Canfieldite
A valid IMA mineral species - grandfathered
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About Canfieldite
Frederick A. Canfield
Formula:
Ag8SnS6
May contain some Ge replacing Sn, and some Te or Se replacing S.
Colour:
Steel gray with reddish tint
Lustre:
Metallic
Hardness:
2½
Specific Gravity:
6.2 - 6.3
Crystal System:
Orthorhombic
Member of:
Name:
Named in 1893 by Samuel Lewis Penfield in honor of Frederick Alexander Canfield [April 7, 1849 Randolph, New Jersey, USA - July 3, 1926), of Dover, New Jersey, USA. Canfield was a mining engineer and mineral collector. Canfield's family was long interested in running the Dickerson Suckasunny Mining Company, with iron mines in Morris County, New Jersey. Much of Canfield's professional mining work was in New Jersey and Bolivia. Canfield was also a third generation mineral collector having acquired his great uncles' mineral collection as well as his own father's collection.
Note that most "canfieldite" specimens from the type locality turn out on analysis to be Sn-bearing argyrodite. Caveat emptor.
Unique Identifiers
Mindat ID:
882
Long-form identifier:
mindat:1:1:882:2
IMA Classification of Canfieldite
Approved, 'Grandfathered' (first described prior to 1959)
Classification of Canfieldite
2.BA.70
2 : SULFIDES and SULFOSALTS (sulfides, selenides, tellurides; arsenides, antimonides, bismuthides; sulfarsenites, sulfantimonites, sulfbismuthites, etc.)
B : Metal Sulfides, M: S > 1: 1 (mainly 2: 1)
A : With Cu, Ag, Au
2 : SULFIDES and SULFOSALTS (sulfides, selenides, tellurides; arsenides, antimonides, bismuthides; sulfarsenites, sulfantimonites, sulfbismuthites, etc.)
B : Metal Sulfides, M: S > 1: 1 (mainly 2: 1)
A : With Cu, Ag, Au
2.5.6.2
2 : SULFIDES
5 : AmBnXp, with (m+n):p = 3:2
2 : SULFIDES
5 : AmBnXp, with (m+n):p = 3:2
6.2.5
6 : Sulphosalts - Sulphostannates, Sulphogermanates,Sulpharsenates, Sulphantimonates, Sulphovanadates and Sulphohalides
2 : Sulphogermanates
6 : Sulphosalts - Sulphostannates, Sulphogermanates,Sulpharsenates, Sulphantimonates, Sulphovanadates and Sulphohalides
2 : Sulphogermanates
Mineral Symbols
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.
Please only use the official IMA–CNMNC symbol. Older variants are listed for historical use only.
| Symbol | Source | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Cfi | IMA–CNMNC | Warr, L.N. (2021). IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols. Mineralogical Magazine, 85(3), 291-320. doi:10.1180/mgm.2021.43 |
| Cf | 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 Canfieldite
Metallic
Transparency:
Opaque
Colour:
Steel gray with reddish tint
Comment:
Tarnishes black with blue to purple tint
Streak:
Greyish black
Hardness:
2½ on Mohs scale
Hardness:
VHN25=91 - 171 kg/mm2 - Vickers
Tenacity:
Brittle
Fracture:
Irregular/Uneven, Conchoidal
Density:
6.2 - 6.3 g/cm3 (Measured) 6.311 g/cm3 (Calculated)
Optical Data of Canfieldite
Anisotropism:
Generally isotropic, sometimes anomalous anisotropism
Reflectivity:
| Wavelength | R1 (%) |
|---|---|
| 400nm | 33.0% |
| 440nm | 28.9% |
| 480nm | 27.2% |
| 520nm | 25.9% |
| 560nm | 25.2% |
| 600nm | 24.9% |
| 640nm | 24.8% |
| 680nm | 24.8% |
| 700nm | 24.9% |
Graph shows reflectance levels at different wavelengths (in nm). Peak reflectance is 33.0%.
Colour in reflected light:
Gray-white with violet tint
Chemistry of Canfieldite
Mindat Formula:
Ag8SnS6
May contain some Ge replacing Sn, and some Te or Se replacing S.
