Mineralogy Database

Cinnabar Mineral Data

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General Cinnabar Information

Help on Chemical Formula: Chemical Formula: HgS
Help on Composition: Composition: Molecular Weight = 232.66 gm
   Mercury  86.22 %  Hg
   Sulfur   13.78 %  S
           ______ 
           100.00 % 
Help on Empirical Formula: Empirical Formula: HgS
Help on Environment: Environment: Low temperature hydrothermal solutions in veins.
Help on IMA Status: IMA Status: Valid Species (Pre-IMA) 800
Help on Locality: Locality: Almaden, Spain. Link to MinDat.org Location Data.
Help on Name Origin: Name Origin: Of uncertain original meaning, from the Latin, cinnabaris.
Help on Name Pronunciation: Name Pronunciation: Cinnabar Say CINNABAR
Help on Synonym: Synonym: Cinabre
  ICSD 70054
  PDF 42-1408
  Zinnober
 

Cinnabar Image

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  Cinnabar

Comments: Red single hexagonal (Trigonal) crystal of cinnabar on dolomite.
Location: Fenghuang, Hunan Province, Peoples Republic of China. Scale: Crystal size 1 cm.
© Dave Barthelmy
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  Edoylerite   Cinnabar

Comments: Yellow prismatic crystals of edoylerite with red cinnabar.
Location: Clear Creek Claim (Clear Creek Mine), New Idria district, San Benito Co., California, USA. Scale: Picture size 1 mm.
© Thomas Witzke / Abraxas-Verlag

Cinnabar Crystallography
Help on Axial Ratios: Axial Ratios: a:c = 1:2.2885
Help on Cell Dimensions: Cell Dimensions: a = 4.149, c = 9.495, Z = 3; V = 141.55 Den(Calc)= 8.19
Help on Crystal System: Crystal System: Trigonal - Trapezohedral H-M Symbol (3 2) Space Group: P 3121,P 3221
Help on X Ray Diffraction: X Ray Diffraction: By Intensity(I/Io): 3.35(1), 2.863(0.95), 1.98(0.35),
Help on Forms: Forms:

Mouse
Dbl Clk - Start-Stop Rotation
RMB - Cycle Display Modes
Drag1 - Manipulate Crystal
Drag2 - Resize
Keyboard
S - Stereo
I - Indicies
<space> - Start-Stop Rotation
F - Fit to Screen
M - Menu
Help on Above

Forms: ( 1 0 0) ( 2 0 5)

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Physical Properties of Cinnabar

Help on Cleavage: Cleavage: {1010} Perfect
Help on Color: Color: Lead gray, Brown, Brown pink, Vermilion, Gray.
Help on Density: Density: 8.1
Help on Diaphaneity: Diaphaneity: Transparent to translucent to opaque
Help on Fracture: Fracture: Brittle - Sectile - Brittle fracture with slightly sectile shavings possible.
Help on Habit: Habit: Disseminated - Occurs in small, distinct particles dispersed in matrix.
Help on Habit: Habit: Druse - Crystal growth in a cavity which results in numerous crystal tipped surfaces.
Help on Habit: Habit: Massive - Uniformly indistinguishable crystals forming large masses.
Help on Hardness: Hardness: 2-2.5 - Gypsum-Finger Nail
Help on Luminescence: Luminescence: Non-fluorescent.
Help on Luster: Luster: Adamantine
Help on Streak: Streak: bright red
 

Optical Properties of Cinnabar

Help on Dichroism (e): Dichroism (e): cochineal red.
Help on Dichroism (w): Dichroism (w): cochineal red.
Help on Optical Data: Optical Data: Uniaxial (+), w=2.905, e=3.256, bire=0.3510.
Help on RL Anisotrophism: RL Anisotrophism: High.
Help on Reflectivity Reflectivity
Standardized Intensity (100%) Reflection Spectra of Cinnabar in Air
λ R1 R2  ∑ R1(λ)   ∑ R2(λ) 
 400 nm   36.30   37.80 
   
 420 nm   34.40   35.60 
 440 nm   32.50   33.20 
 460 nm   31.20   31.80 
 480 nm   30.30   30.90 
 500 nm   29.60   30.20 
 520 nm   28.90   29.70 
 540 nm   28.40   29.20 
 560 nm   28.00   28.80 
 580 nm   27.70   28.50 
 600 nm   27.50   28.30 
 620 nm   27.20   28.00 
 640 nm   26.90   27.70 
 660 nm   26.60   27.40 
 680 nm   26.30   27.00 
 700 nm   26.20   26.80 
Calculated Relative Intensity Colors of Cinnabar in Air
