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Covellite

A valid IMA mineral species - grandfathered
This page kindly sponsored by Mark Kucera
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About CovelliteHide

Formula:
CuS
"Extended" formula is Cu+4Cu2+2(S2)2S2 (Goble, 1985).
Colour:
Indigo-blue or darker, inclining towards blue-black, often iridescent with purplish, deep red, and brassy-yellow reflections.
Lustre:
Sub-Metallic
Hardness:
1½ - 2
Specific Gravity:
4.6 - 4.76
Crystal System:
Hexagonal
Name:
Named in 1832 by Francois Sulpice Beudant in honor of Niccolo Covelli (January 20, 1790, Cajazzo, Italy - November 15, 1829), an Italian mineralogist and discoverer of the mineral at Mount Vesuvius.
Isostructural with:
Usually as indigo-blue massive metallic material, sometimes with crystals on exposed surfaces (those often spheroidal). Good crystals extremely rare.

A possible precursor mineral is known: 'Unnamed (Covellite-like Mineral)'.
Stoichiometrically similar to the copper sulphides yarrowite and, less so, spionkopite. A typical intergrowth of yarrowite and spionkopite is called Blaubleibender Covellite.

Covellite is almost certainly NOT cupric (Cu(II)) sulfide. Goble (1985) has suggested the "extended" formula being Cu+4Cu2+2(S2)2S2. However, later studies (Liang & Whangbo, 1993) show, that this compound contains monovalent Cu atoms exclusively and the actual formula is most likely (Cu+)3(S2-)(S2)-.

Compare UM2003-44-S:CuPdPt.




Unique IdentifiersHide

Mindat ID:
1144
Long-form identifier:
mindat:1:1:1144:6

IMA Classification of CovelliteHide

Approved, 'Grandfathered' (first described prior to 1959)
IMA Formula:
Cu1+S

Classification of CovelliteHide

2.CA.05a

2 : SULFIDES and SULFOSALTS (sulfides, selenides, tellurides; arsenides, antimonides, bismuthides; sulfarsenites, sulfantimonites, sulfbismuthites, etc.)
C : Metal Sulfides, M: S = 1: 1 (and similar)
A : With Cu
Dana 7th ed.:
2.8.12.1
2.8.12.1

2 : SULFIDES
8 : AmXp, with m:p = 1:1
3.1.8

3 : Sulphides, Selenides, Tellurides, Arsenides and Bismuthides (except the arsenides, antimonides and bismuthides of Cu, Ag and Au, which are included in Section 1)
1 : Sulphides etc. of Cu

Mineral SymbolsHide

As of 2021 there are now IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols (abbreviations) for each mineral species, useful for tables and diagrams.

Please only use the official IMA–CNMNC symbol. Older variants are listed for historical use only.

SymbolSourceReference for Standard
CvIMA–CNMNCWarr, L.N. (2021). IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols. Mineralogical Magazine, 85(3), 291-320. doi:10.1180/mgm.2021.43
CvKretz (1983)Kretz, R. (1983) Symbols of rock-forming minerals. American Mineralogist, 68, 277–279.
CvSiivolam & Schmid (2007)Siivolam, J. and Schmid, R. (2007) Recommendations by the IUGS Subcommission on the Systematics of Metamorphic Rocks: List of mineral abbreviations. Web-version 01.02.07. IUGS Commission on the Systematics in Petrology. download
CvWhitney & Evans (2010)Whitney, D.L. and Evans, B.W. (2010) Abbreviations for names of rock-forming minerals. American Mineralogist, 95, 185–187 doi:10.2138/am.2010.3371
CvThe Canadian Mineralogist (2019)The Canadian Mineralogist (2019) The Canadian Mineralogist list of symbols for rock- and ore-forming minerals (December 30, 2019). download

