Tetrahedrite-(Cu)
A valid IMA mineral species
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Formula:
Cu6(Cu4Cu2+2)Sb4S12S
Note that the Cu in tetrahedrite-(Cu) is of mixed valence (A, B, C refer to the group formula):
A = Cu+;
B = Cu+;
C = Cu2+
A = Cu+;
B = Cu+;
C = Cu2+
Colour:
steel-grey
Lustre:
Metallic
Hardness:
3½ - 4
Specific Gravity:
5.029 (Calculated)
Crystal System:
Isometric
Member of:
Name:
Named according to the nomenclature for tetrahedrite group minerals, with the suffix/modifier indicating predominant copper in the M1C site.
Unique Identifiers
Mindat ID:
470477
Long-form identifier:
mindat:1:1:470477:1
Similar Names
| Tetrahedrit | A synonym of Tetrahedrite Subgroup | |
| Tetrahedrite-(Cd) | A valid IMA mineral species | Cu6(Cu4Cd2)Sb4S12S |
| Tetrahedrite-(Fe) | A valid IMA mineral species | Cu6(Cu4Fe22+)Sb4S12S |
| Tetrahedrite-(Hg) | A valid IMA mineral species | Cu6(Cu4Hg2)Sb4S12S |
| Tetrahedrite-(Mn) | A valid IMA mineral species - pending publication | Cu6(Cu4Mn2)Sb4S12S |
| Tetrahedrite-(Ni) | A valid IMA mineral species | Cu6(Cu4Ni2)Sb4S12S |
| Tetrahedrite-(Zn) | A valid IMA mineral species | Cu6(Cu4Zn2)Sb4S12S |
IMA Classification of Tetrahedrite-(Cu)
Approved
IMA Formula:
Cu1+6(Cu1+4Cu2+2)Sb3+4S2-13
Approval year:
2022
Type description reference:
Classification of Tetrahedrite-(Cu)
2.GB.
2 : SULFIDES and SULFOSALTS (sulfides, selenides, tellurides; arsenides, antimonides, bismuthides; sulfarsenites, sulfantimonites, sulfbismuthites, etc.)
G : Sulfarsenites, sulfantimonites, sulfbismuthites
B : Neso-sulfarsenites, etc. with additional S
2 : SULFIDES and SULFOSALTS (sulfides, selenides, tellurides; arsenides, antimonides, bismuthides; sulfarsenites, sulfantimonites, sulfbismuthites, etc.)
G : Sulfarsenites, sulfantimonites, sulfbismuthites
B : Neso-sulfarsenites, etc. with additional S
Mineral Symbols
As of 2021 there are now IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols (abbreviations) for each mineral species, useful for tables and diagrams.
| Symbol | Source | Reference for Standard |
|---|---|---|
| Ttr-Cu | IMA–CNMNC | Warr, L.N. (2021). IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols. Mineralogical Magazine, 85(3), 291-320. doi:10.1180/mgm.2021.43 |
Physical Properties of Tetrahedrite-(Cu)
Metallic
Transparency:
Opaque
Colour:
Steel-grey
Streak:
Black
Hardness:
3½ - 4 on Mohs scale
Tenacity:
Brittle
Cleavage:
Poor/Indistinct
indistinct cleavage.
indistinct cleavage.
Fracture:
Conchoidal
Density:
5.029 g/cm3 (Calculated)
Optical Data of Tetrahedrite-(Cu)
Reflectivity:
| Wavelength | R1 (%) |
|---|---|
| 470nm | 31.1% |
| 546nm | 30.1% |
| 589nm | 29.9% |
| 650nm | 28.1% |
Graph shows reflectance levels at different wavelengths (in nm). Peak reflectance is 31.1%.
