Alternative title: sulphide mineral

sulfide mineral,  sulfide also spelled Sulphide,  any member of a group of compounds of sulfur with one or more metals. Most of the sulfides are simple structurally, exhibit high symmetry in their crystal forms, and have many of the properties of metals, including metallic lustre and electrical conductivity. They often are strikingly coloured and have a low hardness and a high specific gravity.

The composition of the sulfide minerals can be expressed with the general chemical formula AmSn, in which A is a metal, S is sulfur, and m and n are integers, giving A2S, AS, A3S4 and AS2 stoichiometries. The metals that occur most commonly in sulfides are iron, copper, nickel, lead, cobalt, silver, and zinc, though about fifteen others enter sulfide structures.

Almost all sulfide minerals have structural arrangements that belong to six basic types, four of which are important. These arrangements are close-packing combinations of metal and sulfur, governed by ionic size and charge.

The simplest and most symmetrical of the four important structural types is the sodium chloride structure, in which each ion occupies a position within an octahedron consisting of six oppositely charged neighbours. The most common sulfide crystalling in this manner is galena (PbS), the ore mineral of lead. A type of packing that involves two sulfide ions in each of the octahedral positions in the sodium chloride structure is the pyrite structure. This is a high-symmetry structure characteristic of the iron sulfide, pyrite (FeS2O). The second distinct structural type is that of sphalerite (ZnS), in which each metal ion is surrounded by six oppositely charged ions arranged tetrahedrally. The third significant structural type is that of fluorite, in which the metal cation is surrounded by eight anions; each anion, in turn, is surrounded by four metal cations. The reverse of this structure—the metal cation surrounded by four anions and each anion surrounded by eight metal cations—is called the antifluorite structure. It is the arrangement of some of the more valuable precious metal tellurides and selenides among which is hessite (Ag2Te), the ore mineral of silver.

In virtually all of the sulfides, bonding is covalent, but some have metallic properties. The covalent property of sulfur allows sulfur-sulfur bonds and the incorporation of S2 pairs in some sulfides such as pyrite. Several sulfides, including molybdenite (MoS2) and covellite (CuS), have layer structures. Several rare sulfide varieties have the spinel structure.

Phase relations of sulfides are particularly complex, and many solid state reactions occur at relatively low temperatures (100–300° C [212–572° F]), producing complex intergrowths. Particular emphasis has been placed on the experimental investigation of the iron-nickel-copper sulfides because they are by far the most common. They also are important geologic indicators for locating possible ore bodies and provide low-temperature reactions for geothermometry.

Sulfides occur in all rock types. Except for dissemination in certain sedimentary rocks, these minerals tend to occur in isolated concentrations which make up mineral bodies such as veins and fracture fillings or which comprise replacements of preexisting rocks in the shape of blankets. Sulfide mineral deposits originate in two principal processes, both of which have reducing conditions: (1) separation of an immiscible sulfide melt during the early stages of crystallization of basic magmas; and (2) deposition from aqueous brine solutions at temperatures in the 300–600° C (572–1,112° F) range and at relatively high pressure, such as at the seafloor or several kilometres beneath Earth’s surface. The sulfide deposits formed as a result of the first process include mainly pyrrhotites, pyrites, pentlandites, and chalcopyrites. Most others occur because of the latter process. Weathering may act to concentrate dispersed sulfides.


For the more common sulfide minerals and their physical properties, see the Table.

