Sulvanite Locality: Mercur District (Camp Floyd District), Oquirrh Mts, Tooele County , Utah , USA ( Locality at mindat.org ) Size: 5.6 x 4.2 x 2.1 cm. Sulvanite is a very rare copper vanadium sulfide which rarely forms nice large crystals. Here, we have sharp crystals to 6mm on nicely contrasting matrix of quartz. Ex. Philadelphia Academy of Sciences Collection. — Photo: Robert M. Lavinsky · CC BY-SA 3.0
Sulvanite
Sulvanite is an IMA-recognized mineral species in the sulfide class, with the chemical formula Cu₃VS₄.
It crystallizes in the cubic crystal system (space group P-43m).
Key properties: Mohs hardness 3.5; specific gravity 3.86–4; Black streak; Metallic, tarnishes to dull. Anisotropism: Weak, rarely. R: (400) 28.1, (420) 26.4, (440) 24.4, (460) 24.1, (480) 27.6 luster.
IMA symbol Sul, grandfathered status — known before the IMA’s founding, named in 1900.
Found in hydrothermal copper deposits which contain vanadium as a primary sulfide.
It is found associated with Chalcopyrite, chalcocite, digenite, covellite, chrysocolla, malachite, azurite, atacamite, vésigniéite, mottramite, gypsum (Burra-Burra, Australia).
The name refers to the composition: SULfur and VANadium.