Colour in reflected light:
grey with bluish shade
Internal Reflections:
none
Chemistry of Tetrahedrite-(Cu)
Mindat Formula:
Cu6(Cu4Cu2+2)Sb4S12S
Note that the Cu in tetrahedrite-(Cu) is of mixed valence (A, B, C refer to the group formula):
A = Cu+;
B = Cu+;
C = Cu2+
Note that the Cu in tetrahedrite-(Cu) is of mixed valence (A, B, C refer to the group formula):
A = Cu+;
B = Cu+;
C = Cu2+
Element Weights:
Elements listed:
Chemical Analysis
Oxide wt%:
| 1 | |
|---|---|
| Cu | 45.76 % |
| Sb | 29.23 % |
| S | 25.01 % |
| Total: | 100 % |
Empirical formulas:
| Sample ID | Empirical Formula |
|---|---|
| 1 | Cu11.42Zn0.26Fe0.19(Sb4.06As0.08)Σ4.14S12.99 |
Sample references:
| ID | Locality | Reference | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Medvedza magnesite body, Bankov magnesite deposit, Košice I, Košice, Košice Region, Slovakia | empirical formula: by electron-microprobe, from average of 17 analytical spots; the wt.% data is the requirement for the ideal formula |
Crystallography of Tetrahedrite-(Cu)
Crystal System:
Isometric
Class (H-M):
43m - Hextetrahedral
Space Group:
I43m
Cell Parameters:
a = 10.3296(15) Å
Unit Cell V:
1,102.17 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Z:
2
X-Ray Powder Diffraction
Powder Diffraction Data:
| d-spacing | Intensity |
|---|---|
| 3.652 Å | (9) |
| 2.982 Å | (100) |
| 2.761 Å | (7) |
| 2.582 Å | (21) |
| 2.435 Å | (7) |
| 1.886 Å | (7) |
| 1.826 Å | (40) |
| 1.557 Å | (19) |
Type Occurrence of Tetrahedrite-(Cu)
General Appearance of Type Material:
anhedral grains, up to 0.4 mm across
Place of Conservation of Type Material:
Type material is deposited in the collections of the Department of Mineralogy and Petrology, National Museum in Prague, Cirkusová 1740, 19300 Prague 9, Czech Republic, catalogue number P1P 27/2022, and the Museo di Storia Naturale, Università di Pisa, Via Roma 79, Calci (PI), Italy, catalogue number 20017
Geological Setting of Type Material:
An interesting hydrothermal ore mineralization represented mostly by Cu sulfosalts (skinnerite, chalcostibite and various minerals of the tetrahedrite group) is developed in a small scale on younger fractures in Medvedza magnesite body in form of crystalline crusts and fillings. Tetrahedrite-(Cu) is associated with skinnerite, chalcostibite, famatinite, tetrahedrite-(Fe), zoned aggregates of tennantite-(Cu) to tennantite-(Fe) and minor chalcopyrite and marcasite. This unusual association of Cu sulfosalts has no other equivalent in the whole Western Carpathians and it is related to hydrothermal, most probably Alpine solutions strongly enriched in Cu, Sb and S and in the later stage of crystallization also in As as well as minor amounts of Ge. Primary ore mineralization is locally replaced by younger supergene minerals including chalcocite, native copper, malachite and azurite.
Associated Minerals at Type Locality:
