Roxbyite
A valid IMA mineral species
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About Roxbyite
Formula:
Cu9S5
Colour:
Blue-black to black
Lustre:
Metallic, Sub-Metallic
Hardness:
2½ - 3
Crystal System:
Triclinic
Member of:
Name:
Named after its discovery locality: Olympic Dam deposit, Roxby Downs, South Australia, Australia.
Type Locality:
Unique Identifiers
Mindat ID:
3468
Long-form identifier:
mindat:1:1:3468:1
GUID
(UUID V4):
(UUID V4):
7f5c9c4d-67b2-406e-9f1d-d87863618031
IMA Classification of Roxbyite
Approved
Approval year:
1986
First published:
1988
Classification of Roxbyite
2.BA.05
2 : SULFIDES and SULFOSALTS (sulfides, selenides, tellurides; arsenides, antimonides, bismuthides; sulfarsenites, sulfantimonites, sulfbismuthites, etc.)
B : Metal Sulfides, M: S > 1: 1 (mainly 2: 1)
A : With Cu, Ag, Au
2 : SULFIDES and SULFOSALTS (sulfides, selenides, tellurides; arsenides, antimonides, bismuthides; sulfarsenites, sulfantimonites, sulfbismuthites, etc.)
B : Metal Sulfides, M: S > 1: 1 (mainly 2: 1)
A : With Cu, Ag, Au
2.4.7.4
2 : SULFIDES
4 : AmBnXp, with (m+n):p = 2:1
2 : SULFIDES
4 : AmBnXp, with (m+n):p = 2:1
3.1.5
3 : Sulphides, Selenides, Tellurides, Arsenides and Bismuthides (except the arsenides, antimonides and bismuthides of Cu, Ag and Au, which are included in Section 1)
1 : Sulphides etc. of Cu
3 : Sulphides, Selenides, Tellurides, Arsenides and Bismuthides (except the arsenides, antimonides and bismuthides of Cu, Ag and Au, which are included in Section 1)
1 : Sulphides etc. of Cu
Mineral Symbols
As of 2021 there are now IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols (abbreviations) for each mineral species, useful for tables and diagrams.
| Symbol | Source | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Rox | IMA–CNMNC | Warr, L.N. (2021). IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols. Mineralogical Magazine, 85(3), 291-320. doi:10.1180/mgm.2021.43 |
Physical Properties of Roxbyite
Metallic, Sub-Metallic
Transparency:
Opaque
Colour:
Blue-black to black
Hardness:
2½ - 3 on Mohs scale
Cleavage:
Poor/Indistinct
{100}
{100}
Fracture:
Irregular/Uneven, Step-Like
Comment:
Density not determined or calculated
Chemistry of Roxbyite
Mindat Formula:
Cu9S5
Elements listed:
Common Impurities:
Fe
Crystallography of Roxbyite
Crystal System:
Triclinic
Class (H-M):
1 - Pinacoidal
Space Group:
P1
Cell Parameters:
a = 13.4051(9) Å, b = 13.4090(8) Å, c = 15.4852(3) Å
α = 90.022(2)°, β = 90.021(2)°, γ = 90.020(2)°
α = 90.022(2)°, β = 90.021(2)°, γ = 90.020(2)°
Ratio:
a:b:c = 1 : 1 : 1.155
Unit Cell V:
2,783.45 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Z:
2
Morphology:
As single crystals, to 0.01 mm, epitaxially intergrown with djurleite; in powdery mixtures with djurleite.
Comment:
Pseudo-monoclinic, with pseudo-space group C2/m, Cm or C2, and a = 53.79, b = 30.90, c = 13.36 Å, beta = 90°. Type material is complexly twinned in six sectors.
Crystal Structure
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2x2x2 | 3x3x3 | 4x4x4
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2x2x2 | 3x3x3 | 4x4x4
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Data courtesy of the American Mineralogist Crystal Structure Database. Click on an AMCSD ID to view structure
| ID | Species | Reference | Link | Year | Locality | Pressure (GPa) | Temp (K) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0019199 | Roxbyite | Mumme W G, Gable R W, Petricek V (2012) The crystal structure of roxbyite, Cu58S32 The Canadian Mineralogist 50 423-430 | 2012 | Olympic Dam, Roxby Downs, Australia | 0 | 293 |
CIF Raw Data - click here to close
X-Ray Powder Diffraction
Powder Diffraction Data:
| d-spacing | Intensity |
|---|---|
| 4.82 Å | (10) |
| 4.24 Å | (15) |
| 3.90 Å | (5) |
| 3.35 Å | (55) |
| 3.16 Å | (5) |
| 3.00 Å | (30) |
| 2.862 Å | (60) |
| 2.628 Å | (45) |
| 2.532 Å | (15) |
| 2.451 Å | (15) |
| 2.372 Å | (85) |
| 2.299 Å | (10) |
| 2.239 Å | (10) |
| 2.174 Å | (15) |
| 2.121 Å | (10) |
| 1.934 Å | (100) |
| 1.894 Å | (10) |
| 1.859 Å | (90) |
| 1.794 Å | (10) |
| 1.675 Å | (30) |
| 1.652 Å | (10) |
| 1.628 Å | (25) |
| 1.581 Å | (5) |
Comments:
William G. Mumme, Robert W. Gable, and Václa V. Petříček (2012) The Crystal Structure Of Roxbyite, Cu58S32, The Canadian Mineralogist, V. 50, pp. 423-430.
