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MINERAL CLASSIFICATION / SYSTEMATIK der MINERALE

           based on E.H. Nickel & M.C. Nichols (2009), H. Strunz & E.H. Nickel (2001),
           revised by Thomas Witzke (2022)



2. SULFIDES and SULFOSALTS
(Sulfides, Selenides, Tellurides, Arsenides, Antimonides, Bismuthides, Sulfarsenites, Sulfantimonites, Sulfbismuthites, etc.)


2.B: Metalsulfides, M: S > 1: 1


2.BA. Metalsulfides with Cu, Ag and/or Au
 
2.BA.005. Chalcocite family (layers with approximate hexagonal closed packed sulfur)
 
     005 a. Chalcocite
Chalcocite  /  Chalcosin Cu2S mon., P21/c (ps.-hex.) FOTO G
 
     005 b. Djurleite
Djurleite Cu31S16 mon., P21/n FOTO A
 
     005 c. Roxbyite
Roxbyite Cu58S32 tric., P1 FOTO IMA 1986-010


 
2.BA.010. Digenite family (approximate cubic closed packed sulfur arrangement)
 
     010 a. Geerite
Geerite Cu8S5 trig. (ps.-cub.) IMA 1978-024
 
     010 b. Digenite
Digenite Cu1.8S trig., R3m (ps.cub.) FOTO A
 
     010 c. Anilite
Anilite Cu7S4 orth., Pnma FOTO IMA 1968-030
 
     010 d. Wuyanzhiite
Wuyanzhiite Cu2S tetr., P43212 IMA 2017-081

Roxbyite: originally described as Cu9S5. Crystal structure analysis and new formula (Mumme et al., 2012, Can. Min. 50, 423-430).


 
2.BA.015. Bornite
 
Bornite Cu5FeS4 orth., Pbca FOTO G


 
2.BA.020. Calvertite
 
Calvertite Cu5Ge0.5S4 cub. IMA 2006-030


 
2.BA.025. Berzelianite group
 
Berzelianite Cu2-xSe      (x ca. 0.12) cub., Fm3m or
trig., R3m
 FOTO G
Bellidoite Cu2Se tetr., P42/n IMA 1970-050

Berzelianite: the crystal structure of natural Berzelianite needs clarification. Space group is usually given as cubic Fm3m, which corresponds to the high-temperature α-Cu2-xSe. Phase transition to low-temperature β-Cu2-xSe at 77 - 137°C, depending on Cu deficiency (see Roth & Iversen, 2019, Acta Cryst. A75, 465-473 and references therein), but cubic symmetry for synthetic material was also observed at room temperature (Heyding & MacLaren Murray, 1976, Can. J. of Chemistry 54, 841-848). Structure determination of synthetic β-Cu2-xSe showed trigonal, R3m symmetry and a layered structure with ordering in two dimensions and disorder (or local ordering) of the stacking (Roth & Iversen, 2019). It has to be confirmed if natural Berzelianite has the β-Cu2-xSe structure or might be a meta-stable or stabilized α-Cu2-xSe structure.


 
2.BA.030. Umangite
 
Umangite Cu3Se2 tetr., P421m G


 
2.BA.035. Athabascaite
 
Athabascaite Cu5Se4 orth. IMA 1969-022


 
2.BA.040. Rickardite
 
Rickardite Cu3-xTe2     (x < 0.26) orth., Cmcm G

Rickardite: synthetic material has an incommensurately modulated structure, which can be described in space group Pmmm (Schutte & De Boer, 1993, Acta Cryst B49, 398-403).


 
2.BA.045. Weissite
 
Weissite Cu2-xTe     (x < 0.33) trig., P3m1 G

Weissite: the crystal structure of natural Weissite was determined (Bindi et al, 2013, Min. Mag. 77, 475-483).


