Chalcopyrite is a naturally brassy yellow copper mineral known for being altered to display vibrant red, purple, and blue iridescence.
Is chalcopyrite a gem? Yep, chalcopyrite classifies a gemstone, mineral, and crystal, though it’s most popular as a collector’s mineral.
Is chalcopyrite rare or common? Chalcopyrite is super common — it’s actually the most abundant source of copper on Earth, and it’s been mined for millennia.
In this guide, we’ll go over all of the chalcopyrite uses, benefits, and properties, along with this stone’s relation to pyrite and more.
Chalcopyrite (sometimes spelled as chalkopyrite) is a semi-precious gemstone also called “apache gold” or “fool’s gold.” The name “apache gold” is a trade name for a stone from Arizona composed of chalcopyrite in a black chlorite rock.
Other monikers for chalcopyrite include:
Cupropyrite / Copper pyrite
Yellow pyrite
Yellow copper / Yellow copper ore
Towanite
Gelferz
Katzengold (German for “fool’s gold”)
Kupfereisenerz (German for “copper iron ore”)
Kupfereisenerzkies (German for “copper iron ore gravel”)
Kupferkis (German for “copper citrate”)
Given its gold-related monikers, does chalcopyrite have gold in it? Rarely, yes. There’s a variant called auriferous (gold-bearing) chalcopyrite that contains pyrrhotite and tiny inclusions of gold inside.
If you love rose gold, chalcopyrite is probably a major component in the process of making it. That’s because rose gold is a combination of gold and copper, and chalcopyrite is the number-one copper ore mineral.
Besides sourcing copper, what is chalcopyrite used for? Some chalcopyrite specimens contain significant enough levels of other metals like zinc or silver to serve as ores for those as well. Heating chalcopyrite will also make it magnetic.
As for astrological chalcopyrite uses, the gem is a zodiac stone for Capricorn and star stone for Venus.
As a copper iron sulfide mineral, chalcopyrite’s formula is CuFeS2. The sulfur may be slightly substituted with arsenic, selenium, tellurium, or bismuth. Other elements that sometimes replace small amounts of chalcopyrite’s iron and copper content are:
Cadmium
Cobalt
Gold
Indium
Lead
Nickel
Selenium
Silver
Tin
Zinc
This stone also has its own mineral group, the chalcopyrite group. The main mineral in this group besides chalcopyrite is eskebornite, a copper iron selenium mineral (CuFeSe2) that forms a series with chalcopyrite.
Typically, chalcopyrite takes the form of wedge-like crystals with sharp, well-defined crystal faces (a.k.a. euhedral) or druzy. It may also be massive, botryoidal, or twinned (penetration twins specifically). Some of the surfaces have parallel striations.
Below are the remaining chalcopyrite properties:
Mohs hardness: 3.5
Color: Brassy or buttery yellow; Often treated to be iridescent purple, green, blue, red, and/or orange
Crystal structure: Tetragonal
Luster: Metallic
Transparency: Opaque
Refractive index:
Density: 4.1-4.3
Cleavage: Indistinct/poor on [011]
Fracture: Irregular/uneven
Streak: Greenish black
Luminescence: None
Pleochroism: Present but weak in bluish-gray to yellowish-green
We mentioned gold-bearing chalcopyrite earlier, but that’s not the only variety. Chalcopyrite’s other varieties are:
Argentian Chalcopyrite: Silver-bearing variety
Stannian Chalcopyrite: Tin-bearing variety
PGE-rich Chalcopyrite: Variety composed of up to 43.7 percent platinum group elements (i.e. platinum, palladium, rhodium, ruthenium, iridium, osmium)
Zincian Chalcopyrite: Zinc-bearing variety found in Atlantis II Deep, the largest underwater basin in the Red Sea
Blister Copper: Variety with a botryoidal habit (resembling grape clusters)
Whether it's because of similar names or similar appearances, it’s easy to confuse chalcopyrite with other gems. We’ll look at the two most common mix-ups below.
Pictured above: Pyrite specimen
From the names alone, you may wonder: is chalcopyrite the same as pyrite? Not exactly.