Geological Environment
Paragenetic Mode(s):
| Paragenetic Mode | Earliest Age (Ga) |
|---|---|
| Stage 3b: Earth’s earliest hydrosphere | >4.45 |
| 12 : Hadean hydrothermal subsurface sulfide deposits (see also #33) |
Type Occurrence of Roxbyite
General Appearance of Type Material:
Mixture with djurleite. Small single crystals with dimensions up to 0.01 mm.
Place of Conservation of Type Material:
1) Museum Victoria, Melbourne, Australia, M37924.
2) The Natural History Museum, London, England, 1988,28.
2) The Natural History Museum, London, England, 1988,28.
Geological Setting of Type Material:
Stratabound bornite-chalcopyrite-pyrite mineralization and djurleite-bornite-roxbyite lenses and cross cutting veins.
Associated Minerals at Type Locality:
Reference:
Mumme, W.G., Sparrow, G.J., Walker, G.S. (1988): Roxbyite, a new copper sulphide mineral from the Olympic Dam deposit, Roxby Downs, South Australia. Mineralogical Magazine: 52: 323-330.
Synonyms of Roxbyite
Copper Sulphides (in part)
Other Language Names for Roxbyite
Relationship of Roxbyite to other Species
Member of:
Other Members of this group:
| Chalcocite | Cu2S | Mon. 2/m : P21/b |
| Digenite | Cu9S5 | Trig. 3m (3 2/m) : R3m |
| Djurleite | Cu31S16 | Mon. 2/m |
| Yarrowite | Cu9S8 | Trig. 3m (3 2/m) : P3m1 |
Structurally related to group(s):
Common Associates
Associated Minerals Based on Photo Data:
| 9 photos of Roxbyite associated with Allactite | Mn2+7(AsO4)2(OH)8 |
| 4 photos of Roxbyite associated with Sericite | KAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2 |
| 4 photos of Roxbyite associated with Copper | Cu |
| 2 photos of Roxbyite associated with Pyrite | FeS2 |
| 2 photos of Roxbyite associated with Yarrowite | Cu9S8 |
| 2 photos of Roxbyite associated with Fluorite | CaF2 |
| 1 photo of Roxbyite associated with Covellite | CuS |
| 1 photo of Roxbyite associated with Djurleite | Cu31S16 |
Related Minerals - Strunz-mindat Grouping
| 2.BA. | Orileyite | (Fe,Cu)2As |
| 2.BA. | Alburnite | Ag8GeTe2S4 |
| 2.BA. | Dzierżanowskite | CaCu2S2 |
| 2.BA. | Makotoite | Ag12(Cu3Au)S8 |
| 2.BA. | Xuwenyuanite | Ag9Fe3+Te2S4 |
| 2.BA.05 | Chalcocite | Cu2S |
| 2.BA.05 | Djurleite | Cu31S16 |
| 2.BA.05 | Geerite | Cu8S5 |
| 2.BA.10 | Anilite | Cu7S4 |
| 2.BA.10 | Digenite | Cu9S5 |
| 2.BA.15 | Bornite | Cu5FeS4 |
| 2.BA.20 | Bellidoite | Cu2Se |
| 2.BA.20 | Berzelianite | Cu2-xSe (x ≈ 0.12) |
| 2.BA.25 | Athabascaite | Cu5Se4 |
| 2.BA.25 | Umangite | Cu3Se2 |
| 2.BA.30 | Rickardite | Cu7Te5 |
| 2.BA.30 | Weissite | Cu2-xTe |
| 2.BA.35 | Acanthite | Ag2S |
| 2.BA.35 | Spryite | Ag8(As3+0.5As5+0.5)S6 |
| 2.BA.40 | Mckinstryite | Ag5-xCu3+xS4 |
| 2.BA.40 | Stromeyerite | AgCuS |
| 2.BA.40d | UM2003-13-S:AgAuCu | Ag6AuCu2S5 |
| 2.BA.42 | Honeaite | Au3TlTe2 |
| 2.BA.45 | Jalpaite | Ag3CuS2 |
| 2.BA.45 | Kurilite | Ag8Te3Se |
| 2.BA.45 | Selenojalpaite | Ag3CuSe2 |
| 2.BA.47 | Spiridonovite | (Cu1-xAgx)2Te |
| 2.BA.50 | Eucairite | AgCuSe |
| 2.BA.50 | Wuyanzhiite | Cu2S |
| 2.BA.52 | Argentite | Ag2S |
| 2.BA.55 | Aguilarite | Ag4SeS |
| 2.BA.55 | Naumannite | Ag2Se |
| 2.BA.60 | Cervelleite | Ag4TeS |
| 2.BA.60 | Hessite | Ag2Te |
