Named in honor of DeAlton R. Owens (b. 1934), Canada Centre for Mineral and Energy Technology, for his contributions to mineralogy, particularly in the field of electron-microbeam analyses.

Type Locality:

ⓘ Wellgreen Cu-Ni-PGE deposit, Kluane District, Whitehorse mining district, Yukon, Canada

The Cu analogue of zoharite. Also BaCu-analogue of gmalimite.

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Unique IdentifiersHide

Mindat ID:

7211

Long-form identifier:

mindat:1:1:7211:9

Similar NamesHide

Owenite

A synonym of 'Thuringite'

IMA Classification of OwensiteHide

IMA status:

Approved

IMA Formula:

(Ba,Pb²⁺)₆(Cu¹⁺,Fe²⁺,Ni²⁺)₂₅S^2-₂₇

Approval year:

1993

First published:

1995

Type description reference:

Laflamme, J. H. G., Roberts, A. C., Criddle, A. J., Cabri, L. J. (1995) Owensite, (Ba,Pb)₆(Cu,Fe,Ni)₂₅S₂₇, a new mineral species from the Wellgreen Cu-Ni-Pt-Pd deposit, Yukon. The Canadian Mineralogist, 33 (3) 665-670

Classification of OwensiteHide

Strunz-mindat (2026):

2.FC.05

2 : SULFIDES and SULFOSALTS (sulfides, selenides, tellurides; arsenides, antimonides, bismuthides; sulfarsenites, sulfantimonites, sulfbismuthites, etc.)
F : Sulfides of arsenic, alkalies; sulfides with halide, oxide, hydroxide, H₂O
C : With Cl, Br, I (halide-sulfides)

Dana 8th ed.:

2.15.2.3

2 : SULFIDES
15 : Chlor-sulfides

Mineral SymbolsHide

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
Owe	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 OwensiteHide

Lustre:

Metallic

Transparency:

Opaque

Streak:

Black

Hardness:

3½ on Mohs scale

Hardness:

VHN₁₀=137 kg/mm² - Vickers

Comment:

Takes a very good polish

Optical Data of OwensiteHide

Type:

Isotropic

Bireflectance:

None

Reflectivity:

Wavelength	R₁ (%)	R₂ (%)
400nm	19.15%	7.67%
420nm	19.8%	8.26%
440nm	20.6%	8.93%
460nm	21.6%	9.62%
470nm	22.0%	9.95%
480nm	22.4%	10.3%
500nm	23.2%	10.8%
520nm	24.0%	11.4%
540nm	24.7%	11.9%
546nm	24.9%	12.0%
560nm	25.3%	12.4%
580nm	25.9%	12.8%
589nm	26.2%	13.0%
600nm	25.5%	13.2%
620nm	26.95%	13.5%
640nm	27.35%	13.8%
650nm	27.55%	13.9%
660nm	27.7%	14.0%
680nm	28.0%	14.3%
700nm	28.3%	14.5%

Graph shows reflectance levels at different wavelengths (in nm). Peak reflectance is 28.3%.
R₁ shown in black, R₂ shown in red

Colour in reflected light:

Pale brownish grey in air, greenish-brownish grey in oil

Pleochroism:

Not Visible

Comments:

Tarnishes quite rapidly, lowering the reflectance

Chemistry of OwensiteHide

Mindat Formula:

(Ba,Pb)₆(Cu,Fe,Ni)₂₅S₂₇

Element Weights:

Element	% weight
Cu	48.459 %
S	26.408 %
Ba	25.133 %

Calculated from ideal end-member formula.

Elements listed:

Ba, Cu, Fe, Ni, Pb, S - search for minerals with similar chemistry

Crystallography of OwensiteHide

Crystal System:

Isometric

Class (H-M):

m3m(4/m32/m) - Hexoctahedral

Space Group:

Pm3m

Cell Parameters:

a = 10.349(1) Å

Unit Cell V:

1,108.40 Å³ (Calculated from Unit Cell)

Comment:

Type material has 10.37 A.