May contain some Ge replacing Sn, and some Te or Se replacing S.
Element Weights:
Elements listed:
Common Impurities:
Ge,Fe,Te
Crystallography of Canfieldite
Crystal System:
Orthorhombic
Class (H-M):
mm2 - Pyramidal
Space Group:
Pna21
Cell Parameters:
a = 15.3079(4) Å, b = 7.5549(2) Å, c = 10.699(3) Å
Ratio:
a:b:c = 2.026 : 1 : 1.416
Unit Cell V:
1,237.34 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Z:
4
Morphology:
Crystals to 1cm with pseudo-octahedron and dodecahedron, botyroidal.
Twinning:
Commonly on {111}
Comment:
The samples for this study were obtained from the Youqialang lead-silver mine in Nagqu, Tibet, China
Crystal Structure
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Unit Cell | Unit Cell Packed
2x2x2 | 3x3x3 | 4x4x4
Unit Cell | Unit Cell Packed
2x2x2 | 3x3x3 | 4x4x4
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CIF File Best | x | y | z | a | b | c
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Data courtesy of the American Mineralogist Crystal Structure Database. Click on an AMCSD ID to view structure
| ID | Species | Reference | Link | Year | Locality | Pressure (GPa) | Temp (K) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0019044 | Canfieldite | Bindi L, Nestola F, Guastoni A, Zorzi F, Peruzzo L, Raber T (2012) Te-rich canfieldite, Ag8Sn(S,Te)6, from Lengenbach Quarry, Binntal, Canton Valais, Switzerland: Occurrence, description and crystal structure The Canadian Mineralogist 50 111-118 | 2012 | Lengenbach Quarry, Binntal, Canton Valais, Switzerland | 0 | 293 |
CIF Raw Data - click here to close
X-Ray Powder Diffraction
Powder Diffraction Data:
| d-spacing | Intensity |
|---|---|
| 3.114 Å | (100) |
| 3.085 Å | (90) |
| 1.8960 Å | (90) |
| 2.727 Å | (70) |
| 1.9129 Å | (70) |
| 3.252 Å | (55) |
| 3.232 Å | (55) |
Geological Environment
Paragenetic Mode(s):
| Paragenetic Mode | Earliest Age (Ga) |
|---|---|
| High-? alteration and/or metamorphism | |
| 33 : Minerals deposited by hydrothermal metal-rich fluids (see also [#12]) |
Geological Setting:
Late forming mineral in polymetallic veins.
Type Occurrence of Canfieldite
General Appearance of Type Material:
Crystals, to 1 cm
Place of Conservation of Type Material:
No defined type material.
Associated Minerals at Type Locality:
Other Language Names for Canfieldite
Varieties of Canfieldite
| Tellurium-bearing Canfieldite | Canfieldite with a large portion of the sulfur replaced by tellurium. E.g.: 9.4 weight% S, 18.9% Te in Pirquitas mine, Argentina; 9.5% S, 17.9% Te in Julio Verne mine, Argentina; 13.95% S, 8.69% Te in Revelstoke mine, Canada. See also "tellurocanfieldite... |
| Tellurocanfieldite | Originally approved but approval has subsequently been withdrawn because a subsequent single-crystal structural analysis has shown that Te is disordered over the three sulphur sites and thus the material is in fact Te-rich canfieldite. |
