Chen Keqiao, Yu Tinggao, Zhang Yongge, and Peng Zhizhong (1982): Tetra-auricupride, CuAu, discovered in China. Scientia Geologica Sinica: 1982(1): 111-116.

Classification of Tetra-auricuprideHide

Strunz-mindat (2026):

1.AA.10b

1 : ELEMENTS (Metals and intermetallic alloys; metalloids and nonmetals; carbides, silicides, nitrides, phosphides)
A : Metals and Intermetallic Alloys
A : Copper-cupalite family

Dana 7th ed.:

1.1.2.2

Dana 8th ed.:

1.1.2.2

1 : NATIVE ELEMENTS AND ALLOYS
1 : Metals, other than the Platinum Group

Hey's CIM Ref.:

1.7

1 : Elements and Alloys (including the arsenides, antimonides and bismuthides of Cu, Ag and Au)

Mineral SymbolsHide

As of 2021 there are now IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols (abbreviations) for each mineral species, useful for tables and diagrams.

Please only use the official IMA–CNMNC symbol. Older variants are listed for historical use only.

Symbol	Source	Reference for Standard
Taur	IMA–CNMNC	Warr, L.N. (2021). IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols. Mineralogical Magazine, 85(3), 291-320. doi:10.1180/mgm.2021.43
Tau	The Canadian Mineralogist (2019)	The Canadian Mineralogist (2019) The Canadian Mineralogist list of symbols for rock- and ore-forming minerals (December 30, 2019). download

Physical Properties of Tetra-auricuprideHide

Lustre:

Metallic

Transparency:

Opaque

Colour:

Golden yellow

Hardness:

4½ on Mohs scale

Hardness:

VHN₂₀=294 kg/mm² - Vickers

Tenacity:

Malleable

Density:

14.67 g/cm³ (Calculated)

Optical Data of Tetra-auricuprideHide

Anisotropism:

Weak, with colors from gray to light gray

Reflectivity:

Wavelength	R₁ (%)
405nm	44.6%
436nm	46.8%
480nm	50.3%
526nm	55.8%
546nm	61.2%
578nm	74.4%
589nm	76.6%
622nm	83.6%
644nm	84.9%
656nm	85.4%
664nm	86.6%
700nm	91.3%

Graph shows reflectance levels at different wavelengths (in nm). Peak reflectance is 91.3%.

Colour in reflected light:

Copper-red with a yellow tint

Chemistry of Tetra-auricuprideHide

Mindat Formula:

AuCu

Element Weights:

Element	% weight
Cu	24.393 %

Calculated from ideal end-member formula.

Elements listed:

Au, Cu - search for minerals with similar chemistry

Crystallography of Tetra-auricuprideHide

Crystal System:

Tetragonal

Class (H-M):

4/mmm(4/m2/m2/m) - Ditetragonal Dipyramidal

Space Group:

P4/mmm

Cell Parameters:

a = 2.800 Å, c = 3.670 Å

Ratio:

a:c = 1 : 1.311

Unit Cell V:

28.77 Å³ (Calculated from Unit Cell)

Comment:

Space Group: C4/mmm.?

X-Ray Powder DiffractionHide

Powder Diffraction Data:

d-spacing	Intensity
2.24 Å	(100)
1.195 Å	(100)
0.797 Å	(90b)
0.877 Å	(70b)
1.125 Å	(60b)
0.832 Å	(60)
1.99 Å	(50)

Geological EnvironmentHide

Paragenetic Mode(s):

Paragenetic Mode	Earliest Age (Ga)
Stage 3a: Earth’s earliest Hadean crust	>4.50
7 : Ultramafic igneous rocks
Near-surface Processes
26 : Hadean detrital minerals
Stage 4b: Highly evolved igneous rocks	>3.0
36 : Carbonatites, kimberlites, and related igneous rocks
37 : Layered igneous intrusions and related PGE minerals

Type Occurrence of Tetra-auricuprideHide

Type Locality:

ⓘ Sardala, Manasi (Manas; Marneshi), Manasi Co. (Manas Co.), Changji Autonomous Prefecture (Sanji Autonomous Prefecture), Xinjiang, China

Place of Conservation of Type Material:

Geological Museum, Ministry of Geology, Beijing, China

Reference:

Chen Keqiao, Yu Tinggao, Zhang Yongge, and Peng Zhizhong (1982): Tetra-auricupride, CuAu, discovered in China. Scientia Geologica Sinica: 1982(1): 111-116.

