Image: <bdi><a href="https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q56247090" class="extiw" title="d:Q56247090"><span title="mineral collector and dealer">Robert M. Lavinsky</span></a></bdi> (CC BY-SA 3.0)
tetragonalcommonSulfides
Chalcopyrite
CuFeS2
This specimen displays brassy-yellow, metallic chalcopyrite crystals, which may exhibit iridescent tarnish. The crystals often form in a characteristic blocky or pseudo-tetrahedral habit.
Chalcopyrite Physical Properties
Mohs Hardness
3.5Crystal System
tetragonalLuster
metallicStreak Color
greenish-blackCleavage
poor/indistinct on {011}Fracture
conchoidal to unevenSpecific Gravity
4.2Colors
brass-yellow, golden-yellow, iridescent (tarnish)Transparency
opaqueType Locality
Ballard Mine, Baxter Springs, Picher Field, Tri-State District, Cherokee County, Kansas, USAMineral Group
SulfidesUses
major ore of copper, collectorAssociated Minerals
pyrite, sphalerite, galena, quartz, calcite, fluoriteRarity
commonGeological Context
Chalcopyrite is a widespread sulfide mineral found in various geological environments, including hydrothermal veins, disseminated in igneous rocks, and in contact metamorphic and sedimentary deposits. It is the most important ore mineral for copper production.
