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Tennantite-(In)

A valid IMA mineral species
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Formula:
Cu6(Cu5In)As4S13
The formula Cu6(Cu4(In3+Cu+))As4S12S represents a charge-balanced end-member composition consistent with one of the published analyses.
A more general formula has also been given as Cu6(Cu4(In,Cu,Zn)2)As4S12S.
Colour:
black
Lustre:
Metallic
Hardness:
3½ - 4
Specific Gravity:
4.763 (Calculated)
Crystal System:
Isometric
Name:
Named for being the In rich member of the tennantite subgroup.
A Cu-Zn-rich “tennantite-(In)” (with quotation marks in original article) is described by Voudouris et al. (2022). It grades into In-rich tennantite-(Cu). The most In-rich analysis has 6.27 wt.% In. The mineral was subsequently approved (Voudouris et al., 2026).


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Unique IdentifiersHide

Mindat ID:
55711
Long-form identifier:
mindat:1:1:55711:5

Similar NamesHide

PennantiteA valid IMA mineral species - grandfatheredMn52+Al(AlSi3O10)(OH)8
TennantitA synonym of Tennantite Subgroup
Tennantite-(Cd)A valid IMA mineral speciesCu6(Cu4Cd2)As4S12S
Tennantite-(Cu)A valid IMA mineral speciesCu6(Cu4Cu2)As4S12S
Tennantite-(Fe)A valid IMA mineral speciesCu6(Cu4Fe22+)As4S12S
Tennantite-(Hg)A valid IMA mineral speciesCu6(Cu4Hg2)As4S12S
Tennantite-(Mn)A valid IMA mineral species - pending publicationCu6(Cu4Mn2)As4S12S
Tennantite-(Ni)A valid IMA mineral speciesCu6(Cu4Ni2)As4S12S
Tennantite-(Zn)A valid IMA mineral speciesCu6(Cu4Zn2)As4S12S

IMA Classification of Tennantite-(In)Hide

Classification of Tennantite-(In)Hide

Strunz-mindat (2026):
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

Mineral SymbolsHide

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

SymbolSourceReference for Standard
Tnt-InIMA–CNMNCWarr, L.N. (2021). IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols. Mineralogical Magazine, 85(3), 291-320. doi:10.1180/mgm.2021.43

Physical Properties of Tennantite-(In)Hide

Lustre:
Metallic
Transparency:
Opaque
Colour:
Black
Streak:
Black
Hardness:
3½ - 4 on Mohs scale
Comment:
estimated
Tenacity:
Brittle
Cleavage:
Poor/Indistinct
Fracture:
Conchoidal
Density:
4.763 g/cm3 (Calculated)

Optical Data of Tennantite-(In)Hide

Reflectivity:
WavelengthR1 (%)
470nm31.2%
546nm30.7%
589nm30.5%
650nm28.8%


Graph shows reflectance levels at different wavelengths (in nm). Peak reflectance is 31.2%.
Colour in reflected light:
pale grey
Internal Reflections:
none

Chemistry of Tennantite-(In)Hide

Mindat Formula:
Cu6(Cu5In)As4S13

The formula Cu6(Cu4(In3+Cu+))As4S12S represents a charge-balanced end-member composition consistent with one of the published analyses.
A more general formula has also been given as Cu6(Cu4(In,Cu,Zn)2)As4S12S.
Element Weights:
Element% weight
Cu45.676 %
S27.238 %
As19.583 %
In7.503 %

Calculated from ideal end-member formula.
Cu
S
As
In
Elements listed:
As, Cu, In, S - search for minerals with similar chemistry
Common Impurities:
Fe,Zn,Sb,Te,Sn,Mn,Se

Crystallography of Tennantite-(In)Hide

Crystal System:
Isometric
Class (H-M):
43m - Hextetrahedral
Space Group:
I43m
Cell Parameters:
a = 10.285(2) Å
Unit Cell V:
1,087.96 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Z:
2

X-Ray Powder DiffractionHide

Type Occurrence of Tennantite-(In)Hide

Type Locality:
ⓘ Pefka deposit, Alexandroupoli, Evros, Eastern Macedonia and Thrace, Greece
General Appearance of Type Material:
anhedral grains, up to 0.1 mm in size
Place of Conservation of Type Material:
Type material is deposited in the collections of the Museo di Storia Naturale, Università di Pisa, Via Roma 79, Calci (PI), Italy, catalogue number 20029
Geological Setting of Type Material:
epithermal ore deposit
probably related to the transition from the HS to the IS stages during the evolution of the Pefka epithermal deposit.
Associated Minerals at Type Locality:
BournoniteGalenaQuartzRoquesiteSeligmannite
Tennantite-(Fe)Watanabeite
Reference:
Voudouris, Panagiotis; Biagioni, Cristian; Sejkora, Jiří; Musetti, Silvia; Melfou, Margarita; Mavrogonatos, Constantinos (2026) Tennantite-(In), Cu6(Cu5In)As4S13, a new member of the tetrahedrite group from Pefka, Greece. Mineralogical Magazine, 90 (2). p.417-426. doi:10.1180/mgm.2025.10140

