Physical Properties of Ore Minerals

Table 5. Orthorhombic Crystal Class

Minerals are arranged alphabetically by space group (Schoenflies symbol).

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Mineral Name	Composition	Space Group	Resistivity (ohm-m)	Dielectric Permittivity	Charge Separation Phenomena	Curie Temp. °C	Magnetic Properties k×10-6cgs	Optical Properties	R %	Comments
Stibiopalladinite	Pd5Sb2 Pd3Sb	D22	metal ?		piezoelectric			very weak bireflectance, very weak anisotropy.	R1-52.3 R2-54.5
Naumannite	Ag2Se	D24			piezoelectric	<128		weak pleochroism in oil, strongly anisotropic, weak bireflectance in oil.	R1-33.7 R2-32.4
Wittichenite	Cu3BiS3	D24			piezoelectric			slight pleochroism, weak anisotropy, weak bireflectance.	R1-34.9 R2-33.3	Forms solid solution with barite and fluorite.
Dyscrasite	Ag3Sb	C2v1	metal 1.2×10-7-0.12		pyroelectric	<660		weak pleochroism, weakly to distinctly anisotropic, weak bireflectance.	R1-62.1 R2-63.2
Parkerite	Ni3(Bi,Pb)2S2 Ni3Bi2S2	C2v2			pyroelectric ferroelectric ??			distinct pleochroism, distinct bireflectance, very strong anisotropy.	45.9 to 50.6
Krennerite	AuTe2	C2v4	metal		pyroelectric			distinct pleochroism, distinct anisotropy, weak bireflectance.	60.6 to 62.5	Forms solid solution with calaverite.
Boracite	Mg3B7O13Cl	C2v5	insulator 108 to 1010	[110] 8	ferroelectric LeCorre (1957)	265		no data for ferroelectric phase.	OT	Given as cubic by Povarennykh (1972).
Cobaltite (low)	(Co,Fe)AsS	C2v5	semiconductor 10-5 to 6.5	33<e<81	ferroelectric ? (isostructural)	<850		very weak pleochroism, weakly to distinctly anisotropic, weak bireflectance.	50.5	Converts to cubic, space group Th6at 850°C.
Pararammelsbergite	NiAs2	C2v5			ferroelectric ? (isostructural)			weak pleochroism, strong anisotropy, very weak bireflectance.	R1-56.3 R2-57.8	Highest reflectance of Ni-Co arsenides. Also see rammelsbergite.
Bournonite	CuPbSbS3	C2v7			pyroelectric			very weak pleochroism, distinct anisotropy, weak bireflectance.	R1-36.2 R2-36.6	Forms solid solution with galena.
Costibite	CoSbS	C2v7	semiconductor		pyroelectric		diamagnetic	weak pleochroism, weak anisotropy.	45.5 to 48.4
Enargite	Cu3AsS4	C2v7	semiconductor p-type 2×10-4 to 0.9	200	pyroelectric ferroelectric ??	<383		distinct pleochroism in oil, strong anisotropy, distinct bireflectance in oil.	Ra-25.1 Rb-25.9 Rc-28.7	Forms solid solution with stibioenargite. Paramorphic with luzonite.
Meneghinite	Pb13Sb7S24 CuPb13Sb7S24	C2v7			pyroelectric Euler and Hellner (1960)			weak bireflectance, strong anisotropy.	R1-43.3 R2-37.0
Seligmannite	CuPbAsS3	C2v7			pyroelectric			strong anisotropy, weak to distinct bireflectance.	32.3 to 33.5
Bismuthinite	Bi2S3	C2v9	semiconductor n-type 3 to 5.7×104	18.2	ferroelectric Lines and Glass (1977)	50	diamagnetic k = -123	distinct pleochroism, very strong anisotropy, distinct bireflectance.	R1-38.5 R2-45.4	Povarennykh (1972) and Ramdohr (1980) give space group D2h16.
