Sulvanite
Current inventory:  0 gems
 

  
Sulvanite is named for its Sulfur and Vanadinite content.

Discovered in 1900;   IMA status: Valid (pre-IMA; Grandfathered)

Chemistry

Chemical Formula:

Cu₃VS₄

Copper Vanadium Sulfide

Molecular Weight:

369.84 gm

Composition:

Vanadium

13.77 %

V

Copper

51.55 %

Cu

Sulfur

34.68 %

S

100.00 %

Classification

Mineral Classification:

Sulfides

Strunz 8th Ed. ID:

2/C.10-60

Nickel-Strunz 10th Ed. ID:

2.CB.70

2 : SULFIDES and SULFOSALTS (sulfides, selenides, tellurides; arsenides, antimonides, bismuthides; sulfarsenites, sulfantimonites, sulfbismuthites, etc.)
C : Metal Sulfides, M: S = 1: 1 (and similar)
B : With Zn, Fe, Cu, Ag, etc.

Related to:

Arsenosulvanite-Sulvanite Series.

Varieties:

Ge-Sn-Sulvanite

Synonyms:

None

Crystal Data

Crystallography:

Isometric - Hextetrahedral

Crystal Habit:

Crystals cubic, to 2.5 cm, but most commonly massive.

Twinning:

None

Physical Properties

Cleavage:

Perfect on {001}

Fracture:

Irregular/Uneven

Tenacity:

Brittle

Moh's Hardness:

3.5; VHN = 135–157 (100 gload)

Density:

3.86 - 4.00 (g/cm³)

Luminescence:

None

Radioactivity:

Not Radioactive

Optical Properties

Color:

Bronze-gold; pale yellow in polished section

Transparency:

Opaque

Luster:

Metallic, tarnishes to dull

Refractive Index:

R: (400) 28.1, (420) 26.4, (440) 24.4, (460) 24.1, (480) 27.6, (500) 31.4, (520) 30.6, (540) 28.4, (560) 27.7, (580) 29.4, (600) 30.0, (620) 30.8, (640) 29.5, (660) 27.9, (680) 26.7, (700) 25.9

Birefringence:

None; Opaque

Dispersion:

n/a

Pleochroism:

None

Anisotrophism:

Weak, rarely; yellow-white

Occurances

Geological Setting:

In hydrothermal copper deposits which contain vanadium as a primary sulfide.

Common Associations:

Chalcopyrite, Chalcocite, Digenite, Covellite, Chrysocolla, Malachite, Azurite, Atacamite, Vésigniéite, Mottramite, Gypsum (Burra-Burra, Australia); Yushkinite, Cadmian Sphalerite, Fluorite (Pay-Khoy, Russia)

Common Impurities:

As, Cu, Zn

Type Locality:

Edelweiss Mine, Burra, North Mt Lofty Ranges, Mt Lofty Ranges, South Australia, Australia

Year Discovered:

1900

View mineral photos:

Sulvanite Mineral Photos and Locations

More Information

Mindat.org
Webmineral.com

Sulvanite is a very rare copper vanadium sulfide mineral rarely found as well formed crystals but most often as massive metallic aggregates. Its attractive bronze yellow color combined with interlaced green Vésigniéite veins makes for very attractive gems.

Distribution: From the Edelweiss mine, Burra district, South Australia (Type Locality). At Tsumeb, Namibia. From Kipushi, Katanga Province, Congo (Shaba Province, Zaire). At the Oyu Tolgoi porphyry Cu–Au deposit, Gobi Desert, Mongolia. In the USA, in the Thorpe Hills, and near Mercur, Tooele County, Utah; in the Redhouse Barite mine, near Golconda, Humboldt County, Nevada. On the Rough claims, north of Sifton Pass, British Columbia, Canada. At Pay-Khoy, in the middle stream of the Silova-Yakha River, Russia. From the Ceragiola quarry, near Carrara, Tuscany, Italy. At Bor, Serbia. In the Assarel and Medet deposits, Bulgaria. From Ponte Castiola, Corsica, France. On Koksín Hill, near Mítov, Czech Republic.
 

  
Sulvanite gems for sale:

We have not photographed our Sulvanite gems yet. Please check back soon.