Crystal StructureHide

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Data courtesy of the American Mineralogist Crystal Structure Database. Click on an AMCSD ID to view structure

ID	Species	Reference	Link	Year	Locality	Pressure (GPa)	Temp (K)
0005435	Owensite	Szymanski J T (1995) The crystal structure of owensite, (Ba,Pb)6(Cu,Fe,Ni)25S27, a new member of the djerfisherite group The Canadian Mineralogist 33 671-677		1995		0	293

CIF Raw Data - click here to close

data_global
_chemical_name_mineral 'Owensite'
loop_
_publ_author_name
'Szymanski J T'
_journal_name_full 'The Canadian Mineralogist'
_journal_volume 33 
_journal_year 1995
_journal_page_first 671
_journal_page_last 677
_publ_section_title
;
 The crystal structure of owensite, (Ba,Pb)6(Cu,Fe,Ni)25S27, a new member of the
 djerfisherite group
;
_database_code_amcsd 0005435
_chemical_formula_sum '(Cu13.092 Fe11.908) Ba5.438 Pb.562 S27'
_cell_length_a 10.349
_cell_length_b 10.349
_cell_length_c 10.349
_cell_angle_alpha 90
_cell_angle_beta 90
_cell_angle_gamma 90
_cell_volume 1108.396
_exptl_crystal_density_diffrn      4.833
_symmetry_space_group_name_H-M 'P m 3 m'
loop_
_space_group_symop_operation_xyz
  'x,y,z'
  'z,-x,y'
  '-y,z,-x'
  'x,-y,z'
  '-z,x,-y'
  'y,-z,x'
  '-x,y,-z'
  'x,-z,-y'
  '-z,y,x'
  'y,-x,-z'
  '-x,z,y'
  'z,-y,-x'
  '-y,x,z'
  'x,z,y'
  '-z,-y,-x'
  'y,x,z'
  '-x,-z,-y'
  'z,y,x'
  '-y,-x,-z'
  'z,x,-y'
  '-y,-z,x'
  'x,y,-z'
  '-z,-x,y'
  'y,z,-x'
  '-x,-y,z'
  '-z,x,y'
  'y,-z,-x'
  '-x,y,z'
  'z,-x,-y'
  '-y,z,x'
  'x,-y,-z'
  '-x,z,-y'
  'z,-y,x'
  '-y,x,-z'
  'x,-z,y'
  '-z,y,-x'
  'y,-x,z'
  '-x,-z,y'
  'z,y,-x'
  '-y,-x,z'
  'x,z,-y'
  '-z,-y,x'
  'y,x,-z'
  '-z,-x,-y'
  'y,z,x'
  '-x,-y,-z'
  'z,x,y'
  '-y,-z,-x'
loop_
_atom_site_label
_atom_site_fract_x
_atom_site_fract_y
_atom_site_fract_z
_atom_site_occupancy
_atom_site_U_iso_or_equiv
Cu1   0.50000   0.50000   0.50000   0.52370 ?
Fe1   0.50000   0.50000   0.50000   0.47630 ?
Cu2   0.36416   0.36416   0.13806   0.52370 ?
Fe2   0.36416   0.36416   0.13806   0.47630 ?
Ba   0.00000   0.00000   0.30420   0.90640 ?
Pb   0.01490   0.01490   0.27400   0.02340   0.01520
S1   0.00000   0.00000   0.00000   1.00000 ?
S2   0.24422   0.50000   0.00000   1.00000 ?
S3   0.50000   0.50000   0.25858   1.00000 ?
S4   0.21703   0.21703   0.21703   1.00000 ?
loop_
_atom_site_aniso_label
_atom_site_aniso_U_11
_atom_site_aniso_U_22
_atom_site_aniso_U_33
_atom_site_aniso_U_12
_atom_site_aniso_U_13
_atom_site_aniso_U_23
Cu1 0.01600 0.01600 0.01600 0.00000 0.00000 0.00000
Fe1 0.01600 0.01600 0.01600 0.00000 0.00000 0.00000
Cu2 0.01670 0.01670 0.02170 -0.00160 0.00040 0.00040
Fe2 0.01670 0.01670 0.02170 -0.00160 0.00040 0.00040
Ba 0.01540 0.01540 0.01200 0.00000 0.00000 0.00000
S1 0.01390 0.01390 0.01390 0.00000 0.00000 0.00000
S2 0.01380 0.01470 0.01330 0.00000 0.00000 0.00000
S3 0.01500 0.01500 0.01020 0.00000 0.00000 0.00000
S4 0.01600 0.01600 0.01600 0.00230 0.00230 0.00230