Bismutotantalite	BiTaO4	C2v9			ferroelectric (isostructural)			weak to distinct anisotropy, weak bireflectance, moderate birefringence.	~20
Chalcostibite	CuSbS2	C2v9	semiconductor b-axis 50 10 to 50	b-axis 20<e<50	ferroelectric Grigas et al. (1976)	93		distinct pleochroism in oil, distinctly anisotropic, distinct bireflectance.	R1-36.9 R2-42.2	May also fall in space group D2h16.
Dimorphite	As4S3	C2v9			ferroelectric (isostructural)			moderate birefringence.	OT
Emplectite	CuBiS2	C2v9			ferroelectric (isostructural)			weak pleochroism and bireflectance, strong anisotropy.	R1-42.3 R2-37.1
Guanajuatite	Bi2Se3	C2v9			ferroelectric (isostructural)			weak to distinct pleochroism, strongly anisotropic, distinct to strong bireflectance.	~40
Horobetsuite	(Bi,Sb)2S3	C2v9			ferroelectric (isostructural)	<560		strong anisotropy, weak bireflectance.	~40.5
Lautite	CuAsS	C2v9	semiconductor		ferroelectric ? (isostructural)	<574	diamagnetic	very weak pleochroism, distinct anisotropy, weak bireflectance in oil.	30.2 to 31.3
Pierrotite	Tl2(Sb,As)10S17	C2v9			ferroelectric ? (isostructural)			distinct anisotropy, common internal reflections, distinct bireflectance.	R1-39.8 R2-34.1
Stibiotantilite or stibiocolumbite	Sb(Ta,Nb)O4	C2v9		100<e<103	ferroelectric Gavrilova et al. (1971)	400		weak to distinct anisotropy, weak bireflectance, very extreme birefringence.	OT ~20
Stibnite or antimonite	Sb2S3	C2v9	semiconductor 105 to 1012 mean 5×106	11	ferroelectric Rinkyavichyus and Mikalkevich-yus (1967)	147 to 217	diamagnetic k = -86	strong pleochroism, very strong anisotropy, strong bireflectance.	Ra-42.3 Rb-31.1 Rc-48.4	Forms solid solution with metastibnite (amorphous). Second ferroelectric transition at 17 to 37C.
Stephanite	Ag5SbS4	C2v12			pyroelectric ferroelectric ??			distinct pleochroism, strong anisotropy and bireflectance in oil.	R1-30.4 R2-28.2
Ferroselite	FeSe2	D2h12			ferroelectric ??			distinct pleochroism, moderate anisotropy, weak bireflectance.	45.8 to 51.3
Frohbergite	FeTe2	D2h12			ferroelectric ??			very weak pleochroism, strong anisotropy with striking colors.	50.1 to 52.4	Marcasite structure.
Hastite	CoSe2	D2h12			ferroelectric ??		k = 722	distinct pleochroism, strong anisotropy, very distinct bireflectance.	47.1 to 52.5
Löllingite	FeAs2	D2h12	semiconductor 10-6 to 10-3		ferroelectric ??			weak pleochroism, very strong anisotropy, weak to distinct bireflectance.	R1-52.4 R2-54.1
Marcasite	FeS2	D2h12	semiconductor p-type 10-3 to 104. Large decrease at T~200°C.		ferroelectric ??	<520	k ~ 18,720	strong pleochroism, extreme anisotropy, distinct bireflectance.	R1-48.2 R2-55.2	Dimorphic with pyrite.
Rammelsbergite	NiAs2	D2h12	metal		ferroelectric ??			weak pleochroism, strong anisotropy, very weak bireflectance.	R1-53.2 R2-56.3
Safflorite	CoAs2	D2h12			ferroelectric ??			very weak pleochroism, strong anisotropy, very weak bireflectance.	53.3 to 54.5	Exhibits great variation in anisotropic effects.
Argentopyrite	AgFe2S3	D2h13			ferroelectric ??			very strong anisotropy, extremely complex twinning, distinct bireflectance.	R1-36.8 R2-30.1	Polymorphous with sternbergite.
Vulcanite	CuTe	D2h13			ferroelectric ??			extreme pleochroism, bireflectance, and anisotropy.	36 to 69	Very peculiar optical properties.
