Arsenopyrite
Image: Robert M. Lavinsky (CC BY-SA 3.0)
Mineral NameArsenopyrite
Chemical FormulaFeAsS
Mohs Hardness5.5
Crystal Systemmonoclinic
Lustermetallic
Streak Colordark grayish-black
Cleavagedistinct on {101}
Fractureuneven
Specific Gravity6
Colorssilvery-white, steel-gray, yellowish-bronze
Transparencyopaque
Type LocalityYaogangxian Mine, Yizhang County, Chenzhou Prefecture, Hunan Province, China
Mineral GroupSulfides
Usesore of arsenic, minor ore of gold, collector
Associated Mineralsquartz, pyrite, chalcopyrite, scorodite
Raritycommon
Description
A silvery-metallic, blocky specimen of arsenopyrite, partially covered by a fine-grained, mossy green secondary mineral.
Geological Context
Arsenopyrite is a common mineral found in high-temperature hydrothermal veins, contact metamorphic deposits, and pegmatites, often associated with other sulfide minerals.
