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Wurtzite

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Zinc and iron mixed sulfide mineral: (Zn,Fe)S This article is about the mineral. For the crystal structure, see Wurtzite (crystal structure). Not to be confused with Wüstite, a mineral form of mostly iron(II) oxide.
Wurtzite
General
CategorySulfide mineral
Formula
(repeating unit)		(Zn,Fe)S
IMA symbolWur
Strunz classification2.CB.45
Dana classification02.08.07.01
Crystal systemHexagonal
Crystal classDihexagonal pyramidal (6mm)
H-M symbol: (6mm)
Space groupP63mc
Structure
Jmol (3D)Interactive image
Identification
ColorBrownish black, orange brown, reddish brown, black
Crystal habitRadial clusters and colloform crusts and masses. Also as tabular crystals
Cleavage and
FractureUneven – irregular
Mohs scale hardness3.5–4
LusterResinous, brilliant submetallic on crystal faces
Streaklight brown
DiaphaneityTranslucent
Specific gravity4.09 measured, 4.10 calculated
Optical propertiesUniaxial (+)
Refractive indexnω = 2.356 nε = 2.378
Birefringenceδ = 0.022
Other characteristicsNonmagnetic, non-radioactive
References

Wurtzite is a zinc and iron sulfide mineral with the chemical formula (Zn,Fe)S, a less frequently encountered structural polymorph form of sphalerite. The iron content is variable up to eight percent. It is trimorphous with matraite and sphalerite.

It occurs in hydrothermal deposits associated with sphalerite, pyrite, chalcopyrite, barite and marcasite. It also occurs in low-temperature clay-ironstone concretions.

It was first described in 1861 for an occurrence in the San José Mine, Oruro City, Cercado Province, Oruro Department, Bolivia, and named for French chemist Charles-Adolphe Wurtz. It has widespread distribution. In Europe it is reported from Příbram, Czech Republic; Hesse, Germany; and Liskeard, Cornwall, England. In the US it is reported from Litchfield County, Connecticut; Butte, Silver Bow County, Montana; at Frisco, Beaver County, Utah; and from the Joplin district, Jasper County, Missouri.

Structure

Wurtzite unit cell. The grey balls represent metal atoms, and yellow balls represent sulfur or selenium atoms.

The wurtzite group includes cadmoselite (CdSe), greenockite (CdS), mátraite (ZnS), and rambergite (MnS), in addition to wurtzite.

Its crystal structure is called the wurtzite crystal structure, to which it lends its name. This structure is a member of the hexagonal crystal system and consists of tetrahedrally coordinated zinc and sulfur atoms that are stacked in an ABABABABAB pattern.

The unit cell parameters of wurtzite are (-2H polytype):

  • a = b = 3.81 Å = 381 pm
  • c = 6.23 Å = 623 pm
  • V = 78.41 Å
  • Z = 2

See also

References

  1. Warr, L.N. (2021). "IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols". Mineralogical Magazine. 85 (3): 291–320. Bibcode:2021MinM...85..291W. doi:10.1180/mgm.2021.43. S2CID 235729616.
  2. ^ Handbook of Mineralogy
  3. ^ Wurtzite at Mindat.org
  4. Wurtzite at Webmineral
  5. Palache, Charles, Harry Berman & Clifford Frondel (1944), The System of Mineralogy of James Dwight Dana and Edward Salisbury Dana, Yale University 1837-1892, Volume I: Elements, Sulfides, Sulfosalts, Oxides. John Wiley and Sons, Inc., New York. 7th edition, revised and enlarged, pp. 226-228.
  6. Wurtzite group on Mindat.org
  7. Xu, Yong-Nian; Ching, W. Y. (15 August 1993). "Electronic, optical, and structural properties of some wurtzite crystals". Physical Review B. 48 (7): 4335–4351. Bibcode:1993PhRvB..48.4335X. doi:10.1103/PhysRevB.48.4335. PMID 10008905.

External links

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