Both are called “fool’s gold,” have a brassy yellow coloring, and contain iron sulfide in their composition. But pyrite is solely an iron sulfide (FeS2), while chalcopyrite is a copper iron sulfide.
The easiest property for differentiating the two is hardness; chalcopyrite ranks at a low 3.5 on the Mohs mineral hardness scale, while pyrite ranks at a mid-range 6 to 6.5.
Additionally, chalcopyrite’s streak (the color of its powder when it's crushed) is greenish-black while pyrite’s is brownish-black.
Pictured above: Bornite, a.k.a. peacock ore
You’ll often see “peacock ore” associated with chalcopyrite. But are peacock ore and chalcopyrite the same? No, though it’s a common confusion among both sellers and buyers.
“Peacock ore” refers to bornite, another copper iron sulfide but with a slightly different formula (Cu5FeS4) and an orthorhombic crystal system. The name refers to bornite that has been broken and naturally tarnished to display bluish iridescence.
Though you’ll see similar-looking chalcopyrite, bornite naturally tarnishes to display colorful iridescence whereas tarnished chalcopyrite must be treated in a lab to gain similarly colorful iridescence.
With major differences covered, let’s take a break from mineralogy to look at chalcopyrite’s spiritual meaning.
Chalcopyrite is a storm element crystal in New Age beliefs, meaning it combines all four elements and represents life-changing transformation. Apache gold stones also symbolize wisdom, acceptance, and positivity.
Historically, chalcopyrite mining dates back to the Bronze Age, around 3300 BC to 1200 BC. Since the process of smelting began, people have been melting down chalcopyrite for copper.
The name “chalcopyrite” wouldn’t come until the 18th century, though. In 1725, German chemist and mineralogist Johann Friedrich (J.F.) Henckel chose the name after the Greek term chalkos, meaning “copper” and the Latin term pyrites, meaning “strike fire.”
The iridescent acid treatments started in the 1960s, when German chemists began experimenting with detergents and vinegar.
Shifting from history to health, what are the healing benefits of chalcopyrite?
The coloring and energies of gems can give them powerful properties as healing stones. Brassy yellow chalcopyrite, like other yellow gems, can attract wealth, joy, and success. Iridescent chalcopyrite is often predominantly purple, joining other purple gemstones in bringing greater spiritual awareness and wisdom.
Chalcopyrite is also a powerful chakra stone for the entire energy system, harmonizing and aligning all seven chakras (energy centers) to bring complete balance to your physical, emotional, and spiritual wellbeing.
Physically, some of the purported chalcopyrite crystal benefits include treating:
Pain
Fevers
Inflammation
Poor blood circulation
Immune system deficiency
Breathing problems
Chalcopyrite is said to boost confidence and lower stress or anxiety. This is a positive-vibes-only crystal that can quell self-doubt and help you understand yourself better from a perspective of acceptance and optimism.
It’s definitely valuable in crystal healing, but what is the value of chalcopyrite as a gemstone? It depends on each specimen’s gemstone properties.
The value of each chalcopyrite comes down to where it falls in terms of color, cut, and luster. We’ll also discuss common treatments.
Chalcopyrite’s color, when untarnished, is a brassy yellow that appears more buttery than pyrite. If it becomes naturally tarnished, the metallic luster becomes dull and the color changes to grayish-green.
Though the colorful, iridescent chalcopyrites are the most popular, this is the result of treatments we’ll discuss in a bit.
Chalcopyrite isn’t commonly faceted, but there are some faceted gems available. More often, it’s cut into cabochons, beads, or carvings, like animal figurines. It may also be sold as raw druzy or specimens.
The metallic luster of natural chalcopyrite is one of its most attractive qualities. However, tarnishing or weathering can turn that luster dull, lowering the value.
The most common enhancement for chalcopyrite is acid treatment. Typically, tarnished specimens are exposed to an acid solution like concentrated sulfuric acid or diluted citric acid.
Acid-treated chalcopyrites can display the whole rainbow spectrum, but purple and blue hues are usually predominant, with greens and reds being fairly common, too.
