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Cuprite

A valid IMA mineral species - grandfathered
This page kindly sponsored by Chris Whitney-Smith
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About CupriteHide

Formula:
Cu2O
Colour:
Dark red to cochineal red, sometimes almost black.
Lustre:
Adamantine, Sub-Metallic, Earthy
Hardness:
3½ - 4
Specific Gravity:
6.14
Crystal System:
Isometric
Name:
Named in 1845 by Wilhelm Karl von Haidinger from the Latin "cuprum," in allusion to its composition. Haidinger renamed a previously known mineral that had been known by a wide variety of names.
Cuprite is commonly found as an oxidation product of copper sulphides in the upper zones of veins, often associated with Native Copper, Malachite, Azurite, Limonite and Chalcocite. A fibrous form of Cuprite is known as Chalcotrichite.




Unique IdentifiersHide

Mindat ID:
1172
Long-form identifier:
mindat:1:1:1172:9

Similar NamesHide

CapreiteA variety of CalciteCaCO3
CooperiteA valid IMA mineral species - grandfatheredPtS
CuriteA valid IMA mineral species - grandfatheredPb3(H2O)2[(UO2)4O4(OH)3]2
CypriteA synonym of Chalcocite

IMA Classification of CupriteHide

Approved, 'Grandfathered' (first described prior to 1959)
IMA Formula:
Cu1+2O

Classification of CupriteHide

4.AA.10

4 : OXIDES (Hydroxides, V[5,6] vanadates, arsenites, antimonites, bismuthites, sulfites, selenites, tellurites, iodates)
A : Metal: Oxygen = 2:1 and 1:1
A : Cation:Anion (M:O) = 2:1 (and 1.8:1)
Dana 7th ed.:
4.1.1.1
4.1.1.1

4 : SIMPLE OXIDES
1 : A2X
7.3.1

7 : Oxides and Hydroxides
3 : Oxides 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
CprIMA–CNMNCWarr, L.N. (2021). IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols. Mineralogical Magazine, 85(3), 291-320. doi:10.1180/mgm.2021.43
CprWhitney & 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
CupThe Canadian Mineralogist (2019)The Canadian Mineralogist (2019) The Canadian Mineralogist list of symbols for rock- and ore-forming minerals (December 30, 2019). download

Pronunciation of CupriteHide

Pronunciation:
PlayRecorded byCountry
Jolyon RalphUnited Kingdom

Physical Properties of CupriteHide

Adamantine, Sub-Metallic, Earthy
Transparency:
Transparent, Translucent
Colour:
Dark red to cochineal red, sometimes almost black.
Streak:
Shining metallic brownish-red.
Hardness:
3½ - 4 on Mohs scale
Hardness:
VHN100=183 - 222 kg/mm2 - Vickers
Hardness Data:
Measured
Tenacity:
Brittle
Cleavage:
Imperfect/Fair
Interrupted on {111}, more rarely on {001}.
Fracture:
Conchoidal
Density:
6.14 g/cm3 (Measured)    6.15 g/cm3 (Calculated)

Optical Data of CupriteHide

Type:
Isotropic
RI values:
n = 2.849
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
Anisotropism:
Anomalous
Colour in reflected light:
Bluish white
Internal Reflections:
Blood-red
Pleochroism:
Visible

Chemistry of CupriteHide

Mindat Formula:
Cu2O
Element Weights:
Element% weight
Cu88.819 %
O11.181 %

Calculated from ideal end-member formula.
Cu
O
CAS Registry number:
1317-39-1

CAS Registry numbers are published by the American Chemical Society

Crystallography of CupriteHide

Crystal System:
Isometric
Class (H-M):
m3m(4/m32/m) - Hexoctahedral
Space Group:
Pn3m
Cell Parameters:
a = 4.2685 Å
Unit Cell V:
77.77 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Z:
2
Morphology:
Crystals octahedral or cubic, rarely dodecahedral, sometimes highly modified. In the variety chalcotrichite the crystals are greatly elongated [001] into capillary shapes.
Twinning:
Penetration twins common.

