Tenorite

Not to be confused with Tannerite.

Tenorite
240px A sample of tenorite
General
Category	Oxide mineral
Formula (repeating unit)	CuO
Strunz classification	04.AB.10
Crystal symmetry	Monoclinic prismatic H-M symbol: (2/m) Space group: C 2/c
Unit cell	a = 4.6837(5) Å, b = 3.4226(5) Å, c = 5.1288(6) Å; β = 99.47°; Z = 4
Identification
Color	Steel-gray, iron-gray, black
Crystal habit	Lathlike crystals, curved, scaly, dendritic; commonly pulverulent, earthy, massive
Crystal system	Monoclinic
Twinning	Common on {011}, forming stellate groups; lamellar
Cleavage	Poor to indistinct
Fracture	Conchoidal to uneven
Tenacity	Brittle; flexible and elastic in thin scales
Mohs scale hardness	3.5 - 4
Luster	Metallic to earthy
Streak	Black
Diaphaneity	Opaque, thin flakes transparent
Specific gravity	6.5
Optical properties	Biaxial +
Pleochroism	Distinct; light to dark brown
References

Tenorite is a copper oxide mineral with the simple formula CuO.

Occurrence

File:Kupferschwärze (Tenorit) mit Azurit - Nischne Tagilsk, Ural.jpg

Tenorite with azurite from Nischne Tagilsk, Urals, Russia

Tenorite occurs in the weathered or oxidized zone associated with deeper primary copper sulfide orebodies. Tenorite commonly occurs with chrysocolla and the copper carbonates, azurite and malachite. The dull grey-black color of tenorite contrasts sharply with the often intergrown blue chrysocolla. Cuprite, native copper and Fe–Mn oxides also occur in this environment.

In addition to the hydrothermal, tenorite also occurs as a volcanic sublimate from Vesuvius, Campania, and Etna, Sicily, Italy. As a sublimate it occurs with copper chlorides, alkali chlorides and cotunnite. The Vesuvian sublimate occurrence was originally named melaconise or melaconite by F. S. Beudant in 1832.

Tenorite was named in 1841 after the Italian botanist Michele Tenore (1780-1861).

See also

• List of minerals
• List of minerals named after people