X-Ray Powder DiffractionHide

Powder Diffraction Data:

d-spacing	Intensity
3.460 Å	(40)
3.281 Å	(40)
2.996 Å	(90)
2.378 Å	(90)
1.835 Å	(100)
1.779 Å	(40)

Geological EnvironmentHide

Paragenetic Mode(s):

Paragenetic Mode	Earliest Age (Ga)
Stage 3b: Earth’s earliest hydrosphere	>4.45
12 : Hadean hydrothermal subsurface sulfide deposits (see also #33)
Stage 4b: Highly evolved igneous rocks	>3.0
35 : Ultra-alkali and agpaitic igneous rocks

Type Occurrence of OwensiteHide

Type Locality:

ⓘ Wellgreen Cu-Ni-PGE deposit, Kluane District, Whitehorse mining district, Yukon, Canada

General Appearance of Type Material:

Anhedral grains up to 43 x 110 um.

Place of Conservation of Type Material:

1) Systematic Reference Series of the National Mineral Collection, Geological Survey of Canada, Ottawa, Canada, NMC 67326.
2) The Natural History Museum, London, U.K., 8.1495, BM 1994,54.

Geological Setting of Type Material:

Cu-Ni-Pt-Pd deposit in an ultramafic complex

Associated Minerals at Type Locality:

Reference:

Synonyms of OwensiteHide

IMA1993-061

Other Language Names for OwensiteHide

Dutch:Owensiet

German:Owensit

Russian:Оуенсит

Spanish:Owensita

Relationship of Owensite to other SpeciesHide

Member of:

Djerfisherite Group

Other Members of Djerfisherite Group:

'Cu-djerfisherite'	K₆(Cu,Fe)₂₅S₂₆Cl
Djerfisherite	K₆(Fe,Cu,Ni)₂₅S₂₆Cl	Iso. m3m(4/m32/m) : Pm3m
Gmalimite	K₆◻Fe²⁺₂₄S₂₇	Iso. m3m(4/m32/m) : Pm3m
Thalfenisite	Tl₆(Fe,Ni,Cu)₂₅S₂₆Cl	Iso.
Zoharite	(Ba,K)₆(Fe,Cu,Ni)₂₅S₂₇	Iso. m3m(4/m32/m) : Pm3m

