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Bornite  (Peacock ore)Cu5FeS4

Class: Sulfide
Hardness: 3
Density: 5.0 - 5.1
Streak: Grayish black
Lustre: Metallic
Habit: Massive fine-grained aggregate.
Colours: Iridescent purple, blue and black

  Crystal System: Orthorhombic
Cleavage: Very poor
Fracture: Conchoidal
Magnetism: None
Reaction with HCl: Very weak

Identification in hand sample:
Green-blue-purple iridescence is indicative, as is a brownish-bronze colour on fresh surfaces.

Associations:
Very common in copper-bearing hydrothermal sulfide deposits. Associated with chalcopyrite, chalcocite, covellite, pyrrhotite and pyrite.

Industrial / ecomonic uses:
Mined as an ore of copper, but not as important as chalcopyrite.

Comments:
Pseudo-isometric.

  

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