Hauerite Locality: Raddusa, Enna Province, Sicily, Italy Size: thumbnail, 1.6 x 1.3 x 1.3 cm Hauerite An excellent and sharp brownish-black octahedron with flat terminations on each corner , and VERY respectable size for the species 1.6 x 1.3 x 1.3 cm — Photo: Robert M. Lavinsky · CC BY-SA 3.0
Hauerite
Manganese disulfide with the pyrite structure — reddish-brown to black octahedra among other transition-metal sulfides.
Intro adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA).
Hauerite is an IMA-recognized mineral species in the sulfide class, with the chemical formula MnS₂.
It crystallizes in the cubic crystal system (space group Pa3). It is a member of the Pyrite structural group.
Key properties: Mohs hardness 4; specific gravity 3.463; Brownish red streak; Metallic-adamantine luster.
IMA symbol Hr, grandfathered status — known before the IMA’s founding, named in 1846.
A low-temperature mineral commonly in association with solfataric waters, in clay deposits rich in sulfur, and from decomposed extrusive rocks.
It is found associated with Sulfur, realgar, gypsum, calcite.
In honor of Joseph Ritter von Hauer (1778–1863), and his son Franz Ritter von Hauer (1822–1899), Austrian geologists.