Sulfide minerals
name colour lustre Mohs hardness specific gravity habit or form fracture or cleavage refractive indices or polished section data crystal system
argentite blackish lead-gray metallic 2–2 1/2 7.2–7.4 cubic or octahedral crystals, often in groups; arborescent or hairlike massive subconchoidal fracture faintly anisotropic isometric
arsenopyrite silver-white to steel-gray metallic 5 1/2–6 6.1 cubic or dodecahedral crystals having rough or curved faces; granular or compact massive one distinct cleavage strongly anisotropic monoclinic
bornite copper-red to pinchbeck-brown, tarnishing quickly to iridescent purple metallic 3 5.1 prismatic crystals; columnar, granular, or compact massive uneven fracture isotropic in part; pinkish brown isometric
chalcocite blackish lead-gray metallic 2 1/2–3 5.5–5.8 short prismatic or thick tabular crystals; massive conchoidal fracture weakly anisotropic orthorhombic
chalcopyrite brass-yellow, often tarnished and iridescent metallic 3 1/2–4 4.1–4.3 compact massive; tetragonal crystals uneven fracture weakly anisotropic; often shows lamellar and polysynthetic twinning tetragonal
cinnabar cochineal-red to brownish or lead-gray adamantine to metallic 2–2 1/2 8.1 rhombohedral, tabular, or prismatic crystals; massive; earthy coatings one perfect cleavage omega = 2.756–2.905
epsilon = 3.065–3.256
cobaltite silver-white to red; steel-gray or grayish black metallic 5 1/2 6.3 cubic or pyritohedral crystals with striated faces one perfect cleavage isometric
covellite indigo-blue; highly iridescent; brass-yellow or deep red submetallic to resinous (crystals); subresinous to dull (massive) 1 1/2–2 4.6–4.8 massive; rarely in hexagonal plates one highly perfect cleavage strongly anisotropic hexagonal
cubanite brass- to bronze-yellow metallic 3 1/2 4.0–4.2 thick tabular crystals; massive conchoidal fracture anisotropic orthorhombic
domeykite tin-white to steel-gray; tarnishes yellowish brown, becoming iridescent metallic 3–3 1/2 7.2–7.9 reniform or botryoidal masses uneven fracture isotropic isometric
galena lead-gray metallic 2 1/2–3 7.6 cubic crystals; cleavable masses one perfect cleavage isotropic isometric
greenockite various shades of yellow and orange adamantine to resinous 3–3 1/2 4.9 earthy coating conchoidal fracture omega = 2.431–2.506 epsilon = 2.456–2.529 hexagonal
krennerite silver-white to light brass-yellow metallic 2–3 8.6 short prismatic crystals one perfect cleavage strongly anisotropic; creamy white orthorhombic
linnaeite light gray to steel- or violet-gray, tarnishing to copper-red or violet-gray brilliant metallic (when fresh) 4 1/2–5 1/2 4.5–4.8 octahedral crystals granular to compact masses uneven to subconchoidal fracture isotropic isometric
loellingite silver-white to steel-gray metallic 5–5 1/2 7.4–7.5 prismatic or pyramidal crystals; massive uneven fracture very strongly anisotropic orthorhombic
marcasite tin-white, deepening with exposure to bronze-yellow metallic 6–6 1/2 4.9 tabular or pyramidal crystals; spear-shaped or cockscomb-like crystal groups one distinct cleavage strongly anisotropic and pleochroic; creamy white, light yellowish white, and rosy white orthorhombic
maucherite reddish platinum-gray, tarnishing copper-red metallic 5 8.0 tabular crystals uneven fracture weakly anisotropic; pinkish gray tetragonal
metacinnabar grayish black metallic 3 7.65 tetrahedral crystals; massive subconchoidal to uneven fracture isotropic; grayish white; shows lamellar twinning isometric
millerite pale brass-yellow, tarnishing iridescent gray metallic 3–3 1/2 5.3–5.7 very slender to capillary crystals in radiating groups, sometimes interwoven two perfect cleavages strongly anisotropic hexagonal
molybdenite lead-gray metallic 1–1 1/2 4.6–4.7 hexagonal tablets; foliated massive, in scales one perfect cleavage very strongly anisotropic and pleochroic; white hexagonal
niccolite pale copper-red, tarnishing gray to blackish metallic 5–5 1/2 7.8 reniform massive; also branching no cleavage strongly anisotropic hexagonal
orpiment lemon-yellow, golden-yellow, brownish yellow resinous; pearly on cleavages 1 1/2–2 3.5 foliated, fibrous, or columnar massive; reniform or botryoidal masses; granular one perfect cleavage alpha = 2.4
beta = 2.81
gamma = 3.02
pentlandite light bronze-yellow metallic 3 1/2–4 4.6–5.0 granular aggregates conchoidal fracture isotropic isometric
pyrite pale brass-yellow splendent to glistening metallic 6–6 1/2 5.0 cubic, pyritohedral, or octahedral crystals with striated faces; massive conchoidal to uneven fracture isotropic; creamy white isometric
pyrrhotite bronze-yellow to pinchbeck-brown, tarnishing quickly metallic 3 1/2–4 1/2 4.6–4.7
4.8 (troilite)
granular massive; sometimes platy or tabular crystals uneven to subconchoidal fracture strongly anisotropic hexagonal
realgar aurora-red to orange-yellow resinous to greasy 1 1/2–2 3.5–3.6 short, striated prismatic crystals; granular or compact massive; incrustations one good cleavage, three less so alpha = 2.486–2.538
beta = 2.602–2.684
gamma = 2.620–2.704
rickardite purple-red metallic 3 1/2 7.5 massive irregular fracture strongly anisotropic and pleochroic orthorhombic
sphalerite brown, black, yellow; also variable resinous to adamantine 3 1/2–4 3.9–4.1 tetrahedral or dodecahedral crystals, often with curved faces; cleavable masses one perfect cleavage n = 2.320–2.517 isometric
stannite steel-gray to iron-black metallic 4 4.3–4.5 granular massive uneven fracture anisotropic tetragonal
stibnite lead- to steel-gray, tarnishing blackish metallic 2 4.6 aggregates of needle-like crystals; crystals are easily bent or twisted one perfect cleavage alpha = 3.184–3.204
beta = 4.036–4.056
gamma = 4.293–4.313
white; strongly anisotropic
stromeyerite dark steel-gray, tarnishing blue metallic 2 1/2–3 6.2–6.3 pseudohexagonal prisms; compact massive subconchoidal to conchoidal fracture strongly anisotropic orthorhombic
sylvanite steel-gray to silver-white brilliant metallic 1 1/2–2 8.1–8.2 short prismatic, thick tabular, or bladed crystals one perfect cleavage strongly anisotropic and pleochroic; creamy white; shows polysynthetic twinning monoclinic
tetradymite pale steel-gray, tarnishing dull or iridescent metallic 1 1/2–2 7.1–7.5 foliated to granular massive; bladed crystals one perfect cleavage weakly anisotropic; white; sometimes shows a graph-like intergrowth hexagonal
umangite dark cherry-red, tarnishing quickly to violet-blue metallic 3 5.6 small grains; fine-grained aggregates uneven fracture strongly anisotropic; dark red-violet; apparently uniaxial tetragonal
wurtzite brownish black resinous 3 1/2–4 4.0–4.1 pyramidal crystals; fibrous or columnar massive; concentrically banded crusts one easy cleavage omega = 2.330–2.356 epsilon = 2.350–2.378 hexagonal

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