Berzelianite
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Berzelianite was named for Jöns Jacob Berzelius (1779–1848), Swedish chemist, who discovered selenium.

Discovered in 1832; IMA status: Valid (pre-IMA; Grandfathered)

Chemistry

Chemical Formula:

Cu₂Se

Copper Selenide

Molecular Weight:

206.05 gm

Composition:

Copper

61.68 %

Cu

Selenium

38.32 %

O

100.00 %

Classification

Mineral Classification:

Sulfides

Strunz 8th Ed. ID:

2/B.03-10

Nickel-Strunz 10th Ed. ID:

2.BA.20

2 : SULFIDES and SULFOSALTS (sulfides, selenides, tellurides; arsenides, antimonides, bismuthides; sulfarsenites, sulfantimonites, sulfbismuthites, etc.)
B : Metal Sulfides, M: S > 1: 1 (mainly 2: 1)
A : With Cu, Ag, Au

Related to:

Berzelianite-Umangite Group. Dimorphous with Bellidoite.

Members of Group:

Berzelianite-Umangite Group: Berzelianite, Umangite

Varieties:

None

Synonyms:

Berzeline (of Beudant), Selencuprite, Selenite (of Rau), Selenocuprite

Crystal Data

Crystallography:

Isometric - Hexoctahedral

Crystal Habit:

As thin dendritic crusts; fine grained and disseminated as powdery inclusions.

Twinning:

None

Physical Properties

Cleavage:

None

Fracture:

Irregular/Uneven

Tenacity:

Malleable

Moh's Hardness:

2.7;  VHN = 21–24 (100 g load)

Density:

6.71 (g/cm³)

Luminescence:

None

Radioactivity:

Not Radioactive

Optical Properties

Color:

Silver-White, shiny lead-grey; easily tarnishes iridescent blue-grey

Transparency:

Opaque

Luster:

Metallic

Refractive Index:

R: (400) 25.8, (420) 28.9, (440) 30.0, (460) 30.7, (480) 31.1, (500) 31.0, (520) 30.2, (540) 28.7, (560) 27.0, (580) 25.5, (600) 24.1, (620) 22.9, (640) 21.8, (660) 20.7, (680) 19.7, (700) 18.7

Birefringence:

0.000 (Isotropic)

Dispersion:

n/a

Pleochroism:

None

Anisotrophism:

Isotropic; may be slightly anisotropic

Occurances

Geological Setting:

With other selenides in hydrothermal veinlets in dolostone (Clausthal, Germany); in iron ores (Lerbach, Germany); with other selenides in calcite veins in serpentine (Skrikerum, Sweden); in a gold-quartz-orthoclase deposit (Redjang-Lebong, Sumatra).

Common Associations:

Eucairite, Clausthalite, Tiemannite, Umangite, Klockmannite, Aguilarite, Crookesite, Athabascaite, Stromeyerite, Polybasite, Pearceite, Gold, Uraninite, Pyrite, Marcasite, Calcite.

Common Impurities:

Ag, Ti

Type Locality:

Skrikerum Mine, Valdemarsvik, Östergötland, Sweden

Year Discovered:

1832

View mineral photos:

Berzelianite Mineral Photos and Locations

More Information

Mindat.org
Webmineral.com

Berzelianite is a copper selenide mineral that is relatively soft, with a Moh's hardness of only 2.7, and is somewhat malleable. It has a metallic luster and silver-white to shiny lead-grey color when freshly broken and easily tarnishes to iridescent blue-grey. Berzelianite was named for Jöns Jacob Berzelius (1779–1848), Swedish chemist, who discovered selenium, one of the main components of Berzelianite. A recent study showed the existence of a complete solid-solution series between high Digenite [cubic, high-temperature Digenite] and Berzelianite (Pirard & Hatert, 2008).

Distribution: At Skrikerum, near Tryserum, Kalmar, Sweden (Type Locality). From Lerbach, Tilkerode, Zorge, Clausthal, and St. Andreasberg, Harz Mountains; at Niederschlema, Saxony; and the Mullenbach uranium deposit, Black Forest, Germany. In the Czech Republic, in the Habrí and Bukov mines, near Tisnova; at the Petrovice uranium deposit, near Ždar; and the Predborice uranium deposit, near Krásna Hora. From the Kyzylalmasay gold deposit, Uzbekistan. In the Sierra de Umango, and at Tuminico, Sierra de Cacho, La Rioja Province, Argentina. From the Elefante prospect, near the Serra Pelada Au–Pd–Pt deposit, Pará, Brazil. At Redjang-Lebong, Sumatra. From Kalgoorlie and in the Copper Hills prospect, East Pilbara region, Western Australia, and at El Sharana, Northern Territory, Australia. In the Pinky Fault uranium deposit, Lake Athabasca, Saskatchewan, Canada. From the Durant vein, Aurora district, Mineral County, Nevada, USA.
 

  
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