Chalcopyrite can form in a few ways. Some examples are copper deposition during hydrothermal circulation, copper concentration within crystallizing magma, or copper being stripped from silica solution by sulfide.
The highest-quality chalcopyrite for copper forms in hydrothermal deposits. The majority of sulfide mineral deposits will contain chalcopyrite. Other areas to find chalcopyrite include carbonate sedimentary rocks, coal seams, and porphyry copper deposits.
Weathering can cause chalcopyrite to alter into a few different sulfate, oxide, and hydroxide minerals. Some of these include azurite, malachite, and chrysocolla.
Where is chalcopyrite found geographically?
Chalcopyrite’s top spot for sourcing copper isn’t because it has the highest copper content but rather because it’s found in so many places.
We won’t list every locale, but some notable chalcopyrite sources are:
Andes Mountains
Australia
Canada
China
England
Germany
Japan
Kosovo
Peru
Romania
Russia
Spain
Tasmania
A few of chalcopyrite’s varieties have more limited locales:
Silver-bearing Chalcopyrite: Finland & Russia
Zincian Chalcopyrite: Atlantis II Deep (the largest submarine basin in the Red Sea)
Gold-bearing Chalcopyrite: Tuscany, Italy; Arizona, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Rhode Island, USA
Now, how much does chalcopyrite cost?
Faceted chalcopyrite isn’t super common, but it’s luckily still pretty affordable, with gems costing roughly $15 to $40 each.
Chalcopyrite carvings vary slightly by size but generally cost between $15 to $70 each. Some with exceptional craftsmanship can reach upwards of $300.
Beaded strands start at $5 and go up to around $20. Smooth cabochons are typically around $15 to $30 each, while druzy cabochons go for around $18.
Small pieces of chalcopyrite rough are generally under $0.10 per carat at wholesale. Iridescent, acid-treated rough specimens are around $15 to $35 for a parcel or large stone.
Chalcopyrite is a soft, brittle stone, so proper gemstone care is essential. We recommend protective settings on any chalcopyrite jewelry and only occasional wear.
The stone will scratch easily, so be sure to keep it from other gems and take it off before doing activities like gardening or exercise that could cause bumps or scratches.
To clean the stone, you can gently wipe it with a dry, dust-free cloth. Avoid soaking it in water.
Most mineral collectors acquire a chalcopyrite specimen in their early days of collecting, but this stone is for everyone. Whether you’re seeking a vibrantly iridescent piece of nature or a confidence-boosting healing crystal, chalcopyrite is the way to go!
Buy chalcopyrite gemstones today!
Halkopirit je prirodno mjedenasto žuti bakreni mineral poznat po tome što je promijenjen kako bi pokazao jarke crvene, ljubičaste i plave preljeve.
Je li halkopirit dragulj? Da, kalkopirit klasificira drago kamenje , mineral i kristal, iako je najpopularniji kao kolekcionarski mineral .
Je li halkopirit rijedak ili uobičajen? Halkopirit je vrlo čest — zapravo je najobilniji izvor bakra na Zemlji, a kopa se tisućljećima.
U ovom ćemo vodiču proći kroz sve upotrebe, dobrobiti i svojstva kalkopirita, zajedno s odnosom ovog kamena s piritom i više.
Halkopirit (ponekad se piše kao halkopirit) poludragi je dragi kamen koji se naziva i "zlato apača" ili "zlato budala". Naziv "apache gold" trgovački je naziv za kamen iz Arizone sastavljen od kalkopirita u crnoj kloritnoj stijeni.
Ostali nadimci za kalkopirit uključuju:
Bakreni pirit / Bakreni pirit
Žuti pirit
Žuti bakar / Žuta bakrena ruda
Towanite
Gelferz
Katzengold (njemački za "zlato budala")
Kupfereisenerz (njemački za "bakrenu željeznu rudu")
Kupfereisenerzkies (njemački za "šljunak rude bakra i željeza")
Kupferkis (njemački za "bakreni citrat")
Ima li kalkopirit zlata u sebi, s obzirom na njegove nadimke povezane sa zlatom? Rijetko, da. Postoji varijanta koja se zove zlatonosni (zlatonosni) kalkopirit koji sadrži pirotin i sitne inkluzije zlata unutra.