 
2.BA.050. Stromeyerite
 
Stromeyerite CuAgS orth., Cmc2 G

 
2.BA.055. Mckinstryite
 
Mckinstryite Cu3Ag5S4 orth., Pnma IMA 1966-012


 
2.BA.060. Jalpaite group
 
Jalpaite CuAg3S2 tetr., I41/amd G
Selenojalpaite CuAg3Se2 tetr., I41/amd IMA 2004-048


 
2.BA.065. Eucairite
 
Eucairite CuAgSe orth., Pmmn G


 
2.BA.070. Henryite
 
Henryite (Cu,Ag)3+xTe2 (with x ca. 0.40) cub., F... IMA 1982-094

Henryite: the crystal structure of natural Henryite was determined, new formula and space group. Face-centered cubic close-packing of Te atoms with a disordered distribution of Cu and Ag atoms in the partially-occupied tetrahedral interstices (Bindi et al, 2013, Min. Mag. 77, 475-483).


 
2.BA.075. Acanthite group
 
Argentite     (>173°C) Ag2S cub., Im3m hypothetical
Acanthite Ag2S mon., P21/n FOTO G
Aguilarite Ag4SeS mon., P21/n G
Cervelleite Ag4TeS mon., P21/n IMA 1986-018

Aguilarite: Se and S are disordered. The mineral is isostructural with Acanthite.
Cervelleite: structure analysis of the material from the type sample showed that the mineral is isostructural with Acanthite and Aguilarite. Originally assumed cubic symmetry is wrong and was probably observed on a phase intimately intergrown with Cervelleite (Bindi et al., 2015, Miner. Petrol. 109, 413-419).


 
2.BA.080. Naumannite
 
Naumannite Ag2Se orth., P212121 FOTO G


 
2.BA.085. Hessite
 
Hessite Ag2Te mon., P21/c FOTO G


 
2.BA.090. Stützite
 
Stützite Ag5-XTe3 hex., P6 Rd

Stützite: stucture determination on type material with new space group (Bindi & Keutsch, 2018, Z. Krist. 233, 247-253).


 
2.BA.095. Kurilite
 
Kurilite Ag8Te3Se trig., R3 IMA 2009-080

Kurilite: stucture determination on type material (Bindi et al., 2015, Can. Min. 53, 159-168).


 
2.BA.100. Argyrodite group
 
Argyrodite Ag8GeS6 orth., Pna21 FOTO G
Canfieldite Ag8SnS6 orth., Pna21 G
Spryite Ag8(As3+0.5As5+0.5)S6 orth., Pna21 IMA 2015-116
Putzite (Cu,Ag)8GeS6 cub., F43m IMA 2002-024
Alburnite Ag8GeTe2S4 cub., F43m IMA 2012-073
Xuwenyuanite Ag9Fe3+Te2S4 cub., F43m IMA 2021-080


 
2.BA.110. Chenguodaite
 
Chenguodaite Ag9FeTe2S4 orth., P... IMA 2004-042a


 
2.BA.115. Petzite group
 
Fischesserite Ag3AuSe2 cub., I4132 FOTO IMA 1971-010
Petzite Ag3AuTe2 cub., I4132 G


 
2.BA.120. Uytenbogaardite group
 
Uytenbogaardite Ag3AuS2 trig., R3c IMA 1977-018
Makotoite Ag12Cu3AuS8 trig., R3c IMA 2020-071


 
2.BA.125. Petrovskaite
 
Petrovskaite AgAu(S,Se) mon. IMA 1983-079


 
2.BA.130. Penzhinite
 
Penzhinite Ag4Au(S,Se)4 hex., P6322 IMA 1982-027


 
2.BA.135. Bezsmertnovite
 
Bezsmertnovite Cu(Au,Ag)4(Te,Pb) orth., ps.-cub. IMA 1979-014


 
2.BA.140. Bogdanovite
 
Bogdanovite (Cu,Fe)3Au5(Te,Pb)2 orth. (?), ps.-cub. IMA 1978-019


 
2.BA.145. Bilibinskite
 
Bilibinskite Cu2Au3PbTe2 cub. (?) IMA 1977-024


 
2.BA.150. Honeaite
 
Honeaite Au3TlTe2 orth., Pbcm IMA 2015-060



 
 
