GALLITE

    Class : Sulfides and sulfosalts
    Subclass : Sulfides
    Crystal system : Tetragonal
    Chemistry : CuGaS2
    Rarity : Very rare

Gallite is a very rare sulfide, present in copper deposits rich in gallium, hence its name. It constitutes xenomorphic areas, exsolutions of 1 to 2 mm maximum in sphalerite, or opaque gray lamellar masses with a metallic luster. It is exceptionally a gallium ore.

Main photo : Exsolutions of gallite in sphalerite in polished section and reflected light from Tsumeb, Namibia © Günter Grundmann

Gallite in the World

Gallite is the main gallium mineral despite its rarity, gallite is best known in Tsumeb (Namibia), Chelopech and Radka (Bulgaria) and Pinar del Rio (Cuba), as an accompaniment to renierite, chalcocite, bornite, sphalerite and tennantite.

Galaxite in France

Gallite is not present in the French underground.

Twinning

A twin is known on {111} and parallel to {112}.

Fakes and treatments

No fakes recorded for this mineral species.


Hardness : 3 to 3.5
Density : 4.02
Fracture : Undetermined
Streak : Gray to black

TP : Opaque
RI : -
Birefringence : -
Optical character : -
Pleochroism : None
Fluorescence : None

Solubility : -


Magnetism : None
Radioactivity : None