Cattierite - Encyclopedia
Class : Sulfides and sulfosalts
Subclass : Sulphides
Crystal system : Cubic
Chemistry : CoS2
Rarity : Very rare
Cattierite is a cobalt sulfide, equivalent to pyrite which is found on uranium deposits in carbonate environments. It was named in honor of Félicien Cattier, president of the mining union of Haut-Katanga (Congo). It forms rare cubic crystals not exceeding 1 cm, and usually occurs in grainy masses crystallized with other sulfides. It is slightly pink in color.
Main photo : Cattierite from Shinkolobwe Mine, Kambove, Haut-Katanga, Democratic Republic of Congo © Paul de Bondt
Cattierite in the World
Twinning and special crystallizations
No known twins.
Fakes and treatments
No fake identified for this mineral species.
Hardness : 4
Density : 4.82
Fracture : Irregular
Streak : Gray
TP : Opaque
RI : -
Birefringence : None
Optical character : None
Pleochroism : None
Fluorescence : None
Solubility : -
Magnetism : None
Radioactivity : None