Physical Properties of CovelliteHide

Sub-Metallic
Transparency:
Opaque
Colour:
Indigo-blue or darker, inclining towards blue-black, often iridescent with purplish, deep red, and brassy-yellow reflections.
Streak:
Shiny metallic, lead-grey to black
Hardness:
1½ - 2 on Mohs scale
Hardness:
VHN100=128 - 138 kg/mm2 - Vickers
Hardness Data:
Measured
Tenacity:
Flexible
Cleavage:
Perfect
Perfect on {0001}.
Fracture:
Irregular/Uneven, Hackly
Density:
4.6 - 4.76 g/cm3 (Measured)    4.602 g/cm3 (Calculated)

Optical Data of CovelliteHide

Type:
Uniaxial (+)
RI values:
nω = 1.45 nε = 2.62
Max. Birefringence:
δ = 1.170
Based on recorded range of RI values above.

Interference Colours:
The colours simulate birefringence patterns seen in thin section under crossed polars. They do not take into account mineral colouration or opacity.

Michel-Levy Bar The default colours simulate the birefringence range for a 30 µm thin-section thickness. Adjust the slider to simulate a different thickness.

Grain Simulation You can rotate the grain simulation to show how this range might look as you rotated a sample under crossed polars. Each grain retains its interference colour (retardation) while its brightness falls to black at extinction and reaches a maximum between extinction positions.

Surface Relief:
Very High (positive)
Relative to Canada balsam mounting medium (n ≈ 1.537).

This shows the grain boundary and Becke line effect under plane-polarised light, based on the contrast between this mineral's average refractive index and the mounting medium. It does not take into account mineral colouration.
In focus
Interference Figure:
This shows the idealized uniaxial interference figure - the conoscopic (convergent-light, Bertrand-lens-in) view, for a grain cut with the optic axis centred and vertical. The coloured rings are isochromatics, computed with the same physics as the Michel-Lévy bar above; the dark cross is the isogyre.

For a genuinely uniaxial mineral viewed this way, that cross stays perfectly stationary if you rotate the stage - unlike a biaxial mineral, where it splits apart on rotation. That invariance is itself the standard diagnostic test for telling uniaxial and biaxial minerals apart at the microscope.
Anisotropism:
Strong
Dispersion:
Strong
Reflectivity:
WavelengthR1 (%)R2 (%)
400nm14.5%32.0%
420nm14.7%31.5%
440nm14.3%30.3%
460nm13.3%29.0%
480nm11.7%27.6%
500nm10.1%26.2%
520nm8.5%24.7%
540nm6.9%23.4%
560nm5.5%22.1%
580nm4.2%21.1%
600nm3.3%21.1%
620nm3.3%21.6%
640nm4.9%22.3%
660nm9.8%22.7%
680nm16.4%22.6%
700nm24.9%22.4%


Graph shows reflectance levels at different wavelengths (in nm). Peak reflectance is 32.0%.
R1 shown in black, R2 shown in red
Pleochroism:
Visible
Comments:
Deep blue to blue-white

Chemistry of CovelliteHide

Mindat Formula:
CuS

"Extended" formula is Cu+4Cu2+2(S2)2S2 (Goble, 1985).
Element Weights:
Element% weight
Cu66.463 %
S33.537 %

Calculated from ideal end-member formula.
Common Impurities:
Fe,Se,Ag,Pb

Crystallography of CovelliteHide

Crystal System:
Hexagonal
Class (H-M):
6/mmm(6/m2/m2/m) - Dihexagonal Dipyramidal
Space Group:
P63/mmc
Cell Parameters:
a = 3.7938 Å, c = 16.341 Å
Ratio:
a:c = 1 : 4.307
Unit Cell V:
203.7 ų
Z:
6
Morphology:
Hexagonal plates {001}, with pyramidal faces striated horizontally and hexagonal striations on the base. Common forms: {001}, {104}, {103}, {308}, {102}, {9/0/16}, {5.08}, {101} and {201}. Less common to rare: {1.0.16}, {1.0.12}, {3.0.32}, {108}, {106}, {3.0.16}, {105}, {205}, {203}, {304}, {15.0.16} and {908}.
Twinning:
None reported.