2.BB. Metalsulfides with Ni
 
2.BB.005. Heazlewoodite
 
Heazlewoodite Ni3S2 trig., R32 FOTO G


 
2.BB.010. Hauchecornite group
 
Arsenohauchecornite Ni18Bi3AsS16 tetr., I4/mmm IMA 1978-E
Hauchecornite Ni9BiSbS8 tetr., I4/mmm IMA 1975-006a, Rd
Bismutohauchecornite Ni9Bi2S8 tetr., I4/mmm IMA 1978-F
Tellurohauchecornite Ni9BiTeS8 tetr., I4/mmm IMA 1978-G
Tučekite Ni9Sb2S8 tetr., I4/mmm FOTO IMA 1975-022
Arsenotučekite Ni18Sb3AsS16 tetr., I4/mmm IMA 2019-135
Hrabákite Ni9PbSbS8 tetr., P4/mmm IMA 2020-034


 
2.BB.015. Pentlandite group
 
     015 a. Pentlandite series
Pentlandite (Ni,Fe)9S8 cub., Fm3m G
Cobaltpentlandite (Co,Ni,Fe)9S8 cub., Fm3m A
Argentopentlandite Ag(Fe,Ni)8S8 cub., Fm3m IMA 1970-047
Shadlunite (Pb,Cd)(Fe,Cu)8S8 cub., Fm3m IMA 1972-012
Geffroyite (Cu,Fe,Ag)9(Se,S)8 cub., Fm3m IMA 1980-090
Oberthürite Rh3Ni32S32 cub., F43m IMA 2017-072
 
     015 b. Godlevskite
Godlevskite (Ni8.7Fe0.3)S8 orth., C222 IMA 1968-032
 
     015 c. Sugakiite
Sugakiite Cu(Fe,Ni)8S8 tetr., P42/mnm IMA 2005-033
Samaniite Cu2(Fe5Ni2)S8 tetr., P42/mnm IMA 2007-038
 
     015 d. Horomanite, Ferhodsite
Horomanite (Fe6Ni3)S8 tetr., P4/mmm IMA 2007-037
Ferhodsite (Fe,Rh,Ni,Ir,Cu,Pt)9S8 tetr., P* IMA 2009-056


 
2.BB.020. Vozhminite
 
Vozhminite Ni4AsS2 hex. IMA 1981-040


 
2.BB.025. Nuwaite group
 
Nuwaite Ni6GeS2 tetr., I4/mmm IMA 2013-018
Butianite Ni6SnS2 tetr., I4/mmm IMA 2016-028



 
 
2.BC. Metalsulfides with Rh, Pd, Pt etc.
 
2.BC.005. Coldwellite
 
Coldwellite Pd3Ag2S cub., P4332 IMA 2014-045


 
2.BC.010. Kojonenite
 
Kojonenite Pd7-xSnTe2 tetr., I4/mmm IMA 2013-132


 
2.BC.015. Thalhammerite group
 
Thalhammerite Pd9Ag2Bi2S4 tetr., I4/mmm IMA 2017-111
Panskyite Pd9Ag2Pb2S4 tetr., I4/mmm IMA 2020-039


 
2.BC.020. Kravtsovite
 
Kravtsovite PdAg2S orth., Cmcm IMA 2016-092


 
2.BC.025. Telargpalite
 
Telargpalite (Pd,Ag)3Te cub., I43m FOTO IMA 1972-030


 
2.BC.030. Keithconnite
 
Keithconnite Pd20Te7 trig., R3 IMA 1978-032


 
2.BC.035. Vymazalováite
 
Vymazalováite Pd3Bi2S2 cub., I213 IMA 2016-105


 
2.BC.040. Laflammeite
 
Laflammeite Pd3Pb2S2 mon., C2/m IMA 2000-014

For synthetic material orthorhombic symmetry, Pmmn (a = 5.78, b = 8.18, c = 5.96 Å) and Z = 2 was found (Laufek et al., 2019, EMC Abstracts).


