Mineralpedia Details for Berzelianite
Berzelianite
Named in honor of noted Swedish chemist and mineralogist Jons Jacob Berzelius, who discovered the element selenium which is an important component of the mineral. A rare but wide spread mineral that occurs in localities in Sweden, Germany, the Czech Republic, Uzbekistan, Argentina, Brazil, Sumatra, Australia, Canada, and the United States. It can be found in occurrence with other selenides in hydrothermal veins and calcite veins, and in gold-quartz deposits. Associated with eucairite, clausthalite, tiemannite, umangite, klockmannite, aguilarite, crookesite, athabascaite, stromeyerite, polybasite, pearceite, gold, uraninite, pyrite, marcasite, and calcite.
Ref. Handbook of Mineralogy, Anthony et al (1995) and MSA at http://www.handbookofmineralogy.org/pdfs/berzelianite.pdf
- Formula
- Cu2-xSe (x~0.12)
- Crystal System
- Isometric
- Crystal Habit
- Dendritic, Disseminated, Massive
- Cleavage
- None, None, None
- Luster
- Metallic
- Color
- bluish gray, gray, black
- Streak
- shining
- Class
- Isometric - Hexoctahedral
- Fracture
- Uneven
- Hardness
- 2
- WebMineral
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- Mindat
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Berzelianite from Skrikerum mine, Valdemarsvik, Östergötland, Sweden
Extremely rich inclusion of black Berzelianite in Calcite matrix.
Berzelianite from Bukov mine, Rožná deposit, Vysočina, Moravia, Czech Republic
Black metallic, tarnished coatings and inclusions in Calcite and fine, thin silveryflakes within matrix.