Synonyms of Tetrahedrite-(Cu)
Other Language Names for Tetrahedrite-(Cu)
Dutch:Tetrahedriet-(Cu)
German:Tetraedrit-(Cu)
Relationship of Tetrahedrite-(Cu) to other Species
Member of:
Other Members of Tetrahedrite Subgroup:
| Tetrahedrite-(Cd) | Cu6(Cu4Cd2)Sb4S12S | Iso. 43m : I43m |
| Tetrahedrite-(Fe) | Cu6(Cu4Fe2+2)Sb4S12S | Iso. 43m : I43m |
| Tetrahedrite-(Hg) | Cu6(Cu4Hg2)Sb4S12S | Iso. 43m : I43m |
| Tetrahedrite-(Mn) | Cu6(Cu4Mn2)Sb4S12S | Iso. 43m : I43m |
| Tetrahedrite-(Ni) | Cu6(Cu4Ni2)Sb4S12S | Iso. 43m : I43m |
| Tetrahedrite-(Zn) | Cu6(Cu4Zn2)Sb4S12S | Iso. 43m : F43m |
Related Minerals - Strunz-mindat Grouping
| 2.GB. | 'Polybasite-Tac' | [Ag6Sb2S7][Ag9CuS4] |
| 2.GB. | Kenoargentotetrahedrite-(Zn) | [Ag6]4+(Cu4Zn2)Sb4S12◻ |
| 2.GB. | Argentotetrahedrite-(Hg) | Ag6(Cu4Hg2)Sb4S12S |
| 2.GB. | Annivite-(Zn) | Cu6(Cu4Zn2)Bi4S12S |
| 2.GB. | Pošepnýite | (Cu+3◻3)(Hg2+4Cu+2)Sb4Se12(Se0.5◻0.5) |
| 2.GB. | Tennantite-(Cu) | Cu6(Cu4Cu2)As4S12S |
| 2.GB. | Argentopolybasite | [Ag6Sb2S7][Ag9AgS4] |
| 2.GB. | Tennantite-(Mn) | Cu6(Cu4Mn2)As4S12S |
| 2.GB. | Argentotetrahedrite-(Cd) | Ag6(Cu4Cd2)Sb4S12S |
| 2.GB. | Stibioústalečite | (Cu4Cu2)(Cu4Cu+2)(Sb2Te2)Se12Se |
| 2.GB. | Stibiogoldfieldite | (Cu4Cu2)(Cu4Cu+2)(Sb2Te2)S12S |
| 2.GB. | Argentotetrahedrite-(Zn) | Ag6(Cu4Zn2)Sb4S12S |
| 2.GB. | Tetrahedrite-(Cd) | Cu6(Cu4Cd2)Sb4S12S |
| 2.GB. | Arsenogoldfieldite | (Cu4Cu2)(Cu4Cu+2)(As2Te2)S12S |
| 2.GB. | Arsenoústalečite | (Cu4Cu2)(Cu4Cu+2)(As2Te2)Se12Se |
| 2.GB. | Tennantite-(In) | Cu6(Cu5In)As4S13 |
| 2.GB. | Zvěstovite-(Fe) | Ag6(Ag4Fe2+2)As4S12S |
| 2.GB. | Hakite-(Fe) | Cu6(Cu4Fe2+2)Sb4Se12Se |
| 2.GB. | Tennantite-(Cd) | Cu6(Cu4Cd2)As4S12S |
| 2.GB.X | Kenorozhdestvenskayaite-(Fe) | [Ag6]4+(Ag4Fe2+2)Sb4S12◻ |
| 2.GB. | Hakite-(Zn) | Cu6(Cu4Zn2)Sb4Se12Se |
| 2.GB. | Zvěstovite-(Zn) | Ag6(Ag4Zn2)As4S12S |
| 2.GB. | Hakite-(Cd) | Cu6(Cu4Cd2)Sb4Se12Se |
| 2.GB. | Kenoargentotennantite-(Fe) | [Ag6]4+(Cu4Fe2)As4S12◻ |
| 2.GB. | Tennantite-(Hg) | Cu6(Cu4Hg2)As4S12S |
| 2.GB. | Tetrahedrite-(Mn) | Cu6(Cu4Mn2)Sb4S12S |
| 2.GB. | Tennantite-(Ni) | Cu6(Cu4Ni2)As4S12S |
| 2.GB. | Tetrahedrite-(Ni) | Cu6(Cu4Ni2)Sb4S12S |
| 2.GB.05 | Hakite-(Hg) | Cu6(Cu4Hg2)Sb4Se12Se |
| 2.GB.05 | Rozhdestvenskayaite-(Zn) | Ag6(Ag4Zn2)Sb4S12S |
| 2.GB.05 | Argentotennantite-(Zn) | Ag6(Cu4Zn2)As4S12S |
| 2.GB.05 | Argentotennantite-(Fe) | Ag6(Cu4Fe2)As4S12S |
| 2.GB.05 | Freibergite Subgroup | (Ag6,[Ag6]4+)(Cu4 C2+2)Sb4S12S0-1 |
| 2.GB.05 | Tennantite Subgroup | Cu6(Cu4C2+2)As4S12S |
| 2.GB.05 | Tennantite-(Zn) | Cu6(Cu4Zn2)As4S12S |
| 2.GB.05 | Tetrahedrite-(Zn) | Cu6(Cu4Zn2)Sb4S12S |
| 2.GB.05 | Tetrahedrite Subgroup | Cu6(Cu4C2+2)Sb4S12S |
| 2.GB.05 | Tennantite-(Fe) | Cu6(Cu4Fe2+2)As4S12S |
| 2.GB.05 | Tetrahedrite-(Fe) | Cu6(Cu4Fe2+2)Sb4S12S |
| 2.GB.05 | Tetrahedrite-(Hg) | Cu6(Cu4Hg2)Sb4S12S |
