Mineral Species
Cubanite
Type Locality
No
Composition
CuFe2S3
Crystal System
Orthorhombic
Status at Tsumeb
Questionable
Entry Number
Species; TSNB99
General Notes
Keller (1984) noted that cubanite was identified by Schneiderhöhn (1919) but not recorded subsequently.
Lombaard et al. (1986) considered the occurrence questionable, a view supported by Hughes (1987). Gebhard (1999) described cubanite as rare, occurring only in the upper levels of the mine as microscopic inclusions in sulphide ore.
A specimen of cubanite was offered for auction by German dealer Christian Rewitzer in August 2020, comprising crystals of pink smithsonite on a sulphide matrix accompanied by "… tiny acicular tarnished cubanite crystals" on galena (www.e-rocks.com; accessed August 2020). The identification of the cubanite was by EDS analysis (Christian Rewitzer, pers. comm. to M. Southwood, 2020).
There is no modern record of cubanite in the peer-reviewed literature, and EDS alone is insufficient for an unequivocal identification. Questionable status is retained pending further observations.
Associated Minerals
smithsonite (?)