Synonyms of Tetra-auricuprideHide

IMA1982-005

Other Language Names for Tetra-auricuprideHide

Dutch:Tetra-auricupride

German:Tetra-Auricuprid
Tetra-auricuprid

Simplified Chinese:四方铜金矿

Varieties of Tetra-auricuprideHide

Palladium- and Platinum-bearing Tetra-auricupride	Associated with norilskite.
Palladium-bearing Tetra-auricupride	Associated with norilskite.

Common AssociatesHide

Associations Based on Photo Data:

4 photos of Tetra-auricupride associated with Native Gold	Au
1 photo of Tetra-auricupride associated with Urvantsevite	Pd(Bi,Pb)₂
1 photo of Tetra-auricupride associated with Tetraferroplatinum	PtFe
1 photo of Tetra-auricupride associated with Dienerite	Ni₃As
1 photo of Tetra-auricupride associated with Sobolevskite	PdBi
1 photo of Tetra-auricupride associated with Stannopalladinite	(Pd,Cu)₃Sn
1 photo of Tetra-auricupride associated with Sperrylite	PtAs₂

Related Minerals - Strunz-mindat Grouping Hide

1.AA.	Jonlarsenite	Al₄Cu₉	Iso. 43m : P43m
1.AA.	Pratesiite	AgCuTe₂	Orth. mm2 : Pmm2
1.AA.05	Native Lead	Pb	Iso. m3m(4/m32/m) : Fm3m
1.AA.05a	Auricupride Subgroup
1.AA.05	Native Nickel	Ni	Iso. m3m(4/m32/m) : Fm3m
1.AA.05	Native Silver	Ag	Iso. m3m(4/m32/m) : Fm3m
1.AA.05	'UM2004-08-E:AuCuPd'	Cu₂PdAu
1.AA.05	'UM1991-06-E:AuCu'	Au₃Cu
1.AA.05	Native Aluminium	Al	Iso. m3m(4/m32/m) : Fm3m
1.AA.05	Steinhardtite	Al_0.38Ni_0.32Fe_0.30	Iso. m3m(4/m32/m) : Im3m
1.AA.05	Native Gold	Au	Iso. m3m(4/m32/m) : Fm3m
1.AA.05	Native Copper	Cu	Iso. m3m(4/m32/m) : Fm3m
1.AA.05	Copper Group
1.AA.10a	Cuproauride	Cu₃Au
1.AA.10a	Auricupride	Cu₃Au	Iso. m3m(4/m32/m) : Pm3m
1.AA.10	Nickel Group
1.AA.15	Anyuiite	AuPb₂	Tet. 4/mmm(4/m2/m2/m) : I4/mcm
1.AA.15	Novodneprite	AuPb₃	Tet. 42m : I42m
1.AA.15	'UM1985-02-E:AlZn'	(Zn,Cu)Al₂
1.AA.15	Khatyrkite	(Cu,Zn)Al₂	Tet. 4/mmm(4/m2/m2/m) : I4/mcm
1.AA.20	Cupalite	(Cu,Zn)Al	Orth.
1.AA.25	Hunchunite	Au₂Pb	Iso. m3m(4/m32/m)
1.AA.30	Stolperite	AlCu	Iso. m3m(4/m32/m) : Pm3m
1.AA.35	Hollisterite	Al₃Fe	Mon. 2/m : B2/m
1.AA.40	Icosahedrite	Al₆₃Cu₂₄Fe₁₃	Icos. 53m : Fm35
1.AA.45	Kryachkoite	(Al,Cu)₆(Fe,Cu)	Orth. mm2 : Cmc2₁
1.AA.50	Proxidecagonite	Al₃₄Ni₉Fe₂	Orth. mmm(2/m2/m2/m) : Pnma

Other InformationHide

Health Risks:

No information on health risks for this material has been entered into the database. You should always treat mineral specimens with care.

Internet Links for Tetra-auricuprideHide

mindat.org URL:

https://www.mindat.org/min-3920.html
Please feel free to link to this page.

