Cattierite

Cattierite
General
Category Sulfide mineral
Formula
(repeating unit)		 CoS2
Strunz classification 2.EB.05a
Crystal system Cubic
Crystal class Diploidal (m3)
H-M symbol: (2/m 3)
Space group Pa3
Unit cell a = 5.52 Å; Z = 4
Identification
Color Pink to grayish white
Crystal habit Cubic crystals and granular intergrowths
Cleavage Perfect on {001}
Mohs scale hardness 4
Luster Metallic
Diaphaneity Opaque
Specific gravity 4.82
Optical properties Isotropic
References [1][2][3][4]

Cattierite (CoS2) is a cobalt sulfide mineral found in the Democratic Republic of Congo. It was discovered together with the nickel sulfide vaesite by Johannes F. Vaes, a Belgian mineralologist and named after Felicien Cattier, Chairman of the Board, Union Miniere du Haut Katanga.[5]

The mineral belongs to the pyrite group, in which all minerals share the same building principle. The metal in the oxidation state +2 forms a sodium chloride structure together with the anion S22−. This formalism recognizes that the sulfur atoms in pyrite occur in pairs with clear S-S bonds.

It occurs with pyrite, chalcopyrite and members of the linnaeite – polydymite group in ore deposits in carbonate rocks. In addition to the type locality in the Katanga district it is reported from Gansberg, Black Forest, Germany; near Filipstad, Varmland, Sweden; Bald Knob, near Sparta, Alleghany County, North Carolina and in the Fletcher mine of Reynolds County, Missouri.[2]

References

  1. ↑ Mineralienatlas
  2. 1 2 Handbook of Mineralogy
  3. ↑ Fact sheet from Mindat.org
  4. ↑ Fact sheet from Webmineral
  5. ↑ Kerr, Paul F. (1945). "Cattierite and Vaesite: New Co-Ni Minerals from the Belgian Kongo" (PDF). 30: 483&ndash, 492.


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