Fullerite
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Formula:
C60
Colour:
Black
Lustre:
Vitreous
Hardness:
3½
Crystal System:
Tetragonal
Name:
Named for Richard Buckminster Fuller (1895-1983), American architect and visionary. Invented the geodesic dome which illustrates the molecular morphology of fullerenes.
Apparently a fullerene with a C60 composition. Originally described from Shun'ga area, Shun'ga village, Onega lake, Karelia Republic, Northern Region, Russia and Tuvish basaltoid pipe, Gissar Range, Viloyati Sogd (Viloyati Sughd; Viloyati Khodzhent; Viloyati Leninabad), Tajikistan.
In the Shun'ga material, the fullerenes are present in merely trace quantities (0.0001 < 0.001%) (Mosin and Ignatov, 2013), and not as discrete particles, so it would be wrong to consider these fullerene molecules as "minerals" or "mineraloids" in any sense at all and the misleading "-ite" suffix should never have been used.
In the Shun'ga material, the fullerenes are present in merely trace quantities (0.0001 < 0.001%) (Mosin and Ignatov, 2013), and not as discrete particles, so it would be wrong to consider these fullerene molecules as "minerals" or "mineraloids" in any sense at all and the misleading "-ite" suffix should never have been used.
Unique Identifiers
Mindat ID:
6959
Long-form identifier:
mindat:1:1:6959:1
Similar Names
| Fluorite | A valid IMA mineral species - grandfathered | CaF2 |
| Fowlerite | A valid IMA mineral species - grandfathered | (Mn2+,Zn,Ca)SiO3 |
| Müllerite | A valid IMA mineral species | Pb2Fe3+(Te6+O6)Cl |
| Müllerite (of McIvor) | A synonym of Schertelite | |
| Pholerite | A synonym | |
| Valleriite | A valid IMA mineral species - grandfathered | (Fe2+,Cu)4(Mg,Al)3S4(OH,O)6 |
IMA Classification of Fullerite
Questionable
IMA status notes:
Published without approval
Classification of Fullerite
1.CB.05c
1 : ELEMENTS (Metals and intermetallic alloys; metalloids and nonmetals; carbides, silicides, nitrides, phosphides)
C : Metalloids and Nonmetals
B : Carbon-silicon family
1 : ELEMENTS (Metals and intermetallic alloys; metalloids and nonmetals; carbides, silicides, nitrides, phosphides)
C : Metalloids and Nonmetals
B : Carbon-silicon family
Dana 7th ed.:
1.3.5.5
Physical Properties of Fullerite
Chemistry of Fullerite
Mindat Formula:
C60
Element Weights:
| Element | % weight |
|---|---|
| C | 100.000 % |
Calculated from ideal end-member formula.
Elements listed:
Crystallography of Fullerite
Crystal System:
Tetragonal
Synonyms of Fullerite
Other Language Names for Fullerite
Common Associates
Associations Based on Photo Data:
| 2 photos of Fullerite associated with 'Shungite (1)' |
Related Minerals - Strunz-mindat Grouping
| 1.CB. | Tartarosite | C |
| 1.CB.05b | Chaoite | C |
| 1.CB.05a | Graphite | C |
| 1.CB.10a | Diamond | C |
| 1.CB.10b | Lonsdaleite | C |
| 1.CB.15 | Native Silicon | Si |
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 Fullerite
mindat.org URL:
https://www.mindat.org/min-6959.html
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References for Fullerite
Reference List:
Buseck, P. R., Tsipursky, S. J., Hettich, R. (1992) Fullerenes from the Geological Environment. Science, 257 (5067). 215-217 doi:10.1126/science.257.5067.215
Daly, T. K., Buseck, P. R., Williams, P., Lewis, C. F. (1993) Fullerenes from a Fulgurite. Science, 259 (5101). 1599-1601 doi:10.1126/science.259.5101.1599
Localities for Fullerite
Showing 3 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.
Kazakhstan | |
| Levin et al. (2021) |
Russia | |
| Spiridonov et al. (2016) |
| [www.webmineral.com] |