Ako volite ružičasto zlato, kalkopirit je vjerojatno glavna komponenta u procesu njegove izrade. To je zato što je ružičasto zlato kombinacija zlata i bakra, a kalkopirit je mineral bakrene rude broj jedan.
Osim za dobivanje bakra, za što se koristi kalkopirit? Neki uzorci kalkopirita sadrže dovoljno značajne razine drugih metala poput cinka ili srebra da i njima služe kao rude. Zagrijavanje kalkopirita također će ga učiniti magnetskim.
Što se tiče astrološke upotrebe kalkopirita, dragulj je kamen zodijaka za Jarca i zvjezdani kamen za Veneru.
Kao mineral bakar željezo sulfid, formula kalkopirita je CuFeS2. Sumpor može biti malo zamijenjen arsenom, selenom, telurijem ili bizmutom. Ostali elementi koji ponekad zamjenjuju male količine željeza i bakra u halkopiritu su:
Kadmij
Kobalt
Zlato
Indij
voditi
nikal
Selen
Srebro
Kositar
Cinkov
Ovaj kamen ima i svoju grupu minerala, grupu kalkopirita. Glavni mineral u ovoj skupini osim halkopirita je eskebornit, mineral bakra, željeza i selena (CuFeSe2) koji tvori niz s kalkopiritom.
Tipično, kalkopirit ima oblik klinastih kristala s oštrim, dobro definiranim kristalnim površinama (aka euedral) ili druzy . Također može biti masivan, botrioidan ili blizanački (specifično penetracijski blizanci). Neke od površina imaju paralelne pruge.
Ispod su preostala svojstva halkopirita:
Mohsova tvrdoća : 3,5
Boja : mesingana ili puterasto žuta; Često se tretira kao ljubičasta, zelena, plava, crvena i/ili narančasta
Kristalna struktura : Tetragonalna
Sjaj : metalik
Prozirnost : neprozirna
Indeks loma :
Gustoća : 4,1-4,3
Dekolte : Nejasan/loš na [011]
Prijelom : Nepravilan/neravan
Crta : Zelenkasto crna
Luminescencija : Nema
Pleokroizam : prisutan, ali slab u plavkasto-sivoj do žućkasto-zelenoj boji
Ranije smo spomenuli zlatonosni kalkopirit, ali to nije jedina sorta. Ostale varijante halkopirita su:
Argentski halkopirit : sorta koja nosi srebro
Stanijev halkopirit : varijetet koji nosi kositar
Halkopirit bogat PGE-om : Raznolikost sastavljena od do 43,7 posto elemenata platinske skupine (tj. platina, paladij, rodij, rutenij, iridij, osmij)
Cincijski halkopirit : varijetet koji sadrži cink pronađen u Atlantis II Deep, najvećem podvodnom bazenu u Crvenom moru
Blister Copper : sorta s botrioidnim habitusom (nalik na grozdove)
Bez obzira radi li se o sličnim nazivima ili sličnom izgledu, lako je zamijeniti kalkopirit s drugim draguljima. U nastavku ćemo pogledati dvije najčešće zabune.
Na gornjoj slici: primjerak pirita
Već samo po nazivima možete se zapitati: je li halkopirit isto što i pirit ? Ne baš.
Oba se nazivaju "zlatom budala", imaju mesingasto žutu boju i sadrže željezni sulfid u svom sastavu. Ali pirit je isključivo željezni sulfid (FeS2), dok je halkopirit bakrov željezni sulfid.
Najlakše svojstvo za razlikovanje ta dva je tvrdoća; kalkopirit ima niskih 3,5 na Mohsovoj mineralnoj ljestvici tvrdoće , dok pirit ima srednji raspon od 6 do 6,5.
Uz to, pruga kalkopirita (boja praha kad se zdrobi) je zelenkasto-crna dok je pirit smeđe-crna.
