MINERAL GEM WORLD

CHALCOPYRITE 

"FOOLS GOLD"

Weight 50.37 cts app

Size 25 x 23 x 14 mm approx 

Chalcopyrite (or copper pyrite), looks like, and is easily confused with Pyrite,  Chalcopyrite is one of the minerals refered to as "Fool's Gold" because of its bright golden color. But real gold is a more buttery yellow and is ductile and malleable.

As an ore od copper, the yield of chalcopyrite is rather low in terms of atoms per molecule. It is only 25%, compared to other copper minerals such as chalcocite,  cuprite,covellite,or bornite  However the large quantities and widespread distribution of chalcopyrite make it the leading source of copper. Chalcopyrite is a common mineral and is found in almost all sulfide deposits. Fine crystals of chalcopyrite have a unique character and can add to anyone's collection.

Chalcopyrite is a copper iron sulfide mineral that crystallizes in the tetragonal system. Currently, the most common source of copper ore is the mineral chalcopyrite, which accounts for about 50% of copper production

It has a brassy to golden yellow color and a hardness of 3.5 to 4 on the Mohs scale. Its streak is diagnostic as green tinged black.