Metacinnabar Mineral Data

Metacinnabar Mineral Data +

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General Metacinnabar Information

Chemical Formula:

HgS

Composition:

Molecular Weight = 232.66 gm

Mercury 86.22 % Hg

Sulfur 13.78 % S

______

100.00 %

Empirical Formula:

HgS

Environment:

Found with cinnabar in mercury deposits formed in near-surface, under low-temperature conditions.

IMA Status:

Valid Species (Pre-IMA) 1870

Locality:

Redington mine, Knoxville, Hapa Co., California. Link to MinDat.org Location Data.

Name Origin:

From the Greek meta and cinnabar (similar chemical composition and association with cinnabar).

Synonym:

Guadalcazarite(Zn)

ICSD 24094

Onofrite(Se)

PDF 6-261

Saukovite(Cd)

Metacinnabar Image

Images:

Metacinnabar

Comments: Spherical metacinnabar crystals on quartz.
Location: Mt. Diablo mine, Contra Costa County, California, USA. Scale: Not Given.
© Lou Perloff / Photo Atlas of Minerals

Metacinnabar Crystallography

Cell Dimensions:

a = 5.853, Z = 4; V = 200.51 Den(Calc)= 7.71

Crystal System:

Isometric - HextetrahedralH-M Symbol (4 3m) Space Group: F43m

$Help on X Ray Diffraction:$ X Ray Diffraction:

By Intensity(I/I_o): 3.38(1), 2.068(0.55), 1.7644(0.45),

Forms:

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Forms: [ 1 1 1] [ 1 1 1] [ 1 1 2] [ 0 0 1]

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Crystal Structure:

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Wyckoff R W G , Crystal Structures , 1 (1963) p.85-237, Second edition. Interscience Publishers, New York, New York, Note: ZnS structure, sphalerite structure

Physical Properties of Metacinnabar

Cleavage:

None

Color:

Black, Gray black.

Density:

7.7 - 7.8, Average = 7.75

Diaphaniety:

Opaque

Fracture:

Uneven - Flat surfaces (not cleavage) fractured in an uneven pattern.

Habit:

Encrustations - Forms crust-like aggregates on matrix.

Habit:

Granular - Generally occurs as anhedral to subhedral crystals in matrix.

Hardness:

3 - Calcite

Luminescence:

None.

Luster:

Metallic

Magnetism:

Nonmagnetic

Streak:

black

Optical Properties of Metacinnabar

RL Anisotrophism:

Very weak, occasionally.

RL Color:

Grayish white.

RL Pleochroism:

Weak, occasionally.

Calculated Properties of Metacinnabar

Electron Density:

r_electron=6.36 gm/cc
note: r_Metacinnabar=7.71 gm/cc.

Fermion Index

Fermion Index = 0.26141
Boson Index = 0.73859

Photoelectric:

PE_Metacinnabar=1,479.61 barns/electron
U=PE_Metacinnabar x r_electron=9,414.31 barns/cc.

Radioactivity:

GRapi = 0 (Gamma Ray American Petroleum Institute Units)

Metacinnabar is Not Radioactive

Metacinnabar Classification

Dana Class:

2.8.2.3 (2)Sulfides - Including Selenides and Tellurides

(2.8)where Am Bn Xp, with (m+n):p=1:1

(2.8.2)Sphalerite Group (Isometric: F4¯3m)

2.8.2.1 Sphalerite (Zn,Fe)S F43m 4 3m

2.8.2.2 Stilleite ZnSe F43m 4 3m

2.8.2.3 Metacinnabar HgS F43m 4 3m

2.8.2.4 Tiemannite HgSe F43m 4 3m

2.8.2.5 Coloradoite HgTe F43m 4 3m

2.8.2.6 Hawleyite CdS F43m 4 3m

Strunz Class:

II/C.01-30 II - Sulfides and sulphosalts

II/C - Sulfides with metal: sulfur, selenium and tellurium = 1:1

II/C.01 - Sphalerite group and related compounds (with Leutite)

II/C.01-10 Sphalerite (Zn,Fe)S F43m 4 3m

II/C.01-20 Hawleyite CdS F43m 4 3m

II/C.01-30 Metacinnabar HgS F43m 4 3m

II/C.01-40 Stilleite ZnSe F43m 4 3m

II/C.01-50 Tiemannite HgSe F43m 4 3m

II/C.01-60 Coloradoite HgTe F43m 4 3m

II/C.01-70 Polhemusite (Zn,Hg)S P 4/n 4/m

Other Metacinnabar Information

References:

NAME( Duda&Rejl90) PHYS. PROP.(Enc. of Minerals,2nd ed.,1990) OPTIC PROP.(AntBidBlaNic1)

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Metacinnabar

HgS
Dana No: 2.8.2.3 Strunz No: II/C.01-30
Locality:

Notes: