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 mineralogist and named after Felicien Cattier, who was chairman of the board of the Union Minière du Haut-Katanga.[6]
| Cattierite | |
|---|---|
 Cattierite crystals in dolomite matrix | |
| General | |
| Category | Sulfide mineral |
| Formula (repeating unit) | CoS2 |
| IMA symbol | Cat[1] |
| 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 | [2][3][4][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.[3]
References
edit- ^ 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.
- ^ Mineralienatlas
- ^ a b Handbook of Mineralogy
- ^ Fact sheet from Mindat.org
- ^ Fact sheet from Webmineral
- ^ Kerr, Paul F. (1945). "Cattierite and Vaesite: New Co-Ni Minerals from the Belgian Kongo" (PDF). American Mineralogist. 30: 483–492.
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