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The mineralogy of Cadmium

General Properties
Symbol:Cd
Commodity pages:Cadmium
Atomic Number:48
Standard atomic weight (Ar):112.411(8)
Electron configuration:[Kr] 4d10 5s2
Photos
<
A crystal cadmium bar.
>
Atomic Properties
Electronegativity (Pauling scale):1.69
Atomic Radius:161 pm
Ionic Radius:95 pm (+2)
Van der Waals Radius:158 pm
1st Ionization energy:868 kJ/mol
Oxidation States:2
Physical Properties
Standard State:solid
Bonding Type:metallic
Melting Point:594 K
Boiling Point:1040 K
Density:8.65 g/cm3
Metal/Non-Metal:transition metal
Main isotopes of Cadmium
Isotope% in NatureHalf LifeDecay typeDecay product
106Cd1.25%>4.1×1020yβ+β+ ?106Pd
107Cdsynthetic6.5hε107Ag
108Cd0.89%>4.1×1017yβ+β+ ?
109Cdsyn462.6dε109Ag
110Cd12.49%-Spontaneous fission ?
111Cd12.8%-Spontaneous fission ?
112Cd24.13%-Spontaneous fission ?
113Cd12.22%7.7×1015yβ−113In
113mCdsynthetic14.1yβ−113In
Isomeric transition113Cd
114Cd28.73%>6.4×1018yβ-β- ?114Sn
115Cdsynthetic53.46hβ−115In
116Cd7.49%3.1×1019yβ-β-116Sn
Main ions of Cadmium
NameIonExample minerals
cadmium(II)Cd2+Greenockite
Other Information
Year Discovered:1817
Discovered By:
08867380017362063774259.jpg
Karl Samuel Leberecht Hermann
00781360017362063787940.jpg
Friedrich Stromeyer


Karl Samuel Leberecht Hermann and Friedrich Stromeyer
Year Isolated:1817
Isolated By:Karl Samuel Leberecht Hermann and Friedrich Stromeyer
Named For: Greek "calamine", a cadmium-bearing mixture of minerals
CPK color coding:#FFD98F
External Links:WikipediaWebElementsLos Alamos National LaboratoryTheodore Gray's PeriodicTable.com
Simple Compounds and Mineral Names
Nitridestricadmium dinitrideCd3N2+2
Sulfidescadmium sulphideCdS+2Greenockite, Hawleyite
Selenidescadmium selenideCdSe+2Cadmoselite
Telluridescadmium tellurideCdTe+2
Hydridescadmium dihydrideCdH2+2
Fluoridescadmium difluorideCdF2+2
Chloridescadmium dichlorideCdCl2+2
Iodidescadmium diiodideCdI2+2
Oxidescadmium oxideCdO+2Monteponite
cadmium peroxideCdO2+2
Mineral Diversity of Cadmium
1. Elements 1 valid mineral species
2. Sulfides And Sulfosalts 14 valid mineral species
4. Oxides 3 valid mineral species
5. Carbonates 1 valid mineral species
7. Sulfates 8 valid mineral species
8. Phosphates, Arsenates, Vanadates6 valid mineral species
Total:33 valid species containing essential Cadmium
Minerals with the greatest weight % of Cadmium
Native CadmiumCd100.00 %
MonteponiteCdO87.54 %
HawleyiteCdS77.81 %
GreenockiteCdS77.81 %
OtaviteCdCO365.20 %
CadsulfohiteCd2(SO4)(OH)263.35 %
CadmoseliteCdSe58.74 %
VoudourisiteCdSO4·H2O49.63 %
LazaridisiteCd3(SO4)3·8H2O43.82 %
DrobeciteCdSO4·4H2O40.07 %
Geochemistry of Cadmium
Goldschmidt classification:Chalcophile
Elemental Abundance for Cadmium
Crust (CRC Handbook)1.5 x 10-7mass fraction, kg/kg
Crust (Kaye & Laby)1.8 x 10-7mass fraction, kg/kg
Crust (Greenwood)1.6 x 10-7mass fraction, kg/kg
Crust (Ahrens/Taylor)9.8 x 10-8mass fraction, kg/kg
Crust (Ahrens/Wänke)1.00 x 10-7mass fraction, kg/kg
Upper Crust (Ahrens/Taylor)9.8 x 10-8mass fraction, kg/kg
Sea Water (CRC Handbook)1.1 x 10-10mass per volume fraction, kg/L
Sea Water (Kaye & Laby)1.1 x 10-10mass per volume fraction, kg/L
The Sun (Kaye & Laby)2.0 x 10-6atom mole fraction relative to Si=1
Solar System (Kaye & Laby)1.6 x 10-6atom mole fraction relative to Si=1
Solar System (Ahrens)1.61 x 10-6 (6.5%)atom mole fraction relative to Si=1 (% uncertainty)
Element association of Cadmium in the Mineral World
This table compares the known valid mineral species listed listed with Cadmium and the other elements listed based on the official IMA formula. Note that unlike other sections on this page this includes non-essential elements.

