Valleriite
Current inventory: 0 gems
 

  
Valleriite was named to honor Johan Gottschalk Wallerius (Vallerius) (1709–1785), Swedish chemist and mineralogist.

Discovered in 1870; IMA status: Valid (pre-IMA; Grandfathered)

Chemistry

Chemical Formula:

(Fe²⁺,Cu)₄(Mg,Al)₃S₄(OH,O)₆   also: 4(Fe,Cu)S • 3(Mg,Al)(OH)₂

Iron Copper Magnesium Aluminum Hydroxy Sulfide

Molecular Weight:

475.92 gm

Composition:

Magnesium

8.68 %

Mg

Aluminum

7.37 %

Al

Iron

25.82 %

Fe

Copper

24.03 %

Cu

Hydrogen

0.42 %

H

Sulfur

26.95 %

S

Oxygen

6.72 %

O

100.00 %

Classification

Mineral Classification:

Sulfides and Sulfosalts

Strunz 8th Ed. ID:

2/C.23-20

Nickel-Strunz 10th Ed. ID:

2.FD.30

2 : SULFIDES and SULFOSALTS (sulfides, selenides, tellurides; arsenides, antimonides, bismuthides; sulfarsenites, sulfantimonites, sulfbismuthites, etc.)
F : Sulfides of arsenic, alkalies; sulfides with halide, oxide, hydroxide, H₂O
D : With O, OH, H₂O

Related to:

Valleriite Group.

Members of Group:

Valleriite Group: Ekplexite, Ferrotochilinite, Ferrovalleriite, Haapalaite, Tochilinite, Valleriite, Yushkinite 

Varieties:

None

Synonyms:

None

Crystal Data

Crystallography:

Trigonal - Hexagonal Scalenohedral

Crystal Habit:

Massive, as nodules, to 5 mm; also in tiny splinters, very thin flakes, and thin crusts. 

Twinning:

None

Physical Properties

Cleavage:

Excellent on {0001}

Fracture:

n/a

Tenacity:

Brittle

Moh's Hardness:

< 1.0 - 1.5; less than graphite

Density:

3.14 (g/cm³)

Luminescence:

None

Radioactivity:

Not Radioactive

Optical Properties

Color:

Bronze-yellow to dark gray, resembling Pyrrhotite

Transparency:

Opaque

Luster:

Metallic to sub-metallic

Refractive Index:

R1–R2: (400) 10.5–11.1, (420) 10.8–11.3, (440) 10.7–12.7, (460) 10.6–14.2, (480) 10.5–15.8, (500) 10.5–17.3, (520) 10.3–18.8, (540) 10.3–20.1, (560) 10.3–21.3, (580) 10.2–22.4, (600) 10.3–23.4, (620) 10.3–24.4, (640) 10.3–25.1, (660) 10.4–25.8, (680) 10.3–26.4, (700) 10.3–26.9

Birefringence:

0.000 (opaque)

Dispersion:

n/a

Pleochroism:

Strong; pale yellow to deep brown

Anisotropism:

Strong; golden yellow

Occurances

Geological Setting:

An alteration product of chalcopyrite in chromitites and dunites (Cyprus); in copper-bearing carbonatites, replacing magnetite (Phalaborwa, South Africa); in Cu–Ni sulfide-bearing serpentinized and uralized ultramafic rocks.

Common Associations:

Chalcopyrite, Cubanite, Pyrrhotite, Troilite, Millerite, Pentlandite, Pyrite, Marcasite, Mackinawite, Tochilinite, Magnetite

Common Impurities:

Ni, Ca, K, Na, Si

Type Locality:

Aurora Mine, Kaveltorp Mines, Kopparberg, Ljusnarsberg, Västmanland, Sweden

Year Discovered:

1870

View mineral photos:

Valleriite Mineral Photos and Locations

Unusual Gem Categories

Metallic Gems

More Information

Mindat.org
Webmineral.com

Valleriite is an uncommon hydroxy-sulfide (sulfosalt) of iron, copper, magnesium and aluminum. It is often found associated with other similar sulfide minerals such as Bornite, Chalcopyrite, Cubanite, Marcasite, Pentlandite, Pyrite and Pyrrhotite. Valleriite is an alteration product of Chalcopyrite or other copper minerals. It is opaque, bright to dark bronze colored with metallic luster, often resembling Pyrrhotite, but it is very soft, with a Moh's hardness of about 1.

Valleriite was named to honor Johan Gottschalk Wallerius (Vallerius) (1709–1785), Swedish chemist and mineralogist. In 1750, Wallerius was elected member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences. He is regarded as the founder of agricultural chemistry, mainly based on the significance of his work Agriculturae fundamenta chemica published in 1761.

Valleriite distribution: an inconspicuous mineral, now recognized from a number of localities in addition to those listed here. In Sweden, in Kopparberg, from the Aurora mine, Ljusnarsberg [TL], and at Kaveltorp. In South Africa, in Transvaal, from the Loolekop carbonatite, Phalaborwa, and at the Mooihoek and Onverwacht pipes, in the Merensky Reef, Bushveld complex. From near Pefkos, Cyprus. In Canada, at the Little Chief mine, near Whitehorse, Yukon Territory; in the Marbridge mine, Malartic, Quebec; and at Sudbury, Ontario. In the USA, from the Elizabeth mine, South Strafford, Strafford County, Vermont; in the Pima mine, near Tucson, Pima County, and at the Christmas mine, Gila County, Arizona; from the Continental mine, Fierro, Grant County, New Mexico. In Russia, in the Talnakh area, Noril’sk region, western Siberia; from the Kovdor and Monchegorsk massifs, Kola Peninsula. At Alnalyk, Uzbekistan. In the Akagane mine, Iwate Prefecture, Japan. From Wannaway, Western Australia. On the East Pacific Rise (21 N).
 

  
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