| 2.GB.05 | Kenoargentotetrahedrite-(Fe) | [Ag6]4+(Cu4Fe2+2)Sb4S12◻ |
| 2.GB.05 | Giraudite-(Zn) | Cu6(Cu4Zn2)As4Se12Se |
| 2.GB.05 | Argentotetrahedrite-(Fe) | Ag6(Cu4Fe2)Sb4S12S |
| 2.GB.05 | Goldfieldite | (Cu4◻2)(Cu4Cu+2)Te4S12S |
| 2.GB.05 | 'UM1992-21-S:AgFeSb' | Ag6(Ag4Fe2+2)Sb4S12S |
| 2.GB.10 | Selenostephanite | Ag5SbSe4 |
| 2.GB.10 | Stephanite | Ag5SbS4 |
| 2.GB.15 | 'UM2003-14-S:AgBiFeTe' | Ag16FeBiTe3S8 |
| 2.GB.15 | 'UM1979-17-S:BiCuFe' | ~Cu18Fe4BiS16 |
| 2.GB.15 | Pearceite | [Ag6As2S7][Ag9CuS4] |
| 2.GB.15 | Argentopearceite | Ag16As2S11 |
| 2.GB.15 | Cupropolybasite | [Cu6Sb2S7][Ag9CuS4] |
| 2.GB.15 | Fengruiite | [Ag6Sb2S7][Ag9CuS2Te2] |
| 2.GB.15 | Auropearceite | [Ag9AuS4][Ag6As2S7] |
| 2.GB.15 | Selenopolybasite | [(Ag,Cu)6(Sb,As)2(S,Se)7][Ag9Cu(S,Se)2Se2] |
| 2.GB.15 | Polybasite | [Ag6Sb2S7][Ag9CuS4] |
| 2.GB.15 | Auropolybasite | [Ag9AuS4][Ag6Sb2S7] |
| 2.GB.15 | Cupropearceite | [Cu6As2S7][Ag9CuS4] |
| 2.GB.20 | Vorontsovite | (Hg5Cu)Σ6TlAs4S12 |
| 2.GB.20 | Ferrovorontsovite | (Fe5Cu)Σ6TlAs4S12 |
| 2.GB.20 | Galkhaite | (Hg5Cu)CsAs4S12 |
Other Information
Health Risks:
No information on health risks for this material has been entered into the database. You should always treat mineral specimens with care.
Internet Links for Tetrahedrite-(Cu)
mindat.org URL:
https://www.mindat.org/min-470477.html
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References for Tetrahedrite-(Cu)
Reference List:
Pfitzner, A.; Evain, M.; Petricek, V. (1997) Cu12Sb4S13: A Temperature-Dependent Structure Investigation. Acta Crystallographica Section B Structural Science, 53 (3). 337-345 doi:10.1107/s0108768196014024
Di Benedetto, F., Bernardini, G. P., Cipriani, C., Emiliani, C., Gatteschi, D., Romanelli, M. (2005) The distribution of Cu(II) and the magnetic properties of the synthetic analogue of tetrahedrite: Cu12Sb4S13. Physics and Chemistry of Minerals, 32 (3) 155-164 doi:10.1007/s00269-005-0449-8
Localities for Tetrahedrite-(Cu)
Showing 6 localities.
symbol to view information about a locality.
The Locality List
- This locality has map coordinates listed.
- This locality has estimated coordinates.
ⓘ - Click for references and further information on this occurrence.
? - Indicates mineral may be doubtful at this locality.
- Good crystals or important locality for species.
- World class for species or very significant.
(TL) - Type Locality for a valid mineral species.
(FRL) - First Recorded Locality for everything else (eg varieties).
All localities listed without proper references should be considered as questionable.
Czech Republic | |
| Sejkora et al. (2023) |
France | |
| Gineste et al. (2026) |
Peru | |
| Joan Rosell (2023) |
Russia | |
| Kozlov et al. (n.d.) |
Slovakia (TL) | |
| Miyawaki et al. (2022) +1 other reference |
USA | |
| Chris Emproto Collection |
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