Lecture 17 (11/27/2006)

Systematic Description of Minerals

Part 1: Native Elements and

Sulfides
 Mineral Classifications
 Principally by dominant anion or anionic group
 Secondarily by internal mineral structure

Native Element Silicates

Sulfides (S) Nesosilicates
Sulfosalts (AsS) Sorosilicates
Oxides (O) Cyclosilicates
Hydroxides (OH) Inosilicates
Halides (Cl, F, Br, I) Phyllosilicates
Carbonates (CO3) Tectosilicates
Sulfates (SO4)
Phosphates (PO4)
Nitrates, Borates, Tungstates, Molybdates, Arsenates, Vanadates..
 Native Elements
 Metals– Gold, Silver, Copper,
Platinum, Palladium, Osmium,
Iridium, Iron, Fe-nickel

 Semi-metals – Arsenic, Bismuth,

Antimony

 Non-metals – Sulfur, Diamond,

Graphite
 Native Metals
 metallic bonding
 dense, cubic close packing
 properties: soft, malleable, ductile, sectile, good heat
and electrical conductors
 variable melting points: low-Au, Ag, Cu; high-PGEs
Au Ag Cu Pt
 Native Non-metals
Sulfur Diamond Graphite
Strong
Covalent
Bonds

C6 ring molecules
S8 ring molecules bonded by weak
van der Waals
bonded by weak
forces; good
van der Waals
electrical
forces
conductivity
Synthetic (industrial) Diamonds
 Native Element Occurrences
Gold – Hydrothermal fluids related to magmatism; commonly occurs in
veins quartz and pyrite; may form detrital grains to produce placer
deposits; Rarely occurs alloyed with other elements.

Silver – Hydrothermal ore deposits rich in sulfide, arsenides, and

bismithides; also commonly associated native copper.

Copper – Sulfide-poor hydrothermal ore deposits or secondary

oxidation of Cu-sulfide minerals; most abundant occurrence is the
native copper deposits of the Keweenawan Peninsula of Upper
Michigan where it occurs in lava flows and interflow conglomerates.

Platinum – Occurs as primary deposits in mafic intrusions and as

secondary placer deposits.

Diamond – Occurs in mantle-derived kimberlite pipes with other high

temperature/high pressure minerals

Sulfur – Precipitates near volcanic vents from volcanic gasses and

secondarily by oxidation of sulfide minerals.
 Sulfides and Sulfosalts
 Most common ore source of metals
 XmSn

 As may substitute for S giving rise to

sulfarsenides, and arsenides
 X= Fe, Cu, Zn, Pb, Ni, Co, Hg, Mo

 Magmatic and hydrothermal origin

 Sulfosalts, As, Sb, and Bi take the

place of metals (X)
Sulfide Stability
Reducing, Acidic
Environment

Cu-H2O-O2-S-CO2 phase diagram

at 25°C and 1 atm pressure
Cu-Fe Sulfide Minerals

Cv Py

Dg Po

Cc Cp

Bn
 Other Common Sulfide Minerals
Galena
Galena

Zn
 Galena PbS - dense, cubic cleavage

Zn>>Fe
 Sphalerite (Zn,Fe)S – submetallic
black to resinous yellow, brown luster

Zn>Fe  Pentlandite (Fe,Ni)9S8 – yellow-

bronze; w/ Cp and Po in magmatic
Pt ores

 Cinnabar HgS – vermilion-red color,

dense

 Molybdenite MoS2 – silver metallic

sheets
Arsenosulfides, Arsenides and Sulfosalts

Cobaltite (Co,Fe)AsS – silver white metallic

Arsenopyrite FeAsS – silver white metallic

Realgar AsS (red) - Orpiment As2S3 (yellow)

Skutterudite (Co,Ni)As3 silver-gray cubes

Stibnite Sb2S3 silver-gray prisms

Enargite Cu3AsS4 – striated metallic columns

and blades – a sulfosalt
 Next Lecture 11/29/06

Systematic Description of Minerals

Part 2: Oxides, Hydroxides Halides,

Carbonates, Sulfates, and Phosphates

Read: Klein Parts of Chaps. 9 & 10