Athabascaite
A variety of Minerals
What is Athabascaite?
Athabascaite is a member of the copper selenide minerals, and forms with other copper selenides. It was first discovered by S. Kaiman in 1949 while he was researching radioactive materials around Lake Athabasca. Kaiman was conducting research near Uranium City, Saskatchewan where mass amounts of uranium mines were present.
Market Value Factors
Pricing varies for every rock and mineral, so use these universal factors to gauge Athabascaite before comparing listings or appraisals.
Size & Weight
Larger, intact specimens usually command higher prices.
Rarity & Demand
Scarce material or popular varieties sell at a premium.
Condition & Finish
Chips, repairs, and heavy wear lower value; clean prep helps.
Treatment & Provenance
Untreated specimens with documented locality are prized.
Athabascaite Localities Map
See where Athabascaite is found with a localities map, collecting zones, and geology context. Generate a sample map preview below.
Key Characteristics
Characteristics of Athabascaite
Athabascaite often contains umangite as inclusions and stained carbonate vein material as stringers and veinlets. When coupled with umangite, the mineral forms lath-shaped slender and elongated grains averaging 20 by 50 micrometers. Athabascaite originally appeared as finer grained than the surrounding material, possessing a core of umangite. Because of the presence of umangite within the core, it is thought that the umangite may recrystallize during the construction of athabascaite. Within the hematite, stained carbonate veins contain massive areas up to 300 micrometers in diameter. The veinlets are composed of a collection of arbitrarily organized crystals which rarely surpass 2 micrometres. These crystallites contain pure athabascaite phase. The color of athabascaite is typically light gray, but can also be white, white-gray, and blue-gray. It has a hardness of approximately 2.50 on the Mohs scale. When exposed to polarized light, it displays a range of colors varying from creamy white to dark blue. The display of these distinct colors, along with its reflectivity, allows athabascaite to be easily distinguished from other copper selenide minerals. It displays strong anisotropy and distinct birefringence.
Composition of Athabascaite
Because of unavailability of sufficiently large single crystals, little is known about the atomic structure of athabascaite. Copper (Cu) serves as the cations, selenium (Se) serves as the anions, and the two are joined by ionic bonds. The crystal symmetry appears orthorhombic with the lattice parameters a = 8.227 ± 0.01, b = 11.982 ± 0.02, and c = 6.441 ± 0.01 Å. It has a calculated density of 6.59 g/cm; this density is identical to that of umangite, and therefore the two are thought to have similar structure.
Quick Facts
Physical Properties
- Color
- Light grey, bluish-grey to white
- Hardness (Mohs)
- 2.5
- Density
- 6.59 g/cm³
Chemical Properties
- Chemical Formula
- Cu5Se4
- Elements
- Cu, Se
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Athabascaite FAQs
How do I identify Athabascaite?
Athabascaite can be identified by its hardness of 2.5 on the Mohs scale, Light grey color. Look for these key characteristics when examining specimens.
What color is Athabascaite?
Athabascaite typically appears in Light grey, bluish-grey to white. Color can vary depending on impurities and formation conditions.
How hard is Athabascaite?
Athabascaite has a hardness of 2.5 on the Mohs scale. This makes it a soft mineral that can be scratched easily.
What is the characteristics of athabascaite of Athabascaite?
Athabascaite often contains umangite as inclusions and stained carbonate vein material as stringers and veinlets. When coupled with umangite, the mineral forms lath-shaped slender and elongated grains averaging 20 by 50 micrometers. Athabascaite originally appeared as finer grained than the surrounding material, possessing a core of umangite. Because of the presence of umangite within the core, it is thought that the umangite may recrystallize during the construction of athabascaite. Within the hematite, stained carbonate veins contain massive areas up to 300 micrometers in diameter. The veinlets are composed of a collection of arbitrarily organized crystals which rarely surpass 2 micrometres. These crystallites contain pure athabascaite phase. The color of athabascaite is typically light gray, but can also be white, white-gray, and blue-gray. It has a hardness of approximately 2.50 on the Mohs scale. When exposed to polarized light, it displays a range of colors varying from creamy white to dark blue. The display of these distinct colors, along with its reflectivity, allows athabascaite to be easily distinguished from other copper selenide minerals. It displays strong anisotropy and distinct birefringence.
What is the composition of athabascaite of Athabascaite?
Because of unavailability of sufficiently large single crystals, little is known about the atomic structure of athabascaite. Copper (Cu) serves as the cations, selenium (Se) serves as the anions, and the two are joined by ionic bonds. The crystal symmetry appears orthorhombic with the lattice parameters a = 8.227 ± 0.01, b = 11.982 ± 0.02, and c = 6.441 ± 0.01 Å. It has a calculated density of 6.59 g/cm; this density is identical to that of umangite, and therefore the two are thought to have similar structure.
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