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External Links:

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Raman and XRD data at RRUFF project

References and PDF downloads at RRUFF project

American Mineralogist Crystal Structure Database

Handbook of Mineralogy page PDF

Mineral Dealers:

Buy from D. Joyce minerals

Buy from McDougall Minerals

The Arkenstone - Fine Minerals

References for Tetra-auricuprideHide

Reference List:

Bayliss, P. (1990) Revised unit cell dimensions, space group, and chemical formula of some metallic minerals. Canadian Mineralogist: 28: 751-755.

Bjerkelund, E., Pearson, William B., Selte, Kari, Kjekshus, A., Hagen, G. (1967) Lattice Parameters of the CuAu(I) Phase. Acta Chemica Scandinavica, 21. 2900-2902 doi:10.3891/acta.chem.scand.21-2900

Chen Keqiao, Yu Tinggao, Zhang Yongge, and Peng Zhizhong (1982): Tetra-auricupride, CuAu, discovered in China. Scientia Geologica Sinica: 1982(1): 111-116. (in Chinese with English abstract)

Chen Keqiao, Yu Tinggao, Zhang Yongge, and Peng Zhizhong (1982): Tetra-auricupride, CuAu, discovered in China. Scientia Geologica Sinica: 1982(1): 111-116.

Dunn, P. J., Fleischer, M., Chao, G. Y., Cabri, L. J., Mandarino, J. A. (1983) New mineral names. American Mineralogist, 68 (11-12) 1248-1252

Knipe, S.W., Fleet, M.E. (1997) Copper-gold alloy minerals from the Kerr mine, Ontario. The Canadian Mineralogist: 35: 573-586.

(2005) Tetra-auricupride. Handbook of Mineralogy. Mineralogical Society of America

Localities for Tetra-auricuprideHide

Showing 48 localities.

This map shows a selection of localities that have latitude and longitude coordinates recorded. Click on the 👁 Image
symbol to view information about a locality. The 👁 Image
symbol next to localities in the list can be used to jump to that position on the map.

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Locality ListHide

👁 Image
- This locality has map coordinates listed. 👁 Image
- This locality has estimated coordinates. ⓘ - Click for references and further information on this occurrence. ? - Indicates mineral may be doubtful at this locality. 👁 Image
- Good crystals or important locality for species. 👁 Image
- World class for species or very significant. (TL) - Type Locality for a valid mineral species. (FRL) - First Recorded Locality for everything else (eg varieties). ~~Struck out~~ - Mineral was erroneously reported from this locality. Faded * - Never found at this locality but inferred to have existed at some point in the past (e.g. from pseudomorphs).

All localities listed without proper references should be considered as questionable.