| 2.BA.60 | Chenguodaite | Ag9Fe3+Te2S4 |
| 2.BA.65 | Henryite | (Cu,Ag)3+xTe2 , with x ~ 0.40 |
| 2.BA.65 | Stützite | Ag5-xTe3, x = 0.24-0.36 |
| 2.BA.70 | Argyrodite | Ag8GeS6 |
| 2.BA.70 | Canfieldite | Ag8SnS6 |
| 2.BA.70 | Putzite | (Cu4.7Ag3.3)GeS6 |
| 2.BA.75 | Fischesserite | Ag3AuSe2 |
| 2.BA.75 | Penzhinite | (Ag,Cu)4Au(S,Se)4 |
| 2.BA.75 | Petrovskaite | AuAgS |
| 2.BA.75 | Petzite | Ag3AuTe2 |
| 2.BA.75 | Uytenbogaardtite | Ag3AuS2 |
| 2.BA.80 | Bezsmertnovite | (Au,Ag)4Cu(Te,Pb) |
| 2.BA.80 | Bilibinskite | PbCu2Au3Te2 |
| 2.BA.80 | Bogdanovite | (Au,Te,Pb)3(Cu,Fe) |
Fluorescence of Roxbyite
Not fluorescent in UV
Other Information
Health Risks:
No information on health risks for this material has been entered into the database. You should always treat mineral specimens with care.
Internet Links for Roxbyite
mindat.org URL:
https://www.mindat.org/min-3468.html
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References for Roxbyite
Localities for Roxbyite
symbol to view information about a locality.
The Locality List
- This locality has map coordinates listed.
- This locality has estimated coordinates.
ⓘ - Click for references and further information on this occurrence.
? - Indicates mineral may be doubtful at this locality.
- Good crystals or important locality for species.
- World class for species or very significant.
(TL) - Type Locality for a valid mineral species.
(FRL) - First Recorded Locality for everything else (eg varieties).
All localities listed without proper references should be considered as questionable.
Atlantic Ocean | |
| Firstova et al. (2016) |
| Gablina et al. (2006) | |
| Gablina et al. (2017) | |
| Gablina et al. (2018) | |
| Firstova et al. (2019) |
Australia | |
| Chapman et al. (2005) +1 other reference |
| MM 1988 +1 other reference |
| Bottrill et al. (2008) |
Bulgaria | |
| Svetla Atanassova |
Canada | |
| Sabina (2015) +1 other reference |
| Sabina (2015) +1 other reference |
| Horváth et al. (2019) |
Chile | |
| Clarck (1972) |
Czech Republic | |
| [Lapis 1995 |
| Ondruš et al. (2003) |
| Malec J. et al.: Jacutingait (podkrkonošská pánev) |
| Hyrsl et al. (2009) |
Ecuador | |
| sulfide mounds et al. (3) +1 other reference |
Finland | |
| Canadian Mineralogist: 43: 1663-1686. |
Germany | |
| Schimak et al. (05/21) |
| Witzke et al. (2006) |
Hungary | |
| GEODA 2010/1 +1 other reference |
Iran | |
| Sadati et al. (2016) |
Italy | |
| De Caro et al. (2023) |
Japan | |
| Yamada (2002) |
Kazakhstan | |
| In the collection of Brent Thorne. ... |
| Pavel M. Kartashov XRD diagnostic |
Namibia | |
| Blaß et al. (2009) |
Papua New Guinea | |
| Noku et al. (2012) |
Peru | |
| Clark et al. (1990) |
| Clark et al. (1990) +1 other reference |
Poland | |
| Kruszewski et al. (2019) |
| Oszczepalski et al. (2017) |
Russia | |
| Nenasheva et al. (2011) |
Slovakia | |
| Ferenc et al. (2020) |
Spain | |
| Mesa et al. (2002) |
Switzerland | |
| Ansermet (2012) |
Turkey | |
| Basciano et al. (1998) |
UK | |
| Faithfull et al. (2012) |
| Cotterell et al. (2011) |
USA | |
| Modris Baum collection - Travis Olds ... +1 other reference |
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