The first data column contains the total number of minerals listed with Cadmium and the element listed for that row.

The second data column lists this number as a percentage of all minerals listed with Cadmium.

The final data column compares this percentage against the percentage of all minerals that contain the element listed in each row.

Click on a heading to sort.
ElementValid Minerals listed with element and Cadmium% of Cd mineralsRelative to % in all minerals
Sulfur22 minerals with Cd and S64.71%193.78% higher
Oxygen18 minerals with Cd and O52.94%34.79% lower
Copper16 minerals with Cd and Cu47.06%247.77% higher
Hydrogen13 minerals with Cd and H38.24%31.21% lower
Arsenic7 minerals with Cd and As20.59%58.52% higher
Lead5 minerals with Cd and Pb14.71%36.41% higher
Antimony4 minerals with Cd and Sb11.76%105.46% higher
Chlorine3 minerals with Cd and Cl8.82%20.18% higher
Zinc3 minerals with Cd and Zn8.82%58.07% higher
Selenium3 minerals with Cd and Se8.82%228.36% higher
Silver3 minerals with Cd and Ag8.82%125.16% higher
Phosphorus2 minerals with Cd and P5.88%52.05% lower
Potassium2 minerals with Cd and K5.88%40.39% lower
Iron2 minerals with Cd and Fe5.88%73.67% lower
Bismuth2 minerals with Cd and Bi5.88%40.37% higher
Indium2 minerals with Cd and In5.88%2,063.32% higher
Fluorine1 mineral with Cd and F2.94%62.63% lower
Vanadium1 mineral with Cd and V2.94%38.91% lower
Manganese1 mineral with Cd and Mn2.94%74.78% lower
Germanium1 mineral with Cd and Ge2.94%317.91% higher
Carbon1 mineral with Cd and C2.94%63.94% lower
Aluminium1 mineral with Cd and Al2.94%85.22% lower
Calcium1 mineral with Cd and Ca2.94%88.19% lower
Tin1 mineral with Cd and Sn2.94%61.30% higher
Periodic Table
1H 2He
3Li 4Be 5B 6C 7N 8O 9F 10Ne
11Na 12Mg 13Al 14Si 15P 16S 17Cl 18Ar
19K 20Ca 21Sc 22Ti 23V 24Cr 25Mn 26Fe 27Co 28Ni 29Cu 30Zn 31Ga 32Ge 33As 34Se 35Br 36Kr
37Rb 38Sr 39Y 40Zr 41Nb 42Mo 43Tc 44Ru 45Rh 46Pd 47Ag 48Cd 49In 50Sn 51Sb 52Te 53I 54Xe
55Cs 56Ba 57La 72Hf 73Ta 74W 75Re 76Os 77Ir 78Pt 79Au 80Hg 81Tl 82Pb 83Bi 84Po 85At 86Rn
87Fr 88Ra 89Ac 104Rd 105Db 106Sg 107Bh 108Hs 109Mt 110Ds 111Rg 112Cn 113Nh 114Fl 115Mc 116Lv 117Ts 118Og
 