Australia
Queensland Mareeba Shire Mungana ⓘ Red Dome Mine	Lehrmann (2012)
Austria
Styria Leoben District ⓘ Kraubath an der Mur	K. N. Malitch. (2001)
Sankt Stefan ob Leoben Mitterberg ⓘ Unnamed chromite pit	Malitch et al. (2002)
Brazil
Minas Gerais Catas Altas ⓘ Fazendão mine	Cabral et al. (2014)
Itabira ⓘ Cauê mine	Kwitko et al. (2002)
Canada
Ontario Thunder Bay District Coldwell complex ⓘ Marathon deposit	McDonald et al. (2015)
Timiskaming District McGarry Township ⓘ Kerr-Addison Mine (Kerr Mine)	Knipe et al. (1997)
China (TL)
Xinjiang Changji Autonomous Prefecture (Sanji Autonomous Prefecture) Manasi Co. (Manas Co.) Manasi (Manas; Marneshi) ⓘ Sardala (TL)	Keqiao Chen et al. (1982)
France
Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur Bouches-du-Rhône Aix-en-Provence Peyrolles-en-Provence ⓘ Durance river alluvial deposits	Y. Moëlo : "Compte-rendu de la ... +1 other reference
Georgia
Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti Mestia District ⓘ Lukhra Au deposit	Kekelia et al. (2017)
Greece
Central Greece Euboea Skyros ⓘ Achladones Ophiolite	Tarkian et al. (1992)
Central Macedonia Chalkidiki Aristotelis ⓘ Gomati ophiolite	Bussolesi et al. (2020)
Thessaly Trikala Meteora ⓘ Korydallos area	Kapsiotis et al. (2010)
Greenland
Sermersooq Kangerlussuaq Fjord ⓘ Skaergaard intrusion	Thomassen et al. (2006, February) +1 other reference
ⓘ Platinova reef	Rudashevsky et al. (2023) +2 other references
Morocco
Drâa-Tafilalet Region Zagora Province Zagora Cercle Tinzouline Caïdat Bleida Mines ⓘ Bleida Far West Mine	El Ghorfi et al. (2006)
Pakistan
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province Upper Kohistan District ⓘ Jijal complex	Miller et al. (1991)
Philippines
Visayas Eastern Visayas Region Samar Island Eastern Samar ⓘ Llorente river	Oberthür et al. (2017)
Poland
Lower Silesian Voivodeship Głogów County Gmina Jerzmanowa Bądzów ⓘ SW-1'Jan Wyżykowski' shaft	KGHM Polska Miedź
ⓘ Lubin–Głogów mining district	Piestrzyński et al. (2012)
Lubin County ⓘ Lubin	Kucha H. 2007: Mineralogia kruszcowa i ...
Polkowice County Gmina Radwanice Sieroszowice ⓘ Radwanice-Gaworzyce deposit	Chmielewski et al. (2022)
Russia
Buryatia Severo-Baykalsky District Dovyren Highlands ⓘ Yoko-Dovyrensky Massif	Rudashevskiy N.S. et al. (2003)
Chelyabinsk Oblast ⓘ Karabash	SEM-EDX analysis T. Witzke
Karabash ophiolite massif Soimon Valley ⓘ Zolotaya Gora Au deposit	Murzin et al. (2013) +1 other reference
Kamchatka Krai Ust-Kamchatsky District ⓘ Olkhovaya–1 River placer	Sandimirova et al. (2014) +1 other reference
Khabarovsk Krai Ayano-Maysky district ⓘ Konder alkaline-ultrabasic massif	Shcheka et al. (2004)
Krasnoyarsk Krai ⓘ Kingash	Yurichev et al. (2017) +1 other reference
Maimecha and Kotui Rivers Basin ⓘ Gulinskii massif (Guli)	Dvorani (2016)
Taymyrskiy Autonomous Okrug Taimyr Peninsula ⓘ Norilsk-Talnakh Mining Region	Spiridonov et al. (2015)
ⓘ Talnakh Cu-Ni Deposit	[var: Palladium-bearing Tetra-auricupride] - (2016) +1 other reference
ⓘ Mayak Mine	Spiridonov et al. (2011)
ⓘ Southern-2 orebody	Kalugin et al. (2021)
Taymyrsky Dolgano-Nenetsky District Kureika river ⓘ Dzheltul'skii massif (Dzhaltul)	Ryabov et al. (2010, October)
Western Sayan range ⓘ Zolotaya river placers	Tolstyk et al. (1997) +1 other reference
Yermakovsky District ⓘ Bolshoy Khailyk River placers	Barkov et al. (2019)
Republic of Karelia ⓘ Burakovskii Layered Complex	Grokhovskaya et al. (2005)
Sverdlovsk Oblast Nizhnii Tagil ⓘ Nizhnetagilskii massif (Nizhne-Tagilskii)	Mineralogy of Ural. Native elements et al. (in Rus.)
Yekaterinburg ⓘ Uktus complex	- (2014)
Tuva Tes-Khemsky District ⓘ Agardag ultramafic massif	Palyanova et al. (2018)
South Africa
Limpopo Mopani District Municipality Ba-Phalaborwa Local Municipality Phalaborwa ⓘ Palabora Mine	Nikolay Rudashevsky et al (2001)
Sekhukhune District Municipality Fetakgomo Tubatse Local Municipality ⓘ Mooihoek Farm 255 KT	Cairncross et al. (1995)
Switzerland
Fribourg Sarine Grolley ⓘ Rio de Miséry	Stalder et al. (1998)
See (Lac) ⓘ Chandon	Meisser et al. (2000)
Valais Goms Binn Geisspfad area ⓘ Züe lake	Stalder et al. (1998)
Tanzania
Kigoma Region ⓘ Kapalagulu Intrusion	Wilhelmij et al. (2016)
USA
Colorado Montrose County Paradox Valley ⓘ Bedrock area	Eckel et al. (1997)

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