Common Oxide and Sulphide Minerals

Pyrite

Formula: FeS₂

Hardness: 6 – 6.5

Density: 5.01 g/cm³

Elemental Composition:

Iron (Fe): 46.55%
Sulfur (S): 53.45%

Chalcopyrite

Formula: CuFeS₂

Hardness: 3.5 – 4

Density: 4.1 – 4.3 g/cm³

Elemental Composition:

Copper (Cu): 34.63%
Iron (Fe): 30.43%
Sulfur (S): 34.94%

Galena

Formula: PbS

Hardness: 2.5

Density: 7.4 – 7.6 g/cm³

Elemental Composition:

Lead (Pb): 86.6%
Sulfur (S): 13.4%

Sphalerite

Formula: (Zn,Fe)S

Hardness: 3.5 – 4

Density: 3.9 – 4.1 g/cm³

Elemental Composition:

Zinc (Zn): 67.1%
Sulfur (S): 32.9%

Bornite

Formula: Cu₅FeS₄

Hardness: 3

Density: 5.0 – 5.1 g/cm³

Elemental Composition:

Copper (Cu): 63.3%
Iron (Fe): 11.1%
Sulfur (S): 25.6%

Cinnabar

Formula: HgS

Hardness: 2 – 2.5

Density: 8.1 g/cm³

Elemental Composition:

Mercury (Hg): 86.2%
Sulfur (S): 13.8%

Stibnite

Formula: Sb₂S₃

Hardness: 2

Density: 4.6 g/cm³

Elemental Composition:

Antimony (Sb): 71.7%
Sulfur (S): 28.3%

Millerite

Formula: NiS

Hardness: 3 – 3.5

Density: 5.3 – 5.5 g/cm³

Elemental Composition:

Nickel (Ni): 64.7%
Sulfur (S): 35.3%

Spodumene

Formula: LiAlSi₂O₆

Hardness: 6.5 – 7

Density: 3.1 – 3.2 g/cm³

Elemental Composition:

Li: 3.73%
Al: 10.39%
Si: 30.74%
O: 55.14%

Lepidolite

Formula: K(Li,Al)₃(Si,Al)₄O₁₀(F,OH)₂

Hardness: 2.5 – 3

Density: 2.8 – 2.9 g/cm³

Elemental Composition:

K: 10.07%
Li: 3.58%
Al: 6.95%
Si: 28.93%
O: 45.32%
F: 4.89%
H: 0.26%

Petalite

Formula: LiAlSi₄O₁₀

Hardness: 6 – 6.5

Density: 2.4 g/cm³

Elemental Composition:

Li: 2.09%
Al: 8.84%
Si: 36.74%
O: 52.33%

Amblygonite

Formula: (Li,Na)AlPO₄(F,OH)

Hardness: 5.5 – 6

Density: 3.0 – 3.1 g/cm³

Elemental Composition:

Li: 3.44%
Na: 3.80%
Al: 10.19%
P: 19.56%
O: 55.84%
F: 5.17%
H: 2.00%

Tetrahedrite

(Cu,Fe)₁₂Sb₄S₁₃ | Hardness: 3–4
Density: 4.6–5.1 g/cm³

Elemental Composition:

Cu: 34.80%
Sb: 29.64%
S: 25.37%
Fe: 10.20%

Arsenopyrite

FeAsS | Hardness: 5.5–6
Density: 5.9–6.2 g/cm³

Elemental Composition:

Fe: 34.296%
S: 19.693%
As: 46.038%

Quartz

SiO₂ | Hardness: 7
Density: 2.65 g/cm³

Elemental Composition:

Si: 46.74%
O: 53.26%

Covellite

CuS | Hardness: 1.5–2
Density: 4.6–4.8 g/cm³

Elemental Composition:

Cu: 66.461%
S: 33.539%

Chalcocite

Cu₂S | Hardness: 2.5–3
Density: 5.5–5.8 g/cm³

Elemental Composition:

Cu: 79.853%
S: 20.147%

Enargite

Cu₃AsS₄ | Hardness: 3
Density: 4.4–4.5 g/cm³

Elemental Composition:

Cu: 48.41%
S: 22.37%
As: 19.02%

Tennantite

(Cu,Fe)₁₂As₄S₁₃ | Hardness: 3–4
Density: 4.5–5.1 g/cm³

Elemental Composition:

Cu: 47.51%
S: 28.33%
As: 20.37%
Fe: 3.80%

Cuprite

Cu₂O | Hardness: 3.5–4
Density: 6.1 g/cm³

Elemental Composition:

Cu: 88.82%
O: 11.18%

Malachite

Cu₂CO₃(OH)₂ | Hardness: 3.5–4
Density: 3.6–4.0 g/cm³

Elemental Composition:

Cu: 57.48%
O: 36.18%
C: 5.43%
H: 0.91%

Azurite

Cu₃(CO₃)₂(OH)₂ | Hardness: 3.5–4
Density: 3.7–3.9 g/cm³

Elemental Composition:

Cu: 55.31%
O: 37.14%
C: 6.97%
H: 0.58%

Pyrrhotite

Fe₁₋ₓS | Hardness: 3.5–4.5
Density: 4.6 g/cm³

Elemental Composition:

Fe: 62.328%
S: 37.672%

Marcasite

FeS₂ | Hardness: 6–6.5
Density: 4.9 g/cm³

Elemental Composition:

Fe: 46.55%
S: 53.45%

Pentlandite

(Fe,Ni)₉S₈ | Hardness: 3.5–4
Density: 4.6–5.0 g/cm³

Elemental Composition:

Ni: 34.215%
Fe: 32.554%
S: 33.231%

Niccolite

NiAs | Hardness: 5–5.5
Density: 7.8 g/cm³

Elemental Composition:

Ni: 43.93%
As: 56.07%

Rammelsbergite

NiAs₂ | Hardness: 5.5–6
Density: 7.0 g/cm³

Elemental Composition:

Ni: 28.145%

Vaesite

NiS₂ | Hardness: 4.5–5
Density: 4.5 g/cm³

Elemental Composition:

Ni: 47.786%
S: 52.214%

Violarite

(Fe,Ni)₃S₄ | Hardness: 4.5–5.5
Density: 4.3 g/cm³

Elemental Composition:

Ni: 38.935%
Fe: 18.523%
S: 42.542%

Wurtzite

ZnS | Hardness: 3.5–4
Density: 4.0 g/cm³

Elemental Composition:

Zn: 60.98%
Fe: 5.79%
S: 33.23%

Chromite

FeCr₂O₄ | Hardness: 5.5–6.5
Density: 4.5–4.8 g/cm³

Elemental Composition:

Cr: 46.46%
Fe: 24.95%
O: 28.59%

Hematite

Fe₂O₃ | Hardness: 5.5–6.5
Density: 5.0–5.3 g/cm³

Elemental Composition:

Fe: 69.94%
O: 30.06%

Magnetite

Fe₃O₄ | Hardness: 5.5–6.5
Density: 5.2 g/cm³

Elemental Composition:

Fe:72.36%
O: 27.64%