Bournonite
Bournonite is an unusual copper sulfide, named for the French baron Louis de Bournon,
a famous mineralogist, who wrote a dissertation on Calcite and Aragonite. Bournonite
often forms very appealing crystals with composite twins, so-called 'cog wheels'. They
are tabular crystals with a multitude of ribs on the edges.
Specimen Handling
Bournonite is for all practical purposes stable in a normal household environment. It is
not harmed by light, changes in temperature in the normal comfort range, or known to
decompose. Bournonite specimens can be brittle and should be handled with care like
any other mineral specimen. Bournonite is not appreciably soluble in water.
Bibliography
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1837-1892, 7th ed. Vol. 1.
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This page is authored by Claus Hedegaard.