Tennantite
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| Tennantite | |
|---|---|
 A sample of tennantite
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| General | |
| Category | Mineral: sulfosalt |
| Chemical formula | Cu12As4S13 |
| Identification | |
| Molecular Weight | 1,471.40 gm |
| Color | Steel gray to iron-gray |
| Crystal habit | massive to well formed crystals |
| Crystal system | Cubic |
| Cleavage | None |
| Fracture | Hackly |
| Mohs Scale hardness | 3½ - 4 |
| Luster | Metallic |
| Streak | reddish gray |
| Density | 4.65 |
| Diaphaneity | Opaque |
Tennantite is a copper arsenic sulfosalt mineral. Its chemical formula is Cu12As4S13. It is found in hydrothermal veins and contact metamorphic deposits. It is grey-black, steel-gray, iron-gray or black in color. A closely related mineral, tetrahedrite (Cu12Sb4S13) has antimony substituting for arsenic and the two form a solid solution series. The two have very similar properties and is often difficult to distinguish between tennantite and tetrahedrite. Iron, zinc, and silver substitute up to about 15% for the copper site.
The mineral was named after the English chemist Smithson Tennant (1761-1815).
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