Crystallographic forms of CovelliteHide

Crystal Atlas:
Image Loading
Click on an icon to view
View 3D crystal model
Covellite - Tabular {001}
3d models and HTML5 code kindly provided by www.smorf.nl.

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Crystal StructureHide

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IDSpeciesReferenceLinkYearLocalityPressure (GPa)Temp (K)
0010981CovelliteFjellvag H, Gronvold F, Stolen S, Andresen A F, Mueller-Kaefer R, Simon A (1988) Low-temperature structural distortion in CuS Zeitschrift fur Kristallographie 184 111-1211988synthetic0293
0010980CovelliteFjellvag H, Gronvold F, Stolen S, Andresen A F, Mueller-Kaefer R, Simon A (1988) Low-temperature structural distortion in CuS Zeitschrift fur Kristallographie 184 111-1211988synthetic0293
0010979CovelliteFjellvag H, Gronvold F, Stolen S, Andresen A F, Mueller-Kaefer R, Simon A (1988) Low-temperature structural distortion in CuS Zeitschrift fur Kristallographie 184 111-1211988synthetic0293
0014418CovelliteOhmasa M, Suzuki M, Takeuchi Y (1977) A refinement of the crystal structure of covellite, CuS Mineralogical Journal 8 311-3191977Kosaka mine, Akita Prefecture, Japan0293
0000534CovelliteEvans H T, Konnert J A (1976) Crystal structure refinement of covellite American Mineralogist 61 996-10001976Summitville, Colorado0293
0000065CovelliteBerry L G (1954) The crystal structure of covellite, CuS and klockmannite, CuSe American Mineralogist 39 504-5091954Leonard mine, Butte, Montana, USA0293
0017675CovelliteOftedal I (1932) Die Kristallstruktur des Covellins CuS Zeitschrift fur Kristallographie 83 9-251932Sardinia, Italy0293
0010940CovelliteTakeuchi Y, Kudoh Y, Sato G (1985) The crystal structure of covellite CuS under high pressure up to 33 kbar Zeitschrift fur Kristallographie 173 119-1281985Kosaka mine, Akita Prefecture, Japan0.1293
0010941CovelliteTakeuchi Y, Kudoh Y, Sato G (1985) The crystal structure of covellite CuS under high pressure up to 33 kbar Zeitschrift fur Kristallographie 173 119-1281985Kosaka mine, Akita Prefecture, Japan1.2293
0010942CovelliteTakeuchi Y, Kudoh Y, Sato G (1985) The crystal structure of covellite CuS under high pressure up to 33 kbar Zeitschrift fur Kristallographie 173 119-1281985Kosaka mine, Akita Prefecture, Japan1.8293
0010943CovelliteTakeuchi Y, Kudoh Y, Sato G (1985) The crystal structure of covellite CuS under high pressure up to 33 kbar Zeitschrift fur Kristallographie 173 119-1281985Kosaka mine, Akita Prefecture, Japan2.1293
0010944CovelliteTakeuchi Y, Kudoh Y, Sato G (1985) The crystal structure of covellite CuS under high pressure up to 33 kbar Zeitschrift fur Kristallographie 173 119-1281985Kosaka mine, Akita Prefecture, Japan3.3293
0015657CovelliteKalbskopf R, Pertlik F, Zemann J (1975) Verfeinerung der kristallstruktur des covellins, CuS, mit einkristalldaten Tschermaks Mineralogische und Petrographische Mitteilungen 22 242-24919750293
0017645CovelliteRoberts H, Ksanda C (1929) The Crystal Structure of Covellite _cod_database_code 1010920 American Journal of Science 17 489-50319290293
CIF Raw Data - click here to close

X-Ray Powder DiffractionHide

Loading XRD data...
Data Set:
Data courtesy of RRUFF project at University of Arizona, used with permission.
Powder Diffraction Data:
d-spacingIntensity
8.18 Å(8)
3.285 Å(14)
3.22 Å(30)
3.048 Å(65)
2.813 Å(100)
2.724 Å(55)
2.317 Å(10)
2.097 Å(6)
2.043 Å(8)
1.902 Å(25)
1.896 Å(75)
1.735 Å(35)
1.634 Å(4)
1.609 Å(8)
1.572 Å(16)
1.556 Å(35)
1.463 Å(6)
1.390 Å(6)
1.354 Å(8)
1.343 Å(6)
1.280 Å(10)
1.227 Å(6)
1.210 Å(10)
1.0998 Å(8)
1.0946 Å(10)
Comments:
ICDD 6-464 (synthetic).