Bornite	Cu5FeS4	D2h15	semiconductor p-type 10-5 to 1.6 large decrease at T = 228°C.	8	piezoelectric ferroelectric ?	<228	antiferromagnetic Tn~0°C	slight bireflectance on grain boundaries, very weakly anisotropic.	18.5 to 21.3	Converts to cubic, space group Oh5, high bornite at 228°C.
Hutchinsonite	(Tl,Pb,Ag)As5S9	D2h15			ferroelectric ??			distinct pleochroism, very strong anisotropy, weak to distinct bireflectance.	29.0 to 30.2
Aikinite - patronite ?	PbCuBiS3	D2h16			ferroelectric ? (isostructural)			distinct pleochroism, distinct anisotropy, distinct bireflectance.	R1-46.3 R2-39.3	Structurally very similar to bismuthinite and may form solid solution series. Patronite is an ore of vanadium.
Alexandrite (Cr-chrysoberyl)	Cr2BeO4	D2h16			magneto-ferroelectric Newnham et al. (1978)	-245		strong pleochroism.	OT	Space group is paraelectric phase.
Bertherierite	FeSb2S4	D2h16			ferroelectric ? (isostructural)			very strong anisotropy, strong bireflectance.	R1-42.0 R2-36.7	Commonly breaks down into pyrite and stibnite.
Cerrusite	PbCO3	D2h16		18.6	ferroelectric ? (isostructural)		diamagnetic k = -61	strong pleochroism, strong anisotropy masked by internal reflections, very extreme birefringence.	OT 8.2 to 12.3?
Cohenite	Fe3C	D2h16			ferroelectric ? (isostructural)		ferrimagnetic	weak bireflectance, weak anisotropy, fine twin lamellae associated with magnetic domains.	56.4 to 58.4	Common in iron meteorites.
Cubanite	CuFe2S3	D2h16	semiconductor ~1. Large decrease at T~210°C.		ferroelectric ? (isostructural)	<210	antiferromagnetic along b-axis.	distinct pleochroism, strong anisotropy, distinct bireflectance.	R1-39.4 R2-35.4	Converts irreversibly into cubic metallic conductor at ~210°C, high cubanite.
Galenobismutite	PbBi2S4	D2h16			ferroelectric ? (isostructural)			strong pleochroism, strong anisotropy, strong bireflectance.	45.7 to 48.6
Groutite	HMnO2	D2h16			ferroelectric ? (isostructural)			distinct bireflectance, very strong anisotropy, distinct bireflectance.	12.4 to 20.0
Herzenbergite	SnS	D2h16			ferroelectric ? (isostructural)	<600		weak pleochroism, strong anisotropy, weak bireflectance.	42.1 to 44.3?	Converts to cubic, space group Oh3 at ~600°C.
Montroseite	(V,Fe)O(OH)	D2h16			ferroelectric ? (isostructural)			weak bireflectance, strong anisotropy.	14.7 to 16.8	Also see paramontrosite.
Niter (saltpeter)	KNO3	D2h16		4.4<e<40	ferroelectric Sawada et al. (1958)	110 to 124	diamagnetic k = -34	extreme birefringence.	OT
Owyheeite	Ag2Pb5Sb16S15	D2h16			ferroelectric ? (isostructural)			distinct pleochroism, very strong anisotropy, distinct bireflectance.	37.9 to 44.5
Ramsdellite	MnO2	D2h16			ferroelectric ? (isostructural)		antiferromagnetic k = 2,280	distinct pleochroism, strongly anisotropic, distinct bireflectance.	11.7 to 33.0	See polianite, pyrolusite, and nsutite.
Teallite	PbSnS2	D2h16			ferroelectric ? (isostructural)			very weak pleochroism, distinct anisotropy, weak to distinct bireflectance.	R1-44.0 R2-42.5
Vrbaite	TlSbAs2S5	D2h16			ferroelectric ? (isostructural)			common internal reflections, distinct anisotropy.	29.3 to 32.3
Glaucodot	(Co,Fe)AsS	D2h19	semiconductor 5×10-6 to 5		ferroelectric ??			very weak pleochroism, strong anisotropy, weak bireflectance.	R1-50.0 R2-50.6

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