Na gornjoj slici: Bornit, poznat i kao paunova ruda
Često ćete vidjeti "paunovu rudu" povezanu s halkopiritom. Ali jesu li paunova ruda i kalkopirit isto? Ne, iako je to uobičajena zabuna među prodavačima i kupcima.
"Paunova ruda" odnosi se na bornit , još jedan bakrov željezni sulfid, ali s nešto drugačijom formulom (Cu5FeS4) i ortorombičnim kristalnim sustavom. Naziv se odnosi na bornit koji je slomljen i prirodno potamnjeo kako bi se pokazao plavičasti preljev.
Iako ćete vidjeti kalkopirit sličnog izgleda, bornit prirodno potamni kako bi pokazao šarene preljeve, dok potamnjeli kalkopirit mora biti tretiran u laboratoriju kako bi dobio slično šarene preljeve.
Uz pokrivanje velikih razlika, napravimo pauzu od mineralogije da pogledamo duhovno značenje kalkopirita.
Halkopirit je kristal elementa oluje u New Age vjerovanjima, što znači da kombinira sva četiri elementa i predstavlja transformaciju koja mijenja život. Apache zlatno kamenje također simbolizira mudrost, prihvaćanje i pozitivnost.
Povijesno gledano, rudarstvo kalkopirita datira iz brončanog doba, oko 3300. pr. Kr. do 1200. pr. Kr. Otkako je počeo proces taljenja, ljudi su talili kalkopirit za bakar.
No naziv "halkopirit" pojavit će se tek u 18. stoljeću. Godine 1725. njemački kemičar i mineralog Johann Friedrich (JF) Henckel odabrao je ime prema grčkom izrazu chalkos , što znači "bakar" i latinskom izrazu pyrites , što znači "udarati vatru".
Tretmani s preljevnom kiselinom započeli su 1960-ih, kada su njemački kemičari počeli eksperimentirati s deterdžentima i octom.
Prebacujući se s povijesti na zdravlje, koje su ljekovite prednosti kalkopirita?
Boja i energija dragulja mogu im dati snažna svojstva kao ljekovito kamenje . Mjedenasto žuti kalkopirit, kao i drugi žuti dragulji , može privući bogatstvo, radost i uspjeh. Preljevni kalkopirit često je pretežno ljubičast, pridružujući se drugom ljubičastom dragom kamenju u donošenju veće duhovne svijesti i mudrosti.
Halkopirit je također moćan kamen za čakre za cijeli energetski sustav, koji usklađuje i usklađuje svih sedam čakri (energetskih centara) kako bi donio potpunu ravnotežu vašem fizičkom, emocionalnom i duhovnom blagostanju.
Fizički, neke od navodnih dobrobiti kristala kalkopirita uključuju liječenje:
Bol
Vrućice
Upala
Loša cirkulacija krvi
Nedostatak imunološkog sustava
Problemi s disanjem
Kaže se da kalkopirit jača samopouzdanje i smanjuje stres ili tjeskobu. Ovo je kristal samo s pozitivnim vibracijama koji može ugušiti sumnju u sebe i pomoći vam da bolje razumijete sebe iz perspektive prihvaćanja i optimizma.
Definitivno je vrijedan u liječenju kristala, ali koja je vrijednost kalkopirita kao dragog kamena? Ovisi o svojstvima dragog kamena svakog primjerka.
Vrijednost svakog halkopirita svodi se na to gdje pada u smislu boje, kroja i sjaja. Također ćemo razgovarati o uobičajenim tretmanima.
Boja kalkopirita, kada nije potamnjena, je mjedenasto žuta koja izgleda više puterasto od pirita. Ako prirodno potamni, metalni sjaj postaje mutan, a boja se mijenja u sivkastozelenu.
Iako su šareni, preljevni kalkopirit najpopularniji, ovo je rezultat tretmana o kojima ćemo malo raspravljati.
Halkopirit nije obično fasetiran , ali postoje neki fasetirani dragulji. Češće je izrezana u kabochone , perle ili rezbarije, poput figurica životinja. Također se može prodavati kao sirovi druzy ili primjerci.
