HOME
FOTO ATLAS
SYSTEMATIK


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.C: Metalsulfides, M : S = 1: 1 (and similar)


2.CA. Metalsulfides with Cu
 
2.CA.005. Covellite group
 
     005 a. Covellite
Covellite  /  Covellin CuS hex., P63/mmc FOTO G
 
     005 b. Klockmannite
Klockmannite Cu1-xSe hex., P63/mmc FOTO G
 
     005 c. Spionkopite
Spionkopite Cu39S28 trig. IMA 1978-023
 
     005 d. Yarrowite
Yarrowite Cu9S8 trig. IMA 1978-022


 
2.CA.010. Nukundamite
 
Nukundamite Cu3.4Fe0.6S4 trig., P3m1 FOTO IMA 1978-037


 
2.CA.015. Erazoite
 
Erazoite Cu4SnS6 trig., R3m IMA 2014-061

Erazoite is structurally related to Covellite.



 
 
2.CB. Metalsulfides with Zn, Fe, Cu, Ag etc.
 
2.CB.005. Sphalerite group
 
Rudashevskyite (Fe,Zn)S cub., F43m IMA 2005-017
Browneite MnS cub., F43m IMA 2012-008
Ishiharaite (Cu,Ga,Fe,In,Zn)S cub., F43m IMA 2013-119
Sphalerite ZnS cub., F43m FOTO G
Hawleyite CdS cub., F43m G
Metacinnabar HgS cub., F43m FOTO G
Stilleite ZnSe cub., F43m G
Tiemannite HgSe cub., F43m FOTO G
Coloradoite HgTe cub., F43m G


 
2.CB.010. Sakuraiit
 
Sakuraiite (Cu,Zn,Fe)3(In,Sn)S4 tetr., P42m, ps.-cub. FOTO IMA 1965-017


 
2.CB.015. Chalcopyrite group
 
Chalcopyrite CuFeS2 tetr., I42d FOTO G
Gallite CuGaS2 tetr., I42d G
Roquesite CuInS2 tetr., I42d FOTO IMA 1962-001
Shenzhuangite NiFeS2 tetr., I42d IMA 2017-018
Lenaite AgFeS2 tetr., I42d FOTO IMA 1994-008
Laforêtite AgInS2 tetr., I42d IMA 1995-006


 
2.CB.020. Talnakhite group (Chalcopyrite derivative structures)
 
Talnakhite Cu9Fe8S16 cub., I43m FOTO IMA 1967-014
Mooihoekite Cu9Fe9S16 tetr., P42m IMA 1971-019
Putoranite Cu8-9Fe9-9.5S16 cub., Pm3m (?) IMA 1979-054
Haycockite Cu8Fe10S16 orth. IMA 1971-028


 
2.CB.025. Idaite
 
Idaite Cu3FeS4 tetr. G


 
2.CB.030. Stannite-Stannoidite group
 
     030 a. Stannite series
Kuramite Cu3FeS4 tetr., I42m IMA 1979-013
Stannite Cu2FeSnS4 tetr., I42m FOTO G
Černýite Cu2CdSnS4 tetr., I42m IMA 1976-057
Velikite Cu2HgSnS4 tetr., I42m A
Hocartite Ag2FeSnS4 tetr., I42m IMA 1967-046
Pirquitasite Ag2ZnSnS4 tetr., I42m or I4 IMA 1980-091
Ferrokësterite Cu2FeSnS4 tetr., I4 FOTO IMA 1985-012
Kësterite Cu2ZnSnS4 tetr., I4 G
Keutschite Cu2AgAsS4 tetr., I42m IMA 2014-038
Richardsite Zn2CuGaS4 tetr., I42m IMA 2019-136
 
     030 b. Stannoidite
Stannoidite Cu8(Fe,Zn)3Sn2S12 orth., I222 FOTO IMA 1968-004a
Omariniite Cu8Fe2ZnGe2S12 orth., I222 IMA 2016-050


 
2.CB.035. Mawsonite group
 
Mawsonite Cu6Fe2SnS8 tetr., P4m2 IMA 1964-030
Chatkalite Cu6FeSn2S8 tetr., P4m2 IMA 1981-004


 
2.CB.040. Germanite group
 
Germanite Cu13Fe2Ge2S16 cub., P43n G
Colusite Cu13VAs3S16 cub., P43n G
Stibiocolusite Cu13VSb3S16 cub., P43n IMA 1991-043
Germanocolusite Cu13VGe3S16 cub., P43n IMA 1991-044
Nekrasovite Cu13VSn3S16 cub., P43n IMA 1983-051
Maikainite Cu10Fe3MoGe3S16 cub. IMA 1992-038
Ovamboite Cu10Fe3WoGe3S16 cub. IMA 1992-039