Other Language Names for Tennantite-(In)Hide

Relationship of Tennantite-(In) to other SpeciesHide

Member of:
Tennantite Subgroup > Tetrahedrite Group
Other Members of Tennantite Subgroup:
Tennantite-(Cd)Cu6(Cu4Cd2)As4S12SIso. 43m : I43m
Tennantite-(Cu)Cu6(Cu4Cu2)As4S12SIso. 43m : I43m
Tennantite-(Fe)Cu6(Cu4Fe2+2)As4S12SIso. 43m : I43m
Tennantite-(Hg)Cu6(Cu4Hg2)As4S12SIso. 43m : I43m
Tennantite-(Mn)Cu6(Cu4Mn2)As4S12SIso. 43m : I43m
Tennantite-(Ni)Cu6(Cu4Ni2)As4S12SIso. 43m : I43m
Tennantite-(Zn)Cu6(Cu4Zn2)As4S12SIso. 43m : I43m

Related Minerals - Strunz-mindat GroupingHide

2.GB.'Polybasite-Tac'[Ag6Sb2S7][Ag9CuS4]Trig. 3m(32/m) : P3m1
2.GB.Kenoargentotetrahedrite-(Zn)[Ag6]4+(Cu4Zn2)Sb4S12◻Iso. 43m : I43m
2.GB.Argentotetrahedrite-(Hg)Ag6(Cu4Hg2)Sb4S12SIso. 43m : I43m
2.GB.Annivite-(Zn)Cu6(Cu4Zn2)Bi4S12SIso. 43m : I43m
2.GB.Pošepnýite(Cu+3◻3)(Hg2+4Cu+2)Sb4Se12(Se0.5◻0.5)Iso. 43m : I43m
2.GB.Tennantite-(Cu)Cu6(Cu4Cu2)As4S12SIso. 43m : I43m
2.GB.Argentopolybasite[Ag6Sb2S7][Ag9AgS4]Trig. 32 : P321
2.GB.Tennantite-(Mn)Cu6(Cu4Mn2)As4S12SIso. 43m : I43m
2.GB.Argentotetrahedrite-(Cd)Ag6(Cu4Cd2)Sb4S12SIso. 43m : I43m
2.GB.Stibioústalečite(Cu4Cu2)(Cu4Cu+2)(Sb2Te2)Se12SeIso. 43m : I43m
2.GB.Stibiogoldfieldite(Cu4Cu2)(Cu4Cu+2)(Sb2Te2)S12SIso. 43m : I43m
2.GB.Argentotetrahedrite-(Zn)Ag6(Cu4Zn2)Sb4S12SIso. 43m : I43m
2.GB.Tetrahedrite-(Cd)Cu6(Cu4Cd2)Sb4S12SIso. 43m : I43m
2.GB.Arsenogoldfieldite(Cu4Cu2)(Cu4Cu+2)(As2Te2)S12SIso. 43m : I43m
2.GB.Arsenoústalečite(Cu4Cu2)(Cu4Cu+2)(As2Te2)Se12SeIso. 43m : I43m
2.GB.Zvěstovite-(Fe)Ag6(Ag4Fe2+2)As4S12SIso. 43m : I43m
2.GB.Hakite-(Fe)Cu6(Cu4Fe2+2)Sb4Se12SeIso. 43m : I43m
2.GB.Tennantite-(Cd)Cu6(Cu4Cd2)As4S12SIso. 43m : I43m
2.GB.XKenorozhdestvenskayaite-(Fe)[Ag6]4+(Ag4Fe2+2)Sb4S12◻Iso. 43m : I43m
2.GB.Tetrahedrite-(Cu)Cu6(Cu4Cu2+2)Sb4S12SIso. 43m : I43m
2.GB.Hakite-(Zn)Cu6(Cu4Zn2)Sb4Se12SeIso. 43m : I43m
2.GB.Zvěstovite-(Zn)Ag6(Ag4Zn2)As4S12SIso.
2.GB.Hakite-(Cd)Cu6(Cu4Cd2)Sb4Se12SeIso. 43m : I43m
2.GB.Kenoargentotennantite-(Fe)[Ag6]4+(Cu4Fe2)As4S12◻Iso. 43m : I43m
2.GB.Tennantite-(Hg)Cu6(Cu4Hg2)As4S12SIso. 43m : I43m
2.GB.Tetrahedrite-(Mn)Cu6(Cu4Mn2)Sb4S12SIso. 43m : I43m
2.GB.Tennantite-(Ni)Cu6(Cu4Ni2)As4S12SIso. 43m : I43m
2.GB.Tetrahedrite-(Ni)Cu6(Cu4Ni2)Sb4S12SIso. 43m : I43m
2.GB.05Hakite-(Hg)Cu6(Cu4Hg2)Sb4Se12SeIso. 43m : I43m
2.GB.05Rozhdestvenskayaite-(Zn)Ag6(Ag4Zn2)Sb4S12SIso. 43m : I43m
2.GB.05Argentotennantite-(Zn)Ag6(Cu4Zn2)As4S12SIso. 43m : I43m
2.GB.05Argentotennantite-(Fe)Ag6(Cu4Fe2)As4S12SIso. 43m : I43m