Related Minerals - Strunz-mindat Grouping Hide

2.FC.	Demicheleite-(I)	BiSI	Orth. mmm(2/m2/m2/m) : Pnma
2.FC.05	Djerfisherite	K₆(Fe,Cu,Ni)₂₅S₂₆Cl	Iso. m3m(4/m32/m) : Pm3m
2.FC.05	Thalfenisite	Tl₆(Fe,Ni,Cu)₂₅S₂₆Cl	Iso.
2.FC.05	Gmalimite	K₆◻Fe²⁺₂₄S₂₇	Iso. m3m(4/m32/m) : Pm3m
2.FC.05	'Cu-djerfisherite'	K₆(Cu,Fe)₂₅S₂₆Cl
2.FC.05	Zoharite	(Ba,K)₆(Fe,Cu,Ni)₂₅S₂₇	Iso. m3m(4/m32/m) : Pm3m
2.FC.10	Bartonite	K₆Fe₂₀S₂₆S	Tet. 4/mmm(4/m2/m2/m) : I4/mmm
2.FC.10	Chlorbartonite	K₆Fe₂₄S₂₆(Cl,S)	Tet. 4/mmm(4/m2/m2/m) : I4/mmm
2.FC.15d	Radtkeite	Hg²⁺₃S₂ICl	Mon. 2/m : B2/m
2.FC.15a	Lavrentievite	Hg₃S₂Cl₂	Mon.
2.FC.15a	Corderoite	Hg²⁺₃S₂Cl₂	Iso. m3(2/m3)
2.FC.15a	'Arzakite'	Hg²⁺₃S₂(Br,Cl)₂	Mon.
2.FC.15c	Grechishchevite	Hg²⁺₃S₂(Br,Cl,I)₂	Tet.
2.FC.15b	Kenhsuite	Hg²⁺₃S₂Cl₂	Orth.
2.FC.20b	Iltisite	HgAgSCl	Hex.
2.FC.20c	Perroudite	Hg₅Ag₄S₅(I,Br)₂Cl₂	Orth. 222 : P2₁2₁2
2.FC.20a	Capgaronnite	AgHgClS	Orth. mmm(2/m2/m2/m)
2.FC.20d	Hanauerite	AgHgSI	Orth. mmm(2/m2/m2/m) : Pmma
2.FC.25	Demicheleite-(Cl)	BiSCl	Orth. mmm(2/m2/m2/m) : Pnma
2.FC.25	Demicheleite-(Br)	BiSBr	Orth. mmm(2/m2/m2/m) : Pnma

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 OwensiteHide

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https://www.mindat.org/min-7211.html
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External Links:

Look for Owensite on Webmineral

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Raman and XRD data at RRUFF project

References and PDF downloads at RRUFF project

American Mineralogist Crystal Structure Database

Handbook of Mineralogy page PDF

Mineral Dealers:

Buy from D. Joyce minerals

References for OwensiteHide

Reference List:

Szymański, J. T. (1995) The crystal structure of owensite, (Ba,Pb)₆(Cu,Fe,Ni)₂₅S₂₇, a new member of the djerfisherite group. The Canadian Mineralogist, 33 (3) 671-678

(2005) Owensite. Handbook of Mineralogy. Mineralogical Society of America

Localities for OwensiteHide

Showing 3 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.


Canada (TL)
Yukon Whitehorse mining district Kluane District ⓘ Wellgreen Cu-Ni-PGE deposit (TL)	Laflamme et al. (1995) +1 other reference

Germany
Rhineland-Palatinate Mayen-Koblenz Vordereifel Ettringen ⓘ Caspar quarry	EMPA data V. V. SHARYGIN (Novosibirsk, Ru)

Mongolia
Dornogovi Province Erdene District ⓘ Khamaryn– Khural–Khiid combustion metamorphic complex	Savina et al. (2020)

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Owensite

Unique IdentifiersHide

Similar NamesHide

IMA Classification of OwensiteHide

Classification of OwensiteHide

Mineral SymbolsHide

Physical Properties of OwensiteHide

Optical Data of OwensiteHide

Chemistry of OwensiteHide

Crystallography of OwensiteHide

Crystal StructureHide

X-Ray Powder DiffractionHide

Geological EnvironmentHide

Type Occurrence of OwensiteHide

Synonyms of OwensiteHide

Other Language Names for OwensiteHide

Relationship of Owensite to other SpeciesHide

Related Minerals - Strunz-mindat GroupingHide

Other InformationHide

Internet Links for OwensiteHide

References for OwensiteHide

Localities for OwensiteHide

Locality ListHide

Related Minerals - Strunz-mindat Grouping Hide