Metalni sjaj prirodnog kalkopirita jedna je od njegovih najatraktivnijih kvaliteta. Međutim, potamnjenje ili vremenski uvjeti mogu taj sjaj učiniti dosadnim, smanjujući vrijednost.
Najčešće poboljšanje halkopirita je obrada kiselinom. Obično se potamnjeli uzorci izlažu kiseloj otopini poput koncentrirane sumporne kiseline ili razrijeđene limunske kiseline.
Kalkopirit tretiran kiselinom može prikazati cijeli dugin spektar, ali ljubičaste i plave nijanse obično prevladavaju, a zelene i crvene su također prilično česte.
Halkopirit može nastati na nekoliko načina. Neki primjeri su taloženje bakra tijekom hidrotermalne cirkulacije, koncentracija bakra unutar kristalizirajuće magme ili izvlačenje bakra iz otopine silicija pomoću sulfida.
Najkvalitetniji kalkopirit za bakar nastaje u hidrotermalnim naslagama. Većina naslaga sulfidnih minerala sadržavat će halkopirit. Ostala područja na kojima se nalazi kalkopirit uključuju karbonatne sedimentne stijene, slojeve ugljena i porfirne naslage bakra.
Vremenske prilike mogu uzrokovati promjenu kalkopirita u nekoliko različitih sulfatnih, oksidnih i hidroksidnih minerala. Neki od njih uključuju azurit , malahit i hrizokolu .
Gdje se geografski nalazi kalkopirit?
Halkopirit nije na prvom mjestu za dobivanje bakra zato što ima najveći sadržaj bakra, već zato što ga ima na toliko mnogo mjesta.
Nećemo navoditi sve lokalitete, ali neki značajni izvori kalkopirita su:
Planine Ande
Australija
Kanada
Kina
Engleska
Njemačka
Japan
Kosovo
Peru
Rumunjska
Rusija
Španjolska
Tasmanija
Nekoliko varijeteta kalkopirita imaju ograničenije lokalitete:
Halkopirit koji sadrži srebro : Finska i Rusija
Cincijski halkopirit : Atlantis II Deep (najveći podmorski bazen u Crvenom moru)
Zlatonosni halkopirit : Toskana, Italija; Arizona, Sjeverna Karolina, Pennsylvania i Rhode Island, SAD
Sada, koliko košta halkopirit?
Fasetirani kalkopirit nije previše uobičajen, ali je srećom još uvijek prilično pristupačan, s draguljima koji koštaju otprilike 15 do 40 dolara po komadu.
Rezbarije halkopirita malo se razlikuju po veličini, ali općenito koštaju između 15 i 70 dolara po komadu. Neki s iznimnom vještinom mogu doseći i više od 300 USD.
Pramenovi s perlama počinju od 5 dolara i idu do oko 20 dolara. Glatki kabošoni obično koštaju oko 15 do 30 dolara po komadu, dok druzy kabošoni koštaju oko 18 dolara.
Mali komadi neobrađenog kalkopirita općenito su ispod 0,10 USD po karatu u veleprodaji. Preljevni grubi uzorci tretirani kiselinom koštaju oko 15 do 35 dolara za paket ili veliki kamen.
Halkopirit je mekan, lomljiv kamen, stoga je neophodna pravilna njega dragog kamenja . Preporučamo zaštitne postavke na bilo kojem nakitu od kalkopirita i samo povremeno nošenje.
Kamen će se lako izgrebati, pa ga čuvajte od drugih dragulja i skinite ga prije obavljanja aktivnosti poput vrtlarstva ili tjelovježbe koje bi mogle uzrokovati udarce ili ogrebotine.
Za čišćenje kamena možete ga nježno obrisati suhom krpom bez prašine. Izbjegavajte namakanje u vodi.
Većina sakupljača minerala nabavi primjerak kalkopirita u svojim ranim danima sakupljanja, ali ovaj je kamen za svakoga. Bilo da tražite živopisni komadić prirode ili ljekoviti kristal koji jača samopouzdanje, kalkopirit je pravi izbor!
Kupite drago kamenje kalkopirit danas!
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