 
2.CB.045. Hemusite group
 
Hemusite Cu1+4Cu2+2SnMoS8 cub., F... IMA 1968-038
Kiddcreekite Cu6SnWS8 cub., F... IMA 1982-106
Catamarcaite Cu6GeWS8 hex., P63mc IMA 2003-020
Morozeviczite (Pb,Fe)3Ge1-XS4 cub. IMA 1974-036
Polkovicite (Fe,Pb)3Ge1-XS4 cub. IMA 1974-037
Renierite (Cu,Zn)11Fe4(Ge,As)2S16 tetr., P42c G
Vinciennite Cu10Fe4SnAsS16 tetr., ps.-cub. IMA 1983-031


 
2.CB.050. Isocubanite
 
Isocubanite Cu2FeS3 cub., Fm3m IMA 1983-E


 
2.CB.055. Lautite
 
Lautite CuAsS orth., Pnma G


 
2.CB.060. Polhemusite
 
Polhemusite (Zn,Hg)S tetr. IMA 1972-017


 
2.CB.065. Wurtzite group
 
Rambergite MnS hex., P63mc FOTO IMA 1995-028
Buseckite (Fe,Zn,Mn)S hex., P63mc IMA 2011-070)
Wurtzite ZnS hex., P63mc G
Greenockite CdS hex., P63mc FOTO G
Cadmoselite CdSe hex., P63mc G

Wurtzite polytypes: Wurtzite-2H (hex., P63mc), very common. Wurtzite-4H, Wurtzite-6H, Wurtzite-8H, Wurtzite-10H and Wurtzite-15R are much rarer.


 
2.CB.070. Mohite
 
Mohite Cu2SnS3 tric., ps.-mon. IMA 1981-015


 
2.CB.075. Okruginite
 
Okruginite Cu2SnSe3 mon., Cc IMA 2022-096


 
2.CB.080. Agmantinite
 
Agmantinite Ag2MnSnS4 orth., P21nm IMA 2014-083


 
2.CB.085. Cubanite
 
Cubanite CuFe2S3 orth., Pcmn G


 
2.CB.090. Raguinite
 
Raguinite TlFeS2 mon., C2/m IMA 1968-022


 
2.CB.095. Argentopyrite
 
Argentopyrite AgFe2S3 mon., P21/n, ps.-orth. FOTO G


 
2.CB.100. Sternbergite
 
Sternbergite AgFe2S3 orth., Ccmb G


 
2.CB.105. Eskebornite
 
Eskebornite CuFeSe2 tetr., P42c FOTO G

Eskebornite is structurally related to Sulvanite and not the Se analogue of Chalcopyrite.


 
2.CB.110. Sulvanite
 
Sulvanite Cu3VS4 cub., P43m G


 
2.CB.115. Vulcanite
 
Vulcanite CuTe orth., Pmnm A


 
2.CB.120. Empressite
 
Empressite AgTe orth., Pmnm Rd


 
2.CB.125. Muthmannite
 
Muthmannite AuAgTe2 mon., P2/m G

Muthmannite: Structure analysis (Bindi & Cipriani, 2004, Am. Min. 89, 1505-1509).


 
2.CB.130. Auroselenide
 
Auroselenide AuSe mon., C2/m IMA 2022-052


 
2.CB.135. Gachingite
 
Gachingite Au(Te1-xSex) with x = ∼ 0.2 ... ≤ 0.5 orth., Cmce IMA 2021-008



 
 
2.CC. Metalsulfides with Ni, Fe, Co, PGE etc.
 
2.CC.005. Nickeline group
 
Jaipurite CoS hex., P63/mmc Q
Crowningshieldite (Ni0.9Fe0.1)S hex., P63/mmc IMA 2018-072
Achávalite FeSe hex., P63/mmc G
Freboldite CoSe hex., P63/mmc G
Sederholmite NiSe hex., P63/mmc A
Langisite CoAs hex., P63/mmc IMA 1968-023
Nickeline NiAs hex., P63/mmc G
Breithauptite NiSb hex., P63/mmc FOTO G
Sudburyite PdSb hex., P63/mmc IMA 1973-048
Sobolevskite PdBi hex., P63/mmc (?) FOTO IMA 1973-042
Driekopite PtBi hex., P63/mmc IMA 2022-058
Vavřinite Ni2SbTe2 hex., P63/mmc IMA 2005-045
Zlatogorite CuNiSb2 trig., P3m1 IMA 1994-014
Kotulskite Pd(Te,Bi)1.6 hex. A


 
2.CC.010. Wassonite
 
Wassonite TiS trig., R3m IMA 2010-074

The crystal structure of Wassonite is related to the Nickeline structure.


