Sulfide Minerals

• Here you will find a short summary of the sulfides that you are studying in lab

Important Sulfide Minerals

• Pyrite FeS2

• Aresonopyrite FeAsS

• Sphalerite ZnS

• Chalcopyrite CuFeS2

• Covellite

• Galena PbS

• Pyrrhotite Fe1-xS

• Cinnabar HgS

• Molybdenite MoS

• Enargite

• Oriment

• Stibnite

Important Sulfide Minerals

• Sulfide minerals have a restricted composition range and solid solutions are rare

• Most sulfides (except sphalerite) are opaque semiconductors with metallic luster

Sulfide parageneses

• Most sulfides are deposited by hydrothermal solutions (e.g., galena, sphalerite, chalcopyrite). Metal cations are transported by cl-1 complexes at high temperature.

Sulfide parageneses

• Some are primary minerals in igneous and metamorphic rocks (e.g., Molybdenite, pyrrhotite) and crystallize from the magma.

• Sulfides also may form, in sediments under the reducing conditions resulting from decay of organic matter.

Hydrotherma Vein Depositshypothermal Mesothermal Epithermal

300-600 oC 200-300 oC 50-200 oCSulfide Ore Mineals

Molybdenite Chalcopyrite CinnabarPyrrhotite Borninte Stibinte

Chalcopyrite Galenasphalerite

Arsenopyrite

Gangue MinealsQuartz Quartz Quartz

Tourmaline Carbonates ChalcedonyTopaz Barite OpalMicas Calicte

Pyrite

• Cubic

• Most widespread sulfide mineral. Found in all geological environments

• Marcasite is a related polymorph formed at low Temperature.

Pyrrhotite

• Found as accessory phase in igneous rocks.

Chalcopyrte

• Primary copper mineral,in porphyry-copper deposits.

• Most widespread copper mineral

Arsenopyrite

• Primary arsenic mineral

Molybdenite

• Primary Molybdenum ore

• High temperature deposite

Sphalerite

• Primary ore mineral for Zn

Galena

• Primary ore mineral for Pb