58Ce 59Pr 60Nd 61Pm 62Sm 63Eu 64Gd 65Tb 66Dy 67Ho 68Er 69Tm 70Yb 71Lu
90Th 91Pa 92U 93Np 94Pu 95Am 96Cm 97Bk 98Cf 99Es 100Fm 101Md 102No 103Lr
Default Categories CPK Electronegativity Atomic Radius Lowest Oxidation Highest Oxidation Crustal Abundance Goldschmidt Mineral Species Minerals with Cd Relative Frequency
Silver << Cadmium >> Indium


Most widespread minerals containing Cadmium
This list of minerals containing Cadmium is built from the mindat.org locality database. This is based on the number of localities entered for mineral species and is therefore slanted towards minerals interesting to collectors with less coverage of common rock-forming-minerals so it does not give an undistorted distribution of Cadmium mineral species. It is more useful when comparing rare species rather than common species.
NameFormulaCrystal SystemMindat Localities
GreenockiteCdSHexagonal879
HawleyiteCdSIsometric79
RamdohritePb5.9Fe0.1Mn0.1In0.1Cd0.2Ag2.8Sb10.8S24Monoclinic44
OtaviteCdCO3Trigonal36
NiedermayriteCdCu4(SO4)2(OH)6 · 4H2OMonoclinic12
ČernýiteCu2CdSnS4Tetragonal10
Native CadmiumCdHexagonal9
Tetrahedrite-(Cd)Cu6(Cu4Cd2)Sb4S12SIsometric8
CadmoseliteCdSeHexagonal8
MonteponiteCdOIsometric6
Photos
01014120017272027492361.jpg
Greenockite, etc.

Aurora Mining District, Lawrence County, Missouri, USA
06818220017271923607056.jpg
Hawleyite

Nagy-Lápafő area, Parádsasvár, Pétervására District, Heves County, Hungary
05900580017271926128856.jpg
Ramdohrite

Chocaya-Animas mining district, Atocha Municipality, Sud Chichas Province, Potosí, Bolivia
01639200017271925626986.jpg
Otavite

Su Elzu, Ozieri, Sassari Province, Sardinia, Italy
05121660017368262001266.jpg
Greenockite, etc.

Aurora Mining District, Lawrence County, Missouri, USA
07835890017770739224362.jpg
Hawleyite

Nagy-Lápafő area, Parádsasvár, Pétervására District, Heves County, Hungary
02766720017372340001091.jpg
Ramdohrite

Chocaya-Animas mining district, Atocha Municipality, Sud Chichas Province, Potosí, Bolivia
04307230017362162014947.jpg
Otavite

Su Elzu, Ozieri, Sassari Province, Sardinia, Italy
01014120017272027492361.jpg
Greenockite, etc.

Aurora Mining District, Lawrence County, Missouri, USA
06818220017271923607056.jpg
Hawleyite

Nagy-Lápafő area, Parádsasvár, Pétervására District, Heves County, Hungary
05900580017271926128856.jpg
Ramdohrite

Chocaya-Animas mining district, Atocha Municipality, Sud Chichas Province, Potosí, Bolivia
01639200017271925626986.jpg
Otavite

Su Elzu, Ozieri, Sassari Province, Sardinia, Italy

Localities with greatest number of different Cadmium mineral species
1Esperanza Mine, Kaminiza mines, Km 3, Lavreotiki, East Attica, Attica, Greece11 Cd minerals
2Tsumeb Mine (Ongopolo Mine), Tsumeb, Oshikoto Region, Namibia10 Cd minerals
3Block 14 opencut, Broken Hill, Broken Hill district, Yancowinna Co., New South Wales, Australia8 Cd minerals
4Sounion Mine No. 19, Cato Sounio mines, Sounion, Lavreotiki, East Attica, Attica, Greece5 Cd minerals
Berenguela mining district, José Manuel Pando Province, La Paz, Bolivia5 Cd minerals
6Kelly Mine, Magdalena Mining District, Socorro County, New Mexico, USA4 Cd minerals
7Niujiaotang Cd-Zn deposit, Duyun County, Qiannan, Guizhou, China4 Cd minerals
8Kudriavy Volcano, Iturup Island, Kurilsky District, Kuril Islands, Sakhalin Oblast, Russia4 Cd minerals