 
2.BC.045. Oulankaite
 
Oulankaite Pd5Cu4SnTe2S2 tetr. FOTO IMA 1990-055


 
2.BC.050. Vasilite
 
Vasilite (Pd,Cu)16(S,Te)7 cub., I43m IMA 1989-044


 
2.BC.055. Telluropalladinite
 
Telluropalladinite Pd9Te4 mon., P21/c IMA 1978-078


 
2.BC.060. Lukkulaisvaaraite
 
Lukkulaisvaaraite Pd14Ag2Te9 tetr., I4/m IMA 2013-115


 
2.BC.065. Sopcheite
 
Sopcheite Pd3Ag4Te4 orth., Cmca IMA 1980-101

Sopcheite: Structure analysis, space group (Laufek et al., 2017, Eur. J. Min. 29, 603-612).


 
2.BC.070. Monchetundraite
 
Monchetundraite Pd2NiTe2 orth., Ibam IMA 2019-020


 
2.BC.075. Oosterboschite
 
Oosterboschite (Pd,Cu)7Se5 orth. IMA 1970-016


 
2.BC.080. Temagamite
 
Temagamite Pd3HgTe3 orth., ps.-hex. FOTO IMA 1973-018


 
2.BC.085. Luberoite
 
Luberoite Pt5Se4 mon., P21/c IMA 1990-047


 
2.BC.090. Chrisstanleyite group
 
Jagüéite Pd3Cu2Se4 mon., P21/c IMA 2002-060
Chrisstanleyite Pd3Ag2Se4 mon., P21/c IMA 1996-044


 
2.BC.095. Tischendorfite
 
Tischendorfite Pd8Hg3Se9 orth., Pmmn (?) IMA 2001-061


 
2.BC.100. Palladseite group
 
Miassite Rh17S15 cub., Pm3m IMA 1997-029
Palladseite Pd17Se15 cub., Pm3m IMA 1975-026


 
2.BC.105. Kharaelakhite
 
Kharaelakhite (Cu,Pt,Pb,Fe,Ni)9S8 orth. IMA 1983-080



 
 
2.BD. Metalsulfides with Hg, Tl
 
2.BD.005. Imiterite
 
Imiterite Ag2HgS2 mon., P21/c FOTO IMA 1983-038


 
2.BD.010. Brodtkorbite
 
Brodtkorbite Cu2HgSe2 mon., P21/c IMA 1999-023

Brodtkorbite: structure analysis in Sejkora et al., 2017, Eur. J. Min. 29, 663-672. The mineral shows some structural relations to Imiterite, but is not isostructural.


 
2.BD.015. Gortdrumite
 
Gortdrumite Cu24Fe2Hg9S23 tric., P1 IMA 1979-039

Gortdrumite: Originally assumed to be (Cu,Fe)19Hg6S16, orthorhombic. Revised formula and crystal system by Bindi et al. (2018) Min. Mag. 82, 853-861.


 
2.BD.020. Vrančiceite
 
Vrančiceite Cu10Hg3S8 tric., P1 IMA 2022-114

Vrančiceite is structurally related to Gortdrumite.


 
2.BD.025. Balkanite group
 
Balkanite Cu9Ag5HgS8 mon., P2/m, ps.-orth. IMA 1971-009
Danielsite (Cu,Ag)14HgS8 orth. IMA 1984-044

Balkanite: originally described as orth., Pmmm. Structure analysis showed monoclinic, pseudo-orthorhombic symmetry. The crystal structure of Danielsite is not known, it might be a high-temperature, disordered analogue of Balkanite (Biagioni & Bindi, 2017, Eur. J. Min. 29, 279-285).


 
2.BD.030. Donharrisite
 
Donharrisite Ni3HgS3 mon., C2/m FOTO IMA 1987-007

Donharrisite: originally described as Ni8Hg3S9. New formula according to a structure analysis (Bindi & Paar, 2016, Journ. of Alloys and Compounds 682, 248-253).


