Crude rounded crystals of Molybdenite.
CHEMISTRY MoS2 Molybdenum sulfide
CRYSTALLOGRAPHY Hexagonal
CRYSTAL GROWTH AND HABITS Crystals are commonly tabular but also found as foliated masses and as scaly masses or massive.
COLOR AND OTHER OPTICAL PROPERTIES Lead gray sometimes with a bluish cast, opaque
HARDNESS 1 - 1.5
SPECIFIC GRAVITY 4.6 - 4.7
LUSTER Metallic
STREAK Gray to bluish gray
BREAKABILITY Perfect micaceous cleavage producing flexible sheets that are flexible but not elastic. It easily marks paper and has a greasy feel.
OCCURRENCE Molybdenite is typically found in high temperature hydrothermal veins.
ASSOCIATED MINERALS Chalcopyrite, other copper sulfides, Quartz