Copper iron sulfide and the most important copper ore mineral. Often confused with pyrite but has a more brassy, often tarnished appearance. Color: Brass yellow, often with iridescent tarnish. Luster: Metallic. Streak: Greenish-black. Cleavage: Poor. Hardness: 3.5-4. Transparency: Opaque. Crystal system: Tetragonal. Chemical formula: CuFeS₂. Specific gravity: 4.1-4.3. Formation: Forms in hydrothermal veins, porphyry copper deposits, and volcanogenic massive sulfide deposits. Common geological settings: Worldwide; Chile, USA, Canada, Zambia; the most widely occurring copper mineral. Common look-alikes and related entries: Pyrite, Gold, Pyrrhotite.
These authoritative resources support category-level nomenclature, terminology, identification methods, and safety. When a specimen-specific safety warning appears, the public-health source listed here directly supports that precaution. They are not line-by-line citations for every other property on this entry, and natural specimens vary.
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GeoMiner
Last updated
2026-03-30T14:36:57.810285+00:00
Review status
Published; not independently peer-reviewed
IMA–CNMNC List of Mineral Names — International Mineralogical Association. Official mineral-name, nomenclature, and classification records.
Mineral ID Key — Mineralogical Society of America. Physical-property identification methods, repeat-testing guidance, and limitations.
Copper iron sulfide and the most important copper ore mineral. Often confused with pyrite but has a more brassy, often tarnished appearance.
How can you identify Chalcopyrite?
Compare several properties rather than relying on colour alone. This entry records colour: Brass yellow, often with iridescent tarnish; lustre: Metallic; streak: Greenish-black; Mohs hardness: 3.5-4; cleavage: Poor; crystal system: Tetragonal; transparency: Opaque. Confirm an important identification with additional field tests or qualified laboratory work.
How does Chalcopyrite form?
Forms in hydrothermal veins, porphyry copper deposits, and volcanogenic massive sulfide deposits.
Where is Chalcopyrite commonly found?
Worldwide; Chile, USA, Canada, Zambia; the most widely occurring copper mineral.
What is Chalcopyrite commonly confused with?
Chalcopyrite may be confused with Pyrite, Gold, Pyrrhotite. Compare multiple diagnostic properties because colour and surface appearance can overlap.
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