Relationship of Canfieldite to other Species
Member of:
Other Members of Argyrodite Group:
| Alburnite | Ag8GeTe2S4 | Iso. |
| Argyrodite | Ag8GeS6 | Orth. mm2 : Pna21 |
| Putzite | (Cu4.7Ag3.3)GeS6 | Iso. 4 3m : F4 3m |
| Spryite | Ag8(As3+0.5As5+0.5)S6 | Orth. mm2 : Pna21 |
Forms a series with:
Common Associates
Associated Minerals Based on Photo Data:
| 9 photos of Canfieldite associated with Pyrite | FeS2 |
| 7 photos of Canfieldite associated with Marcasite | FeS2 |
| 6 photos of Canfieldite associated with Pyrargyrite | Ag3SbS3 |
| 3 photos of Canfieldite associated with Native Silver | Ag |
| 3 photos of Canfieldite associated with Stephanite | Ag5SbS4 |
| 2 photos of Canfieldite associated with Argyrodite | Ag8GeS6 |
| 1 photo of Canfieldite associated with Pearceite | [Ag6As2S7][Ag9CuS4] |
Related Minerals - Strunz-mindat Grouping
| 2.BA. | Makotoite | Ag12(Cu3Au)S8 |
| 2.BA. | Alburnite | Ag8GeTe2S4 |
| 2.BA. | Dzierżanowskite | CaCu2S2 |
| 2.BA. | Xuwenyuanite | Ag9Fe3+Te2S4 |
| 2.BA. | Orileyite | (Fe,Cu)2As |
| 2.BA. | Juxingite | Bi6Cu140Fe30S125 |
| 2.BA.05 | Djurleite | Cu31S16 |
| 2.BA.05 | Geerite | Cu8S5 |
| 2.BA.05 | Roxbyite | Cu58S32 |
| 2.BA.05 | Chalcocite | Cu2S |
| 2.BA.10 | Digenite | Cu9S5 |
| 2.BA.10 | Anilite | Cu7S4 |
| 2.BA.15 | Bornite | Cu5FeS4 |
| 2.BA.20 | Bellidoite | Cu2Se |
| 2.BA.20 | Berzelianite | Cu2-xSe (x ≈ 0.12) |
| 2.BA.25 | Athabascaite | Cu5Se4 |
| 2.BA.25 | Umangite | Cu3Se2 |
| 2.BA.30 | Rickardite | Cu7Te5 |
| 2.BA.30 | Weissite | Cu2-xTe |
| 2.BA.35 | Acanthite | Ag2S |
| 2.BA.35 | Spryite | Ag8(As3+0.5As5+0.5)S6 |
| 2.BA.40d | UM2003-13-S:AgAuCu | Ag6AuCu2S5 |
| 2.BA.40 | Mckinstryite | Ag5-xCu3+xS4 |
| 2.BA.40 | Stromeyerite | AgCuS |
| 2.BA.42 | Honeaite | Au3TlTe2 |
| 2.BA.45 | Jalpaite | Ag3CuS2 |
| 2.BA.45 | Selenojalpaite | Ag3CuSe2 |
| 2.BA.45 | Kurilite | Ag8Te3Se |
| 2.BA.47 | Spiridonovite | (Cu1-xAgx)2Te |
| 2.BA.50 | Wuyanzhiite | Cu2S |
| 2.BA.50 | Eucairite | AgCuSe |
| 2.BA.52 | Argentite | Ag2S |
| 2.BA.55 | Naumannite | Ag2Se |
| 2.BA.55 | Aguilarite | Ag4SeS |
| 2.BA.60 | Chenguodaite | Ag9Fe3+Te2S4 |
| 2.BA.60 | Hessite | Ag2Te |
| 2.BA.60 | Cervelleite | Ag4TeS |
| 2.BA.65 | Henryite | (Cu,Ag)3+xTe2 , with x ~ 0.40 |
| 2.BA.65 | Stützite | Ag5-xTe3, x = 0.24-0.36 |
| 2.BA.70 | Argyrodite | Ag8GeS6 |
| 2.BA.70 | Putzite | (Cu4.7Ag3.3)GeS6 |
| 2.BA.75 | Fischesserite | Ag3AuSe2 |
| 2.BA.75 | Uytenbogaardtite | Ag3AuS2 |
| 2.BA.75 | Penzhinite | (Ag,Cu)4Au(S,Se)4 |
| 2.BA.75 | Petrovskaite | AuAgS |
| 2.BA.75 | Petzite | Ag3AuTe2 |
| 2.BA.80 | Bezsmertnovite | (Au,Ag)4Cu(Te,Pb) |
| 2.BA.80 | Bilibinskite | PbCu2Au3Te2 |
| 2.BA.80 | Bogdanovite | (Au,Te,Pb)3(Cu,Fe) |
Other Information
Health Risks:
No information on health risks for this material has been entered into the database. You should always treat mineral specimens with care.
