04.07.06 Geerite Cu8S5 R 3m, R 3m, or R 32 Trig

02.04.07.07 Spionkopite Cu1.4S P 3m1 ? 3m

Strunz Class:

02.BA.05d 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.05d Roxbyite Cu1.78S C 2/m 2/m

Other Roxbyite Information

References:

NAME( CanMin, 10/98) PHYS. PROP.(Dana8) OPTIC PROP.(AntBidBlaNic1)

See Also:

Links to other databases for Roxbyite :
1 - Am. Min. Crystal Structure Database
2 - Athena
3 - EUROmin Project
4 - Ecole des Mines de Paris
5 - GeoScienceWorld
6 - Google Images
7 - Google Scholar
8 - Handbook of Mineralogy (MinSocAm)
9 - Handbook of Mineralogy (UofA)
10 - MinDAT
11 - Mineralienatlas (Deutsch)
12 - Online Mineral Museum
13 - QUT Mineral Atlas
14 - Ruff.Info

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

Roxbyite

Cu1.78S
Dana No: 02.04.07.04 Strunz No: 02.BA.05d
Locality:

Notes:

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