Minerals chalcopyrite, CuFeS

Most important mineral Chalcopyrite CuFeS (Figure M6)... 

Many sulfide minerals have structures closely related to those of sphalerite and wurtzite. Chalcopyrite, CuFeS, is an example (Fig. 11-21). Its structure 0 is a tetragonal superstructure of sphalerite, with the copper and iron atoms in the zinc positions of sphalerite. 

Copper s relative abundance in the Earth s crust is about 50 mg/kg (i.e., ppm wt.), which is less than nickel and zinc. It occurs as a native element (4%), but the major part of its occurrence is as oxides minerals (10%) such as cuprite [Cu O, cubic] carbonates (5%) malachite [CuC03.Cu(OH)j, monoclinic] and azurite [2CuC03.Cu(0H)j, monoclinic] sulfide minerals (80%) chalcocite [Cu S, monoclinic], chalcopyrite [CuFeS, tetragonal], and bornite [CUjFeS, cubic] and in other rare minerals (1%) such as atacamite [CUjC OH), orthorhombic]. But only the oxide and sulfide minerals are used industrially as copper ores. Chile is the world s largest producer of copper, followed by the United States. 

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