chalcopyrite

American  

[kal-kuh-pahy-rahyt] / ˌkæl kəˈpaɪ raɪt /

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.

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chalcopyrite British  

/ -ˈpaɪə-, ˌkælkəˈpaɪraɪt /

noun

1. Also called: copper pyrites.  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

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chalcopyrite Scientific  

/ 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 .

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Etymology

Origin of chalcopyrite

First recorded in 1825–35; chalco- + pyrite

Compare meaning

How does chalcopyrite compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• chalcopyrite vs. pyrite

Example Sentences

Past open pit production at this mine was dominated by copper and gold from chalcopyrite and bornite.

From Textbooks • Jan. 1, 2017

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

From Nature • Aug. 15, 2012

In CIGSSe devices, the indium to gallium ratio is used to tailor the bandgap, and the materials should be copper-deficient relative to the ideal chalcopyrite stoichiometry to avoid detrimental electrical shunting.

From Nature • Aug. 15, 2012

The copper deposits are mainly in well-marked fracture planes in serpentine; the ore is pyrrhotite, with or without chalcopyrite.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 7, Slice 7 "Crocoite" to "Cuba" by Various

The cobalt ores at these localities occur with pyrites and chalcopyrite as bands in gneiss.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 6, Slice 5 "Clervaux" to "Cockade" by Various