 
2.BD.035. Carlinite
 
Carlinite Tl2S trig., R3 IMA 1974-062


 
2.BD.040. Bukovite group
 
Thalcusite Cu3FeTl2S4 tetr., I4/mmm IMA 1975-023
Murunskite Cu3FeK2S4 tetr., I4/mmm IMA 1980-064
Bukovite Cu3FeTl2Se4 tetr., I4/mmm IMA 1970-029


 
2.BD.045. Rohaite
 
Rohaite (Tl,Pb,K)2Cu8.7Sb2S4 orth., Pmmm IMA 1973-043


 
2.BD.050. Chalcothallite
 
Chalcothallite (Tl,K)2(Cu,Fe)6.3SbS4 tetr., I4/mmm A


 
2.BD.055. Sabatierite
 
Sabatierite Cu6TlSe4 orth. IMA 1976-043


 
2.BD.060. Crookesite
 
Crookesite Cu7(Tl,Ag)Se4 tetr., I4/m FOTO G



 
 
2.BE. Metalsulfides with Pb, Bi
 
2.BE.005. Betekhtinite
 
Betekhtinite (Cu,Fe)21Pb2S15 orth., Immm FOTO G


 
2.BE.010. Furutobeite
 
Furutobeite (Cu,Ag)6PbS4 mon. IMA 1978-040


 
2.BE.015. Schlemaite
 
Schlemaite (Cu,□)6(Pb,Bi)Se4 mon., P21/m IMA 2003-026


 
2.BE.020. Shandite group
 
Shandite Ni2Pb2S2 trig., R3m G
Rhodplumsite Rh2Pb2S2 trig., R3m IMA 1982-043


 
2.BE.025. Pašavaite
 
Pašavaite Pd2Pb2Te2 orth., Pmmn IMA 2007-059

Pašavaite is structurally related to Shandite and Parkerite.


 
2.BE.030. Parkerite
 
Parkerite Ni3Bi2S2 orth., Pmam G



 
 

G = Grandfathered minerals: original description preceded the establishment of the CNMNC in 1959, and generally regarded as a valid species
A or IMA No. = Minerals approved by the CNMNC
Rd = Redefinition of the mineral approved by the CNMNC
Rn = Renamed with approval by the CNMNC
Q = Questionable mineral



Classification principles:
Subdivision of the Sulfide etc. subclass "2.B: Metalsulfides, M : S > 1 : 1" is based first mainly on chemical principles. The general chemical subdivision from Strunz 9 into 2.BA. Metalsulfides with Cu, Ag and/or Au; 2.BB. Metalsulfides with Ni; 2.BC. Metalsulfides with Rh, Pd, Pt etc.; 2.BD Metalsulfides with Hg, Tl; 2.BE Metalsulfides with Pb, Bi is retained. The assignement of some minerals is not unambiguously, for example for Ni-Hg-sulfides, Ni-Pb-sulfides, Ni-Bi-sulfides or Pd-Hg-selenides. Several minerals did not contain only metal-sulfide (etc.) connections but also intermetallic connections between atoms.

Further classification:
2.BA. Metalsulfides with Cu, Ag and/or Au Pure Cu-sulfides are classified according to the sulfur arrangement into Chalcosite and Digenite family. Groups with pure chemical similarities (like Ag selenides or tellurides) from Strunz 9 are splitted now into separate groups/single minerals according to their structures. General order in 2.BA: Cu-sulfides; Cu-selenides; Cu-tellurides; Cu-Ag-sulfides; Cu-Ag-selenides; Cu-Ag-tellurides; Ag-sulfides; Ag-selenides; Ag-tellurides; Au-containing sulfides, selenides and tellurides.
2.BB. Metalsulfides with Ni:
2.BC. Metalsulfides with Rh, Pd, Pt etc.: Arrangement of the groups is difficult because of the high number of different crystal structures. Arranged according to the ratio metal-sulfide (etc.) from higher metal content (more metallic character) to lower metal/higher sulfide content (more sulfidic etc. character).
2.BD. Metalsulfides with Hg, Tl: Metalsulfides with Hg; metalsulfides with Tl
2.BE. Metalsulfides with Pb, Bi: Cu-Pb-sulfides and -selenides; Ni-Pb-sulfides; PGE-Pb-sulfides and -tellurides; Ni-Bi-sulfides


To distinguish from classical Strunz numbering, on hierarchical "group" level, a numbering with 3 digits is used, like "2.BA.005. Chalcosite family", instead of 2 digits (like "2.BA.05.") in the Strunz system.


© Thomas Witzke (2023)


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