2.GB.05Freibergite Subgroup(Ag6,[Ag6]4+)(Cu4 C2+2)Sb4S12S0-1Iso. 43m : I43m
2.GB.05Tennantite SubgroupCu6(Cu4C2+2)As4S12SIso. 43m : I43m
2.GB.05Tennantite-(Zn)Cu6(Cu4Zn2)As4S12SIso. 43m : I43m
2.GB.05Tetrahedrite-(Zn)Cu6(Cu4Zn2)Sb4S12SIso. 43m : F43m
2.GB.05Tetrahedrite SubgroupCu6(Cu4C2+2)Sb4S12SIso. 43m : I43m
2.GB.05Tennantite-(Fe)Cu6(Cu4Fe2+2)As4S12SIso. 43m : I43m
2.GB.05Tetrahedrite-(Fe)Cu6(Cu4Fe2+2)Sb4S12SIso. 43m : I43m
2.GB.05Tetrahedrite-(Hg)Cu6(Cu4Hg2)Sb4S12SIso. 43m : I43m
2.GB.05Kenoargentotetrahedrite-(Fe)[Ag6]4+(Cu4Fe2+2)Sb4S12◻Iso. 43m : I43m
2.GB.05Giraudite-(Zn)Cu6(Cu4Zn2)As4Se12SeIso. 43m : I43m
2.GB.05Argentotetrahedrite-(Fe)Ag6(Cu4Fe2)Sb4S12SIso. 43m : I43m
2.GB.05Goldfieldite(Cu4◻2)(Cu4Cu+2)Te4S12SIso. 43m : I43m
2.GB.05'UM1992-21-S:AgFeSb'Ag6(Ag4Fe2+2)Sb4S12SIso.
2.GB.10SelenostephaniteAg5SbSe4Orth. 222 : P212121
2.GB.10StephaniteAg5SbS4Orth. mm2 : Cmc21
2.GB.15'UM2003-14-S:AgBiFeTe'Ag16FeBiTe3S8
2.GB.15'UM1979-17-S:BiCuFe'~Cu18Fe4BiS16
2.GB.15Pearceite[Ag6As2S7][Ag9CuS4]Trig. 3m(32/m) : P3m1
2.GB.15ArgentopearceiteAg16As2S11Trig. 32 : P321
2.GB.15Cupropolybasite[Cu6Sb2S7][Ag9CuS4]Trig. 3m : P31m
2.GB.15Fengruiite[Ag6Sb2S7][Ag9CuS2Te2]Trig. 3m(32/m) : P3m1
2.GB.15Auropearceite [Ag9AuS4][Ag6As2S7]Trig. 32 : P321
2.GB.15Selenopolybasite[(Ag,Cu)6(Sb,As)2(S,Se)7][Ag9Cu(S,Se)2Se2]Trig. 3m(32/m) : P3m1
2.GB.15Polybasite[Ag6Sb2S7][Ag9CuS4]Mon. 2/m : B2/m
2.GB.15Auropolybasite[Ag9AuS4][Ag6Sb2S7]Trig. 32 : P321
2.GB.15Cupropearceite[Cu6As2S7][Ag9CuS4]Trig. 3m(32/m) : P3m1
2.GB.20Vorontsovite(Hg5Cu)Σ6TlAs4S12Iso. 43m : I43m
2.GB.20Ferrovorontsovite(Fe5Cu)Σ6TlAs4S12Iso. 43m : I43m
2.GB.20Galkhaite(Hg5Cu)CsAs4S12Iso. 43m : I43m

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.

Internet Links for Tennantite-(In)Hide

References for Tennantite-(In)Hide

Localities for Tennantite-(In)Hide

Showing 2 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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Locality ListHide

- 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). Struck out - Mineral was erroneously reported from this locality. Faded * - Never found at this locality but inferred to have existed at some point in the past (e.g. from pseudomorphs).

All localities listed without proper references should be considered as questionable.
Greece
 
  • Eastern Macedonia and Thrace
    • Evros
      • Alexandroupoli
Voudouris et al. (2022)
Voudouris et al. (2022) +1 other reference
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