Even though chalcopyrite is not as enriched in copper as other ores, it is the most common ore because it is found in quantity all over the world. Chalcopyrite is found in a variety of environments including hydrothermal veins, igneous rocks, pegmatites, and contact metamorphic zones. It is also found associated with many of the other sulfide ores. The name chalcopyrite comes from the Greek word chalkos for copper and its chemical similarity to the mineral pyrite.
| CuFeS2 |
|
| Sulfide |
|
| Tetragonal |
|
| -4 2m |
|
| 3.5-4 |
|
| 4.1-4.3 |
|
| Brittle |
|
| Brassy, yellow, darker when tarnished, sometimes irridescent |
|
| Greenish-black |
|
| Metallic |
|
| Opaque |
|
| Euhedral, drusy |
|
| Magnetic after heating |
|
| Notable Localities: |
Cornwall, England; Saxony, Germany; Chile; Tri-State Mining District of Kansas, Missouri & Oklahoma; Butte, Montana; Sudbury, Ontario |
| Uses: |
Ore of copper |
| Galena, sphalerite, dolomite, pyrrhotite, pentlandite, pyrite |
Specimens:
