MOLYBDENITE-2H

MoS₂
Hexagonal

Molybdenite, a molybdenum sulfide mineral, was first reported by Fowler (1825) and Palache (1935). Frondel (1972) noted its occurrence at both Franklin and Sterling Hill. It is a moderately rare mineral locally and of no economic significance.

	Figure 21-11. Bent crystal of molybdenite serves as a matrix for crystals of baumhauerite from Sterling Hill. Field of view is 0.6 mm in maximum dimension. See figure 21-37.

Molybdenite is bright bluish-silver with a metallic luster and is easily bent and distorted (Figure 21-11). It occurs with scapolite (possibly meionite), calcite, and pyroxene in the most abundant assemblage from Franklin, labeled in some collections as coming from the Buckwheat Dump. It occurs as bright, bluish-gray, platy crystals up to 2-3 cm in diameter.

A number of unstudied assemblages are known from Franklin, and Palache reported it from the Gooseberry Mine on Balls Hill. Molybdenite alters to powellite locally. Local material was determined to be the 2H polytype.

It is associated with calcite, realgar, and zinkenite and, separately, with seligmannite, baumhauerite and other species; both assemblages were found on the 900 level at Sterling Hill.

The Edison Mine, which is not within the formal Franklin-Sterling Hill Area, has been the source of a number of very fine molybdenite specimens, some of which, mislabeled as to locality, have found their way into local collections.

Copyright © 1995 by Pete J. Dunn			Website by Herb Yeates
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This page created: January 11, 2001