Crystallographic forms of CupriteHide

Crystal Atlas:
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Cuprite no.1 - {111} - Goldschmidt (1913-1926)
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Cuprite no.57 - {110} - Goldschmidt (1913-1926)
View 3D crystal model
Cuprite no.80 - {111} - Goldschmidt (1913-1926)
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)
0009326CupriteKirfel A, Eichhorn K (1990) Accurate structure analysis with synchrotron radiation. The electron density in Al2O3 and Cu2O They have been fixed in this dataset. Acta Crystallographica A46 271-2841990synthetic0293
0007351CupriteHafner S S, Nagel S (1983) The electric field gradient at the position of copper in Cu2O and electronic charge density analysis by means of K-factors Physics and Chemistry of Minerals 9 19-2219830293
0017890CupriteYamaguti T (1938) An investigation on oxidation of crystal surfaces with electron diffraction method, II.- copper single crystals _cod_database_code 1010963 Proceedings of the Physico-Mathematical Society of Japan 20 230-24119380293
0015851CupriteNeuburger M (1930) Praezisionsmessung der Gitterkonstante von Cuprooxyd Cu2O _cod_database_code 1000063 Zeitschrift fur Physik 67 845-85019300293
0017662CupriteNiggli P (1922) Die Kristallstruktur einiger Oxyde I. _cod_database_code 1010941 Zeitschrift fur Kristallographie 57 253-29919220293
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
3.02 Å(10)
2.47 Å(100)
2.14 Å(40)
1.51 Å(30)
1.29 Å(20)
1.23 Å(10)
0.980 Å(10)
0.955 Å(10)

Geological EnvironmentHide

Paragenetic Mode(s):
Paragenetic ModeEarliest Age (Ga)
Stage 7: Great Oxidation Event<2.4
45b : [Other oxidized fumarolic minerals]
47h : [Near-surface oxidized, dehydrated minerals]
Stage 10a: Neoproterozoic oxygenation/terrestrial biosphere<0.6
50 : Coal and/or oil shale minerals<0.36
Stage 10b: Anthropogenic minerals<10 Ka
54 : Coal and other mine fire minerals (see also #51 and #56)
Geological Setting:
Found in the oxidised zones of copper deposits.

Synonyms of CupriteHide

Other Language Names for CupriteHide

Varieties of CupriteHide

ChalcotrichiteA variety of Cuprite consisting of thin fibrous sprays or mats of hair-like crystals.
Tile oreA brick-red massive variety of cuprite, usually found with malachite or other secondary copper minerals (e.g. atacamite).

Common AssociatesHide

Associations Based on Photo Data:
2,151 photos of Cuprite associated with Native CopperCu
1,805 photos of Cuprite associated with MalachiteCu2(CO3)(OH)2
509 photos of Cuprite associated with ChrysocollaCu2-xAlx(H2-xSi2O5)(OH)4 · nH2O, x < 1
396 photos of Cuprite associated with QuartzSiO2
385 photos of Cuprite associated with CalciteCaCO3
291 photos of Cuprite associated with AzuriteCu3(CO3)2(OH)2
234 photos of Cuprite associated with GoethiteFe3+O(OH)
185 photos of Cuprite associated with ConnelliteCu19(SO4)(OH)32Cl4 · 3H2O
176 photos of Cuprite associated with Native SilverAg
154 photos of Cuprite associated with 'Chalcotrichite'Cu2O

Related Minerals - Strunz-mindat GroupingHide

4.AA.05IceH2OHex. 6/mmm(6/m2/m2/m) : P63/mmc
4.AA.10Cubo-iceH2OIso.
4.AA.15ParamelaconiteCu+2Cu2+2O3Tet. 4/mmm(4/m2/m2/m) : I41/amd

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.

Cuprite in petrologyHide

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

    Internet Links for CupriteHide

    References for CupriteHide

    Reference List:

    Localities for CupriteHide

    Showing 3,853 localities.

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