TENNANTITE Meaning and
Definition
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Tennantite is a mineral form of copper arsenic sulfide, with the chemical formula Cu12As4S13. It belongs to the sulfosalt mineral group and is commonly found as a secondary mineral in hydrothermal deposits. The name "tennantite" is derived from the Scottish chemist and mineralogist Smithson Tennant, who contributed significantly to the understanding of minerals.
Tennantite typically occurs as opaque, metallic crystals that range in color from dark gray to black. It has a high specific gravity and a hardness of 3 to 4 on the Mohs scale, making it relatively soft. Its crystal structure is orthorhombic, and it exhibits short prismatic or tabular crystals, often occurring in granular or massive forms.
In terms of its composition, tennantite is made up of copper (Cu), arsenic (As), and sulfur (S) atoms. It often contains trace amounts of other elements like iron (Fe), zinc (Zn), and lead (Pb) as impurities.
Tennantite is primarily found in copper-bearing ore deposits around the world and is considered an important ore of copper extraction. It is commonly associated with other sulfide minerals such as chalcopyrite, sphalerite, galena, and pyrite. Tennantite is also known to exhibit variable composition, with different metal ratios, leading to different properties within the same mineral species.
Due to its copper content, tennantite is sometimes used as a source of copper in the production of brass and other copper alloys. Additionally, it may be of interest to collectors and mineral enthusiasts due to its unique crystal habits and association with other valuable minerals.
Common Misspellings for TENNANTITE
- rennantite
- fennantite
- gennantite
- yennantite
- 6ennantite
- 5ennantite
- twnnantite
- tsnnantite
- tdnnantite
- trnnantite
- t4nnantite
- t3nnantite
- tebnantite
- temnantite
- tejnantite
- tehnantite
- tenbantite
- tenmantite
- tenjantite
- tenhantite
Etymology of TENNANTITE
The word "Tennantite" is derived from its mineralogical composition and its historical association with the Scottish chemist and mineralogist, Smithson Tennant.
Tennantite is a copper arsenic sulfosalt mineral consisting of copper iron arsenic sulfide. It was first identified and named in 1819 by Friedrich Mohs, a German geologist. Mohs named the mineral in honor of Smithson Tennant (1761-1815), who had made significant contributions to the field of chemistry.
Smithson Tennant was a renowned British chemist who is best known for his discovery of the elements osmium and iridium. His work also involved analyzing minerals, including various copper ores. While Tennant himself did not specifically study or identify Tennantite, Friedrich Mohs named the mineral in his honor due to Tennant's overall contributions to the field of chemistry.
Similar spelling words for TENNANTITE
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