Geological EnvironmentHide

Paragenetic Mode(s):
Paragenetic ModeEarliest Age (Ga)
Stage 2: Planetesimal differentiation and alteration4.566-4.550
6 : Secondary asteroid phases4.566-4.560
Stage 3b: Earth’s earliest hydrosphere>4.45
12 : Hadean hydrothermal subsurface sulfide deposits (see also #33)
15 : Black/white smoker minerals and other seafloor hydrothermal minerals
High-? alteration and/or metamorphism
33 : Minerals deposited by hydrothermal metal-rich fluids (see also [#12])
Stage 7: Great Oxidation Event<2.4
47h : [Near-surface oxidized, dehydrated minerals]
Stage 10a: Neoproterozoic oxygenation/terrestrial biosphere<0.6
50 : Coal and/or oil shale minerals<0.36
53 : Other minerals with taphonomic origins<0.4
Stage 10b: Anthropogenic minerals<10 Ka
54 : Coal and other mine fire minerals (see also #51 and #56)
Geological Setting:
Usually found as a secondary copper mineral in copper deposits, more rarely as a primary mineral of such deposits, and only very rarely as a volcanic sublimate (such as at Mount Vesuvius.)

Type Occurrence of CovelliteHide

Geological Setting of Type Material:
Igneous extrusive, as a volcanic sublimate on Mount Vesuvius.

Synonyms of CovelliteHide

Other Language Names for CovelliteHide

Varieties of CovelliteHide

Selenium-bearing Covellite
Silver-bearing CovelliteA silver-bearing variety of covellite.

Common AssociatesHide

Associations Based on Photo Data:
555 photos of Covellite associated with ChalcopyriteCuFeS2
471 photos of Covellite associated with PyriteFeS2
430 photos of Covellite associated with QuartzSiO2
290 photos of Covellite associated with ChalcociteCu2S
236 photos of Covellite associated with MalachiteCu2(CO3)(OH)2
218 photos of Covellite associated with BorniteCu5FeS4
137 photos of Covellite associated with GalenaPbS
104 photos of Covellite associated with CalciteCaCO3
91 photos of Covellite associated with SphaleriteZnS
91 photos of Covellite associated with AnglesitePbSO4

Related Minerals - Strunz-mindat GroupingHide

2.CA.05dYarrowiteCu9S8Trig. 3m(32/m) : P3m1
2.CA.05cSpionkopiteCu39S28Hex. 622
2.CA.05bKlockmanniteCuSeHex. 6/mmm(6/m2/m2/m) : P63/mmc
2.CA.10NukundamiteCu3.33Fe0.66S4Trig. 3m(32/m) : P3m1
2.CA.15CalvertiteCu5Ge0.5S4Iso. 43m : F43m
2.CA.20ErazoiteCu4SnS6Trig. 3m(32/m) : R3m
2.CA.25GrokhovskyiteCuCrS2Trig. 3m : R3m

Other InformationHide

Health Risks:
No information on health risks for this material has been entered into the database. You should always treat mineral specimens with care.
Industrial Uses:
An ore of copper, sometimes of major importance but more typically a lesser one.

Covellite in petrologyHide

An essential component of rock names highlighted in red, an accessory component in rock names highlighted in green.

    Internet Links for CovelliteHide

    References for CovelliteHide

    Reference List:

    Localities for CovelliteHide

    Showing 5,601 localities.

    This map shows a selection of localities that have latitude and longitude coordinates recorded. Click on the symbol to view information about a locality. The symbol next to localities in the list can be used to jump to that position on the map.
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