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Crystals and Minerals Tried In Crystal Radios
Some Work Well, And Others Don't
If you have any others, email me!!

Most of the mineral below were tested with a copper wire as the "catswisker".  Some of the list is from Edgar T. Wherry's 1925 article in "The American Minerologist". Other were sent in to me or I have tested.  If there  is a "?"  mark in the bias  column, then it was done with out bias and I do not know the effects if biased.

                                    Photo of Mineral
                                         (if available)
Mineral
Catwisker
Needs bias power to work well
Good/Fair
or Poor Detector

If known

Aikinite
CuPbBiS3
Copper
?
Poor

Aguilarite
Ag2(S1, Se)
Copper
?
Fair

Alaskaite
Copper ?
Poor

Altaite
PbTe
Copper
?
Poor
angesite
Anglesite PbSO4 ?
?
Fair

Anthracite
Copper ?
Poor

Argentite
Ag2S
Copper
?
Poor

Argyrodite
Copper
?
Poor

Arsenic
As
Copper
?
Poor
arsenopyrite
Arsenopyrite
FeSAs
Copper ?
Poor
antimony
Antimony
Sb
Copper
?
Poor

Auitermanite
Pb3As2S4
Copper
?
Fair

Beegerite
Bp4Bi2S9
Copper
?
Fair

Berzelianite
Cu2Se
Copper
?
Fair
bismuth
Bismuth
Bi
Copper
?
Poor

Bismutoplagionite
Pb5Bi2S17
Copper
?
Poor
bornite
Bornite
Fe Cu4 S4
Copper ?
Poor
(by itself)

See perkon det. below

boron
Boron ?

brookite
Brookite
Copper ?
Fair
calaverite
Calaverite
AuTe2
Copper
?
Fair
anhydrite
Calcium Sulfide
(Anhydrite)
?
?

carborundum
Carborundum gold, silver, brass, copper, steel yes
cerussit
Cerussite PbCO3 ?
?

chalcocite
Chalcocite
Cu2S


? ? Fair
chalcopyrite
Chalcopyrite
Fe CuS2
Copper ?
Fair

Clausthalite
PbSe
Copper
?
Fair

Chiviatite
PbBi4S7
Copper
?
Fair
cobaltite
Cobaltite
CoCAs
Copper ?
Poor

Coloradoite
HgTe
Copper
?
Fair
covellite
Covellite
CuS
Copper
?
Poor
domeykite
Domeykite
CuAs
Copper
?
Poor

Empressite
Ag1S
Copper
?
Poor
enargite
Enargite 3Cu2S.As2S5 ? ? Good

Eucairite
CuAgSe
Copper
?
Poor
galena
Galena PbS
gold, silver, brass, copper, steel,graphite
no


Galenobismutite
PbBi2S4
Copper
?
Poor
 
Galena Steel
gold, silver, brass, copper, steel,graphite
no


Glaucodotite
CoSAs
Copper ?
Fair

Graphite
Copper ?
Fair

Guanajuatite
Bi2SSe2
Copper
?
Fair
hematite
Hematite
Copper
?
Fair

Hessite
Ag2Te
Copper
?
Fair
ILMENITE
Ilmenite
Copper ?
Poor

Lamatinite
Ci2SbS4
Copper
?
Fair

Lilanite
Bp2Bi2S4
Copper
?
Poor

Linneite
Co3S4
Copper
?
Fair
loellingite
Loellingite
Copper ?
Fair
magnetite
Magnetite
Fe2O2
Copper
?
Poor

Metacinnabarite
HgS
Copper
?
Poor
molybdenite
Molybdenite MoS2 ? ? Fair

Nagyagite
Copper
?
Poor

Naumannite
Ag2(S,Se)
Copper
?
Fair
Octahedrite
Octahedrite
TiO2
Copper ?
Fair

Onofrite
Hg(S,Se)
Copper
?
Poor

Pentlandite
(Fe, Ni) S
Copper ?
Poor

Petzite
AgAuTe2
Copper
?
Poor

Polydymite
Copper ?
Fair
psilomelane
Psilomelane
MnOOH
Copper ?
Poor
pyrite
Pyrite (Fools Gold)

(See second photo below)

gold, silver, brass, copper, steel
no

pyrrhotite
Pyrrhotite
Copper
?
Fair
pyrolusite
Pyrolusite MnO2 ? ? Fair

Rammelsbergite
NiAs2
Copper ?
Fair

Rickardite
CuS
Copper
?
Poor
silicon
Silicon
gold, gold plated, Tungston, Molly yes

Smaltite
(Safflorite
CoAs2
Copper ?
Poor
stannite
Stannite
Copper
?
Poor
stromeyerite
Stromeyerite
CuAgS
Copper
?
Fair
sylvanite
Sylvanite
AgAuTe4
Copper
?
Fair

Taenite
Fe, Ni
Copper
?
Fair






tennantite
Tennanite
Copper
?
Good
tetradymite
Tetradymite
BiSTe2
Copper
?
Poor
tetrahedrite
tetrahedrit
Tetrahedrite
Silver
yes

tiemannite
Tiemannite
HgSe
Copper
?
Fair
anatase titanium oxide
Titanium Oxide
(Anatase)
Silver Telluride
yes


Ullmannite
NiSSb
Copper ?
Poor

Zinc Oxide
ZnO
Copper
?
Good
Natural
zincite


Man made

zincite
Zincite

Copper
?
Fair

See perkon det. below


 

Three Articles On Detector Mineral.
PDF Format
They require Adobe Acrobat reader (free)



The American Minerologist August 1922 by  Roberts and Adams
Click Here

The American Minerologist August 1925 by  Edgar T. Wherry
Click Here

Crystal and Solid Contact Rectifiers by Alan Flowers
Click Here
 

Above Donated by
Dave WA4QAL
 

Common Perikon Detector Minerals
(two minerals)


 
Mineral
Zincite (natural)
Zincite (man made)

I have noticed along
with others, that the dark red works the best for a detector

 
Copper Pyrites (sulfide of copper)
Bornite (Pecock Ore)
Iron Sulfide (Pyrite)

(See second photo above)

Silicon
Molybdenum Sulfide (Molybdenite)

(See second photo above)

Chalcopyrites CuFeS2 
(used with Zincite)

(See second photo above)

If you have any others, email me!!



Crystal Radio




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