Industrial Uses:
Minor ore of tin and silver.
Internet Links for Canfieldite
mindat.org URL:
https://www.mindat.org/min-882.html
Please feel free to link to this page.
Please feel free to link to this page.
Search Engines:
External Links:
References for Canfieldite
Reference List:
Ramdohr, Paul (1969) The Ore Minerals and their Intergrowths. Pergamon Press, Oxford. 1174pp. doi:10.1016/c2013-0-10027-x
Wimmers, D. (1985) Silver minerals of Panasqueira, Portugal: a new occurrence of Te-bearing canfieldite. Mineralogical Magazine, 49 (354) 745-748 doi:10.1180/minmag.1985.049.354.16
Bindi, L., Nestola, F., Guastoni, A., Zorzi, F., Peruzzo, L., Raber, T. (2012) Te-rich canfieldite, Ag8Sn(S,Te)6, from Lengenbach quarry, Binntal, Canton Valais, Switzerland: occurrence, description and crystal structure. The Canadian Mineralogist, 50 (1) 111-118 doi:10.3749/canmin.50.1.111
Novoselov, K.A.; Belogub, E.V.; Blinov, I.A. (2019) Te-canfieldite from the Lunnoe Au-U deposit (Aldan region, Republic of Yakutiya). МИНЕРАЛОГИЯ (MINERALOGY), 5. 49-56 doi:10.35597/2313-545x-2019-5-2-49-56
Zhai, Degao, Bindi, Luca, Voudouris, Panagiotis C., Liu, Jiajun, Tombros, Stylianos F., Li, Kuan (2019) Discovery of Se-rich canfieldite, Ag8Sn(S,Se)6, from the Shuangjianzishan Ag–Pb–Zn deposit, NE China: A multimethodic chemical and structural study. Mineralogical Magazine, 83 (3) 419-426 doi:10.1180/mgm.2018.158
Localities for Canfieldite
symbol to view information about a locality.
The Locality List
- This locality has map coordinates listed.
- This locality has estimated coordinates.
ⓘ - Click for references and further information on this occurrence.
? - Indicates mineral may be doubtful at this locality.
- Good crystals or important locality for species.
- World class for species or very significant.
(TL) - Type Locality for a valid mineral species.
(FRL) - First Recorded Locality for everything else (eg varieties).
All localities listed without proper references should be considered as questionable.
Argentina | |
| Coira et al. (1995) +2 other references |
| Slater (2016) | |
| Paar et al. (2000) |
| Brodtkorb (2002) |
| Perelló et al. (2023) |
Australia | |
| Bottrill et al. (2008) |
| STILLWELL +1 other reference |
Austria | |
| Horner et al. (1997) |
| Horninger (1936) +1 other reference |
Bolivia | |
| Torres et al. (2019) |
| Ahlfeld et al. (1964) |
| Wilson (2001) |
| James A. Ferraiolo | |
| Wilson (2001) |
| Mineralogical Society of America - ... | |
| Wilson (2001) | |
Bulgaria | |
| Tarassova et al. (2015) |
Canada | |
| Peatfield (n.d.) |
| Mineralogical Society of America - ... | |
| Peatfield (n.d.) |
| dnre-mrne.gnb.ca (2006) |
China | |
| Mineralogical Society of America - ... |
| Anthony | |
| Wang et al. (2025) |
| Weining Zhou (1994) |
| Canhui Huang (1991) +1 other reference |
| Weining Zhou (1994) |
| Yunying Shu and Peiling Zhou (1990) |
| Broili et al. (2010) |
| Xu et al. (2022) | |
| Zhengqin Li (1991) |
| Zhengqin Li (1991) |
| Zhengqin Li (1991) +1 other reference |
| Weining Zhou (1994) |
| Yi Li and Youbin Liang (1991) +1 other reference | |
| Yongsheng Kuang et al. (2014) +5 other references |
| Shi et al. (2024) | |
| Wang et al. (2022) |