 
2.CC.015. Pyrrhotite group
 
Troilite FeS hex., P62c FOTO G
Pyrrhotite Fe7S8 mon., C2/c FOTO G
Smythite Fe3+xS4      (x = 0 - 0.3) trig., R3m G

Pyrrhotite polytypes: most common is Pyrrhotite-4M (Fe7S8, mon., C2/c), other polytypes are Pyrrhotite-5H (Fe9S10, hex.), Pyrrhotite-6M (Fe11S12, mon.), Pyrrhotite-7H (Fe9S10, hex.) and Pyrrhotite-11H (Fe10S11, hex.)


 
2.CC.020. Eliopoulosit
 
Eliopoulosit V7S8 trig., P3221 IMA 2019-096

The crystal structure of Eliopoulosite is related to the Pyrrhotite structure.


 
2.CC.025. Westerveldite group
 
Westerveldite FeAs orth., Pmcn IMA 1971-017
Modderite CoAs orth., Pmcn G
Ruthenarsenite RuAs orth., Pmcn IMA 1973-020
Cherepanovite RhAs orth., Pmcn FOTO IMA 1984-041
Minakawaite RhSb orth., Pnma IMA 2019-024


 
2.CC.030. Millerite group
 
Millerite NiS trig., R3m FOTO G
Mäkinenite NiSe trig., R3m (?) A


 
2.CC.035. Mackinawite
 
Mackinawite (Fe,Ni)1+xS     (x = 0 - 0.07) tetr., P4/nmm FOTO G


 
2.CC.040. Kuvaevite group
 
Tamurait Ir5Fe10S16 trig., R3m IMA 2020-098
Kuvaevite Ir5Ni10S16 trig., R3m IMA 2020-043
Ferrotorryweiserite Rh5Fe10S16 trig., R3m IMA 2021-055
Torryweiserite Rh5Ni10S16 trig., R3m IMA 2020-048


 
2.CC.045. Braggite group
 
Vysotskite PdS tetr., P42/m A
Braggite PdPt3S4 tetr., P42/m G
Cooperite PtS tetr., P42/mmc G


 
2.CC.050. Jacutingaite group
 
Jacutingaite Pt2HgSe3 trig., P3m1 IMA 2010-078
Tilkerodeite Pd2HgSe3 trig., P3m1 IMA 2019-111


 
2.CC.055. Daomanite
 
Daomanite CuPtAsS2 orth., Amam (?) A

Unknown structure, preliminary classified here.



 
 
2.CD. Metalsulfides with Sn, Pb, Hg etc.
 
2.CD.005. Herzenbergite group
 
Herzenbergite SnS orth., Pnma G
Svetlanaite SnSe orth., Pnma IMA 2020-013
Teallite PbSnS2 orth., Pnma FOTO G

GeS structure type. Space groups often given in non-standard orientation Pbnm or Pmcn.


 
2.CD.010. Galena group
 
Niningerite MgS cub., Fm3m FOTO G
Oldhamite CaS cub., Fm3m FOTO G
Keilite FeS cub., Fm3m IMA 2001-053
Alabandite  /  Alabandin MnS cub., Fm3m G
Galena  /  Galenit PbS cub., Fm3m FOTO G
Clausthalite PbSe cub., Fm3m FOTO G
Altaite PbTe cub., Fm3m FOTO G


 
2.CD.015. Crerarite
 
Crerarite (Pt,Pb)Bi3(S,Se)4-x      (x = 0.4 - 0.8) cub., Fm3m IMA 1994-003


 
2.CD.020. Cinnabar
 
Cinnabar  /  Cinnabarit HgS trig., P3121, P3221 FOTO G


 
2.CD.025. Hypercinnabar
 
Hypercinnabar HgS hex. IMA 1977-D






 
 

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.C: Metalsulfides, M : S = 1 : 1 (and similar)" is based first mainly on chemical principles. The general chemical subdivision into 2.CA Metalsulfides with Cu; 2.CB Metalsulfides with Zn, Fe, Cu, Ag, etc.; 2.CC Metalsulfides with Ni, Fe, Co, PGE, etc.; 2.CD Metalsulfides with Sn, Pb, Hg, etc. from Strunz 9 is retained.
Further classification:
2.CA. Metalsulfides with Cu: Covellite and derivative structures. The M : S ratio can be different from 1 : 1.
2.CB. Metalsulfides with Zn, Fe, Cu, Ag, etc.: Groups/single minerals according to the order Sphalerite structure type; Chalcopyrite structure type and derivatives; Wurtzite structure type; other structures.
2.CC. Metalsulfides with Ni, Fe, Co, PGE, etc.: Groups/single minerals according to the order Nickeline structure type; Pyrrhotite structure type; other structures. The M : S ratio can be different from 1 : 1.
2.CD. Metalsulfides with Sn, Pb, Hg, etc.: Groups/single minerals according to the order Herzenbergite structure type; Galena (Halite) structure type; Cinnabar structure type.


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


© Thomas Witzke (2023)


HOME
FOTO ATLAS
SYSTEMATIK