Important ores of Cadmium
The primary ore of cadmium is the zinc mineral sphalerite - in which cadmium is often a small, but significant, impurity.
NameFormulaCrystal System
SphaleriteZnSIsometric
Photos
09431020017271926682279.jpg
Sphalerite, etc.

Lengenbach Quarry, Fäld, Binn, Goms, Valais, Switzerland
09499810017271926745335.jpg
Sphalerite

Flamboro Quarry, West Flamborough Township, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
05644890017271926718662.jpg
Sphalerite, etc.

Dalnegorsk, Dalnegorsk Urban District, Primorsky Krai, Russia
00213620017684893435478.jpg
Sphalerite

Inagotable claim, La Providencia Mines, Andara mining district, Camaleño, Cantabria, Spain
03414030017864941827721.jpg
Sphalerite, etc.

Lengenbach Quarry, Fäld, Binn, Goms, Valais, Switzerland
09499810017271926745335.jpg
Sphalerite

Flamboro Quarry, West Flamborough Township, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
05644890017271926718662.jpg
Sphalerite, etc.

Dalnegorsk, Dalnegorsk Urban District, Primorsky Krai, Russia
07676330017684893419089.jpg
Sphalerite

Inagotable claim, La Providencia Mines, Andara mining district, Camaleño, Cantabria, Spain
09431020017271926682279.jpg
Sphalerite, etc.

Lengenbach Quarry, Fäld, Binn, Goms, Valais, Switzerland
09382890017271953363162.jpg
Sphalerite

Flamboro Quarry, West Flamborough Township, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
08522050017271926816538.jpg
Sphalerite, etc.

Dalnegorsk, Dalnegorsk Urban District, Primorsky Krai, Russia
01489260017684912706834.jpg
Sphalerite

Inagotable claim, La Providencia Mines, Andara mining district, Camaleño, Cantabria, Spain


Other significant minerals containing Cadmium
NameFormulaCrystal System
GreenockiteCdSHexagonal
HawleyiteCdSIsometric
Photos
00025710017701246291819.jpg
Greenockite

Bishopton tunnel, Bishopton, Renfrewshire, Scotland, UK
03733940017271923635645.jpg
Hawleyite

Keno Hill, Mayo mining district, Yukon, Canada
02237380017271929597682.jpg
Greenockite, etc.

Prospect Park Quarry, Prospect Park, Passaic County, New Jersey, USA
04589830017271923671832.jpg
Hawleyite

Mount Hope mine, Mount Hope Mining District, Eureka County, Nevada, USA
00025710017701246291819.jpg
Greenockite

Bishopton tunnel, Bishopton, Renfrewshire, Scotland, UK
07331960017362063806749.jpg
Hawleyite

Keno Hill, Mayo mining district, Yukon, Canada
09474330017362063806268.jpg
Greenockite, etc.

Prospect Park Quarry, Prospect Park, Passaic County, New Jersey, USA
03375220017362063829012.jpg
Hawleyite

Mount Hope mine, Mount Hope Mining District, Eureka County, Nevada, USA
04838700017701271207791.jpg
Greenockite

Bishopton tunnel, Bishopton, Renfrewshire, Scotland, UK
03733940017271923635645.jpg
Hawleyite

Keno Hill, Mayo mining district, Yukon, Canada
02237380017271929597682.jpg
Greenockite, etc.

Prospect Park Quarry, Prospect Park, Passaic County, New Jersey, USA
04589830017271923671832.jpg
Hawleyite

Mount Hope mine, Mount Hope Mining District, Eureka County, Nevada, USA
 
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