Mawsonite

Mawsonite
Mawsonite
	Mawsonite
General
Category	Sulfosalt minerals
Formula	Cu6Fe2SnS8
IMA symbol	Maw
Strunz classification	2.CB.20
Crystal system	Tetragonal
Crystal class	Scalenohedral (42m) ; H-M symbol: (4 2m)
Space group	P4m2
Unit cell	a = 7.603 Å, c = 5.358 Å, Z = 1; V = 309.72 Å3
Identification
Color	Brownish orange
Crystal habit	Exsolution grains within bornite
Mohs scale hardness	3.5-4
Luster	Metallic
Diaphaneity	Opaque
Specific gravity	4.65 (calculated)
Pleochroism	Strong
Common impurities	Zn, Se
Other characteristics	Magnetic
References

Last updated March 04, 2025

Mawsonite is a brownish orange sulfosalt mineral, containing copper, iron, tin, and sulfur: Cu₆Fe₂SnS₈.^[2]

Discovery and occurrence

It was first described in 1965 for occurrences in the Royal George mine, Swinton, Tingha, Hardinge County, New South Wales; and the North Lyell mine, Mount Lyell Mine, Queenstown, Tasmania.^[5]

It was named after Australian geologist and Antarctic explorer, Sir Douglas Mawson (1882–1958).^[2] It occurs within hydrothermal copper deposits in altered volcanic rocks. It also occurs in skarn deposits and as disseminations in altered granites. It occurs in association with bornite, pyrite, chalcopyrite, chalcocite, digenite, idaite, stannite, stannoidite, pyrrhotite, pentlandite, tennantite, enargite, luzonite–famatinite, kiddcreekite, mohite, native bismuth, galena and sphalerite.^[3]

References

↑ Warr, L.N. (2021). "IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols". Mineralogical Magazine. 85 (3): 291–320. Bibcode:2021MinM...85..291W. doi: 10.1180/mgm.2021.43 . S2CID 235729616.
1 2 3 Mawsonite on Mindat.org
1 2 Mawsonite in the Handbook of Mineralogy
↑ Mawsonite data on Webmineral
↑ page 66 of Tasmania. Department of Mines; Petterd, W. F. (William Frederick). Catalogue of mineral of Tasmania; Geological Survey of Tasmania (1972), "Catalogue of the minerals of Tasmania", Mineralogical Magazine, 38 (299) (Rev. and amended 1969 ed.), Hobart (published 1970): 901, Bibcode:1972MinM...38..901E, doi:10.1180/minmag.1972.038.299.19, S2CID 129794143 , retrieved 18 April 2017

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[1] Warr, L.N. (2021). "IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols". Mineralogical Magazine. 85 (3): 291–320. Bibcode:2021MinM...85..291W. doi: 10.1180/mgm.2021.43 . S2CID 235729616.

[Mindat-2] 1 2 3 Mawsonite on Mindat.org

[HBM-3] 1 2 Mawsonite in the Handbook of Mineralogy

[Webmin-4] Mawsonite data on Webmineral

[5] 66 of Tasmania. Department of Mines; Petterd, W. F. (William Frederick). Catalogue of mineral of Tasmania; Geological Survey of Tasmania (1972), "Catalogue of the minerals of Tasmania", Mineralogical Magazine, 38 (299) (Rev. and amended 1969 ed.), Hobart (published 1970): 901, Bibcode:1972MinM...38..901E, doi:10.1180/minmag.1972.038.299.19, S2CID 129794143 , retrieved 18 April 2017

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