| Tianwei Guo and Zhongwen Han (1990) +1 other reference |
| Zhicheng Lu et al. (2002) |
| Niu et al. (2016) |
| Weining Zhou (1994) |
| Leiming Xu et al. (1993) |
| Ran Lu et al. (2012) |
| Xuehui Xia et al. (2003) |
| Xuehui Xia et al. (2003) | |
| Chen et al. (2022) |
| Zhixing Feng et al. (2010) +2 other references |
Czech Republic | |
| |
| Anthony et al. (1990) | |
| Mineralogical Society of America - ... | |
| Steffen Möckel analysis |
France | |
| |
| R. Pierrot |
| Pierrot et al. (1973) |
Germany | |
| Hofmann (1986) |
Greece | |
| Tombros et al. (2008) |
Greenland | |
| Petersen et al. (1993) |
India | |
| Murao et al. (2008) |
| Khan et al. (2021) |
Indonesia | |
| Marcoux et al. (1993) +2 other references |
| Yuningsih et al. (2014) |
Japan | |
| Shimizu et al. (1998) |
| MARIKO et al. (1996) |
| Min. Jour. (Japan) +2 other references |
| Tsushima et al. (1999) |
| Mineralogical Society of America - ... +1 other reference |
| Nakamura et al. (1973) |
| FURUNO et al. (1992) |
| Econ Geol (1989) |
| Soeda et al. (1984) |
| SOEDA et al. (1982) | |
| Nakamura et al. (1973) |
| Shimizu et al. (2007) |
Peru | |
| FUKAHORI et al. (1990) |
| Imai et al. (1985) +1 other reference | |
| EDS Analysis Frank Keutsch +1 other reference |
| Corthay et al. (2014) |
Poland | |
| Kozłowski et al. (2022) |
| Foltyn et al. (2023) |
Portugal | |
| Wimmers (1985) | |
| Gaspar +1 other reference |
Romania | |
| Cioacă et al. (2014) |
| Cioacă et al. (2014) |
| Gheorghe C. POPESCU (2011) |
| Cook et al. (2003) +1 other reference |
Russia | |
| Chugaev et al. (2017) |
| Kozlov et al. (n.d.) |
| [Der Aufschluss 1995:4 p163-180] +1 other reference |
| Mineralogical Society of America - ... +2 other references |
| Volkov et al. (2015) |
| Savva et al. (2021) |
| Пальянова et al. (2016) |
| Strujkov et al. (1996) +2 other references | |
| R.G. Kravtsova et al. (2015) +1 other reference | |
| Priymenko et al. (2020) |
| Goryachev et al. (2014) | |
| Simanenko et al. (2015) |
| |
| |
| Dobrovol’skaya et al. (2008) | |
| Novoselov et al. (2019) +1 other reference |
| Kondratieva et al. (2021) |
| Gamyanin G.N. et al. (2001) +1 other reference |
| L.A. Kondrat’eva +2 other references |
| Pavlova et al. (2009) |
| Pavlova et al. (2009) | |
| Pavlova et al. (2009) | |
| Pavlova et al. (2009) | |
| Pavlova et al. (2009) |
| Pavlova et al. (2009) |
| Nekrasov et al. (1988) +1 other reference | |
| Mineralogical Society of America - ... |
Slovakia | |
| Duda et. all. |
| Ďuďa R. (2001) | |
South Korea | |
| Park et al. (1986) |
| Lee et al. (1989) |
| Yang et al. (1986) |
Spain | |
| Navarro et al. (2009) |
| Losantos et al. (2025) |
Switzerland | |
| Bindi et al. (2012) +1 other reference |
USA | |
| Anthony et al. (1995) |
| Anthony et al. (1995) | |
| Eckel et al. (1997) |
| Eckel et al. (1997) | |
| King (n.d.) |
| Mankins (2022) |
| Mankins (2022) | |
| King et al. (1989) |
| Castor et al. (2004) +1 other reference |
| Rocks & Minerals. Nov. 1999. |
| In the collection of Brent Thorne. XRD ... | |
Uzbekistan | |
| Pekov (1998) |
| Evseev (1995) |
Vietnam | |
| B. Fojt & I. Kusinir (2001) |
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Colquechaca, Colquechaca Municipality, Chayanta Province, Potosí, Bolivia