chalcopyrite

[ kal-kuh-pahy-rahyt ]

noun

1. a very common mineral, copper iron sulfide, CuFeS 2 , occurring in brass-yellow crystals or masses: the most important ore of copper; copper pyrites.

chalcopyrite

/ -ˈpaɪə-; ˌkælkəˈpaɪraɪt /

noun

1. a widely distributed yellow mineral consisting of a sulphide of copper and iron in tetragonal crystalline form: the principal ore of copper. Formula: CuFeS 2 Also calledcopper pyrites

chalcopyrite

/ kăl′kə-pī′rīt′ /

1. A brassy yellow, metallic, tetragonal mineral, usually occurring as shapeless masses of grains. Chalcopyrite is found in igneous rocks and copper-rich shales, and it is an important ore of copper. Because of its shiny look and often yellow color, it is sometimes mistaken for gold, and for this reason it is also called fool's gold. Chemical formula: CuFeS 2 .

Word History and Origins

Origin of chalcopyrite¹

First recorded in 1825–35; chalco- + pyrite

Example Sentences

Eventually, the broth solidified, becoming ore layered with interlocking veins of quartz, chalcopyrite, and other minerals.

From The New Yorker

This defective chalcopyrite layer leads to more pronounced rollover and crossover signatures in J–V curves.

From Nature

There it forms a large deposit, in a granitic vein running through gneiss, and is accompanied by quartz, siderite, galena, blende, chalcopyrite, &c.

From Project Gutenberg

The team used chalcopyrite - a material composed of copper, indium, gallium and selenium and also known as CIGS.

From BBC

Owing to the frequent presence of mechanically admixed chalcopyrite and chalcocite, the published analyses of erubescite show wide variations, the copper, for example, varying from 50 to 70%.

From Project Gutenberg