Striated, cyclically-twinned cubanite crystals from the Chibougamau mines of Quebec (size: 1.5 × 1.3 × 1.0 cm)
General
Category
Sulfide mineral
Formula (repeating unit)
CuFe2S3
IMA symbol
Cbn[1]
Strunz classification
2.CB.55a
Crystal system
Orthorhombic
Crystal class
Dipyramidal (mmm) H-M symbol: (2/m 2/m 2/m)
Space group
Pcmn
Unit cell
a = 6.467(1) Å, b = 11.117(1) Å, c = 6.231(2) Å; Z = 4
Identification
Color
Bronze to brass-yellow
Crystal habit
Crystals elongated to thick tabular, striated also massive
Twinning
Common with twin plane {110} in pairs, also as fourlings and pseudohexagonal sixlings
Cleavage
Parting on {110} and {130}
Fracture
Conchoidal
Mohs scale hardness
3.5–4
Luster
Metallic
Streak
Black
Diaphaneity
Opaque
Specific gravity
4.0–4.2
Optical properties
Distinctly anisotropic on polished surface
Other characteristics
Strongly magnetic
References
[2][3][4]
Cubanite is a copper iron sulfide mineral that commonly occurs as a minor alteration mineral in magmatic sulfide deposits. It has the chemical formula CuFe2S3 and when found, it has a bronze to brass-yellow appearance. On the Mohs hardness scale, cubanite falls between 3.5 and 4 and has a orthorhombic crystal system.[2] Cubanite is chemically similar to chalcopyrite; however, it is the less common copper iron sulfide mineral due to crystallization requirements.
Cubanite occurs in high temperature hydrothermal mineral deposits with pyrrhotite and pentlandite as intergrowths with chalcopyrite.[4] It results from exsolution from chalcopyrite at temperatures below 200 to 210 °C.[4] If cubanite is exposed to temperatures above 210 °C, it will transform into isocubanite. After this transformation, if it begins to cool, it will not revert to cubanite.[5] Upon its transformation to isocubanite it will lose its highly magnetic property due to its change from an orthorhombic to a cubic crystal structure.[6] Cubanite has been identified on chondrites and within dust grain samples and has improved the precision of copper isotope analysis.
^Chandra, U.; Parthasarathy, G.; Sharma, P. (2010-10-01). "SYNTHETIC CUBANITE CuFe2S3: PRESSURE-INDUCED TRANSFORMATION TO ISOCUBANITE". The Canadian Mineralogist. 48 (5): 1137–1147. Bibcode:2010CaMin..48.1137C. doi:10.3749/canmin.48.5.1137. ISSN 0008-4476.
^Sawada, M.; Ozima, M.; Fujiki, Y. (1962). "Magnetic Properties of Cubanite (CuFe2S3)". Journal of Geomagnetism and Geoelectricity. 14 (2): 107–112. Bibcode:1962JGG....14..107S. doi:10.5636/jgg.14.107. ISSN 0022-1392.
Cubanite is a copper iron sulfide mineral that commonly occurs as a minor alteration mineral in magmatic sulfide deposits. It has the chemical formula...
formed into pyrrhotite, chalcopyrite and pentlandite rocks, as well as cubanite and magnetite. In 1856 while surveying a baseline westward from Lake Nipissing...
Pentlandite occurs alongside sulfide minerals such as bravoite, chalcopyrite, cubanite, millerite, pyrrhotite, valleriite, as well as other minerals like chromite...
Ni)18S32. At 80 °C (176 °F) to 100 °C (212 °F) it decomposes to tetragonal cubanite plus bornite. Warr, L.N. (2021). "IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols"....
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with M being caesium in very rare pautovite, copper in relatively common cubanite, potassium in rare rasvumite and thallium in rare picotpaulite. The type...
Maucherite Cubanite-maucherite-valleriite General Category Arsenide mineral Formula (repeating unit) Ni11As8 IMA symbol Muc Strunz classification 2.AB...
Common ore minerals found at the Creighton mine include chalcopyrite, cubanite, galena, ilmenite, magnetite, pentlandite, pyrite, and pyrrhotite. Less...
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Pentlandite, and Chalcopyrite, with lesser to trace amounts of Pyrite, Cubanite and magnetite. The respective minerals that make up the copper and nickel...
alteration product, in meteorites, and in association with chalcopyrite, cubanite, pentlandite, pyrrhotite, greigite, maucherite, and troilite. Mackinawite...
additional 2.25% copper, some gold and sulfide mineralization including cubanite, chalcopyrite, pyrrohitite and aresnopyrite. In the 2000s, mining at the...
All samples taken from the seamounts contain sulfide globules, including cubanite and pyrrhotite. In some samples, carbonates, celadonite, iron hydroxides...
proportions, the ratios of the elements are very similar. The meteorite contains cubanite, dolomite, fosterite, pyrrhotite and zircon amongst other minerals. The...
phase for xenon. Iron sulfides like pyrrhotite, pentlandite, troilite and cubanite do occur, but The Mg/Si ratio of 1.07 is rather high. Only CV chondrites...
Pemberton reads "Forever and Ever Amen", Manchester Central Library 5 July – Cubanite at The Lowry 6 July – Barracudas Carnival Band, Ulverston Carnival, Ulverston...
ophiolitic sequence contains pyrrhotite, chalcopyrite, titanomagnetite, cubanite and pyrite. The volcanoes were unaffected by glacial activity, and potassium-argon...
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