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Duftite

A species of Minerals

Duftite is a relatively common arsenate mineral with the formula CuPb(AsO4)(OH), related to conichalcite. It is green and often forms botryoidal aggregates. It is a member of the adelite-descloizite Group, Conichalcite-Duftite Series. Duftite and conichalcite specimens from Tsumeb are commonly zoned in color and composition. Microprobe analyses and X-ray powder-diffraction studies indicate extensive substitution of Zn for Cu, and Ca for Pb in the duftite structure. This indicates a solid solution among conichalcite, CaCu(AsO4 )(OH), austinite, CaZn(AsO4)(OH) and duftite PbCu(AsO4)(OH), all of them belonging to the adelite group of arsenates. It was named after Mining Councilor G Duft, Director of the Otavi Mine and Railroad Company, Tsumeb, Namibia. The type locality is the Tsumeb Mine, Tsumeb, Otjikoto Region, Namibia.

Hardness:

4.5

Density:

6.602 g/cm³

General Info About Duftite

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Physical Properties of Duftite

Colors

Olive-green, grey-green; light apple-green in transmitted light.

Streak

Pale green, white.

Hardness

4.5 , Soft

Density

6.602 g/cm³, Obviously Heavy Weight

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Chemical Properties of Duftite

Formula

PbCu(AsO₄)(OH)

Elements listed

As, Cu, H, O, Pb

Characteristics of Duftite

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Composition of Duftite

The structure is composed of chains of edge-sharing CuO6 distorted octahedra parallel to the c axis. The chains are linked by AsO4 tetrahedra and Pb atoms.

Cultural Significance of Duftite

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Distribution of Duftite

Reported from Argentina, Australia, Austria, Chile, the Czech Republic, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Namibia, Poland, Portugal, Russia, South Africa, Spain, Switzerland, the UK, the US and Zimbabwe.

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Cubanite

Cubanite is a copper iron sulfide mineral that commonly occurs as a minor alteration mineral in magmatic sulfide deposits. It has the chemical formula CuFe2S3 and when found, it has a bronze to brass-yellow appearance. On the Mohs hardness scale, cubanite falls between 3.5 and 4 and has a orthorhombic crystal system. Cubanite is chemically similar to chalcopyrite, however it is the less common copper iron sulfide mineral due to crystallization requirements. Cubanite occurs in high temperature hydrothermal mineral deposits with pyrrhotite and pentlandite as intergrowths with chalcopyrite. It results from exsolution from chalcopyrite at temperatures below 200 to 210 °C. If cubanite is exposed to temperatures above 210 °C, it will transform into isocubanite. After this transformation, if it begins to cool, it will not revert to cubanite. Upon its transformation to isocubanite it will lose its highly magnetic property due to its change from an orthorhombic to a cubic crystal structure. Cubanite has been identified on chondrites and within dust grain samples and has improved the precision of copper isotope analysis.