Famatinite Mineral Data

General Famatinite Information

Chemical Formula:

Cu3SbS4

Composition:

Molecular Weight = 440.65 gm

Copper 43.26 % Cu

Antimony 27.63 % Sb

Sulfur 29.11 % S

______

100.00 %

Empirical Formula:

Cu₃SbS₄

Environment:

Antimony (Sb) analog of enargite (arsenic-As).

IMA Status:

Valid Species (Pre-IMA) 1873

Locality:

Sierra de Famatina, La Rioja, Argentina. Link to MinDat.org Location Data.

Name Origin:

Named after its locality.

Name Pronunciation:

Famatinite + Pronunciation

Synonym:

ICSD 2857

PDF 35-581

Famatinite Image

Images:

Famatinite Enargite

Comments: Violet metallic crystalline famatinite with black massive enargite.
Location: Cerro de Pasco, Pasco, Peru. Scale: See Photo.
© Jeff Weissman / Photographic Guide to Mineral Species

Images:

Famatinite

Comments: Dark, purplish black, massive famatinite.
Location: Tertiary volcanic massif, the Serrania de Laurani, Bolivia. Scale: Picture size 2 cm.
© Dave Barthelmy

Famatinite Crystallography

Axial Ratios:

a:c = 1:1.99585

Cell Dimensions:

a = 5.3853, c = 10.7483, Z = 2; V = 311.72 Den(Calc)= 4.69

Crystal System:

Tetragonal - ScalenohedralH-M Symbol (4 2m) Space Group: I 42m

$Help on X Ray Diffraction:$ X Ray Diffraction:

By Intensity(I/I_o): 3.108(1), 1.902(0.65), 1.6233(0.35),

Crystal Structure:

Mouse
drag1 - LMB Manipulate Structure
drag2 - RMB Resize/Rotate
Keyboard
S - Stereo Pair on/off
H - Help Screen
I - Data Info
A - Atoms On/Off
P - Polyhedra On/Off
B - Bonds On/Off
Help on Above

Garin J , Parthe E , Acta Crystallographica, Section B , 28 (1972) p.3672-3674, The crystal structure of Cu3PSe4 and other ternary normal tetrahedral

Physical Properties of Famatinite

Cleavage:

{101} Good, {100} Distinct

Color:

Grayish black, Dark pink brown, Steel gray.

Density:

4.57

Diaphaneity:

Opaque

Fracture:

Brittle - Conchoidal - Very brittle fracture producing small, conchoidal fragments.

Hardness:

3-4 - Calcite-Fluorite

Luminescence:

Non-fluorescent.

Luster:

Metallic

Magnetism:

Nonmagnetic

Streak:

black

Optical Properties of Famatinite

RL Anisotrophism:

Strong, greenish yellow and purplish red.

RL Color:

Pale brownish pink.

RL Pleochroism:

Weak, light orange, pink-violet.

Reflectivity

**Standardized Intensity (100%) Reflection Spectra of Famatinite in Air**
λ	R₁	R₂	∑ R₁(λ)	∑ R₂(λ)
400 nm	24.40	30.00
420 nm	24.20	25.50
440 nm	24.00	25.00
460 nm	23.80	24.10
480 nm	23.10	23.40
500 nm	22.70	23.10
520 nm	22.90	23.60
540 nm	23.80	25.00
560 nm	24.30	26.00
580 nm	24.50	26.50
600 nm	24.80	27.00
620 nm	25.40	27.50
640 nm	26.00	28.10
660 nm	26.80	28.60
680 nm	27.30	29.00
700 nm	27.50	29.40

**Calculated Relative Intensity Colors of Famatinite in Air**
Relative Intensity	0%	40%	80%	100%	120%	160%	200%	240%	280%	320%	360%	370%
R₁
R₂

Calculated Properties of Famatinite

Electron Density:

Bulk Density (Electron Density)=4.30 gm/cc
note: Specific Gravity of Famatinite =4.69 gm/cc.

Fermion Index:

Fermion Index = 0.0021830832
Boson Index = 0.9978169168

Photoelectric:

PE_Famatinite= 110.11 barns/electron
U=PE_Famatinite x rElectron Density= 473.47 barns/cc.

Radioactivity:

GRapi = 0 (Gamma Ray American Petroleum Institute Units)
Famatinite is Not Radioactive

Famatinite Classification

Dana Class:

03.02.02.02 (03)Sulfides - Sulfosalts

(03.02)where z/y = 4 - (A+)i (A++)j [By Cz], A=metals, B=semi-metals, C=non-metals

(03.02.02)Luzonite Group

03.02.02.01 Luzonite Cu3AsS4 I 42m 4 2m

03.02.02.02 Famatinite Cu3SbS4 I 42m 4 2m

03.02.02.03 Permingeatite Cu3SbSe4 I 42m 4 2m

Strunz Class:

02.KA.10 02 - SULFIDES and SULFOSALTS (sulfides, selenides, tellurides; arsenides, antimonides, bismuthides; sulfarsenites, sulf

02.K - Sulfarsenates, Sulfantimonates

02.KA -Sulfarsenates with (As,Sb)S4 tetrahedra

02.KA.10 Briartite Cu2(Zn,Fe)GeS4 I 42m 4 2m

02.KA.10 Barquillite! Cu2CdGeS4 I 42m 4 2m

02.KA.10 Famatinite Cu3SbS4 I 42m 4 2m

02.KA.10 Luzonite Cu3AsS4 I 42m 4 2m

02.KA.10 Permingeatite Cu3SbSe4 I 42m 4 2m

Other Famatinite Information

References:

NAME( Ford32) PHYS. PROP.(Enc. of Minerals,2nd ed.,1990) OPTIC PROP.(AntBidBlaNic1)

See Also:

Links to other databases for Famatinite :
1 - Am. Min. Crystal Structure Database
2 - Athena
3 - EUROmin Project
4 - Ecole des Mines de Paris
5 - GeoScienceWorld
6 - Google Images
7 - Google Scholar
8 - Handbook of Mineralogy (MinSocAm)
9 - Handbook of Mineralogy (UofA)
10 - MinDAT
11 - Mineralienatlas (Deutsch)
12 - Online Mineral Museum
13 - QUT Mineral Atlas
14 - Ruff.Info

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Ask about Famatinite here :
Ask-A-Mineralogist from the Mineralogical Society of America
Mindat.org's Discussion Groups
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Rockhounds Discussion Group on Yahoo Groups
Mineral Discussion Forum from Fabre Minerals - also available in Español

Print or Cut-and-Paste your Famatinite Specimen Label here :

Famatinite

Cu3SbS4
Dana No: 03.02.02.02 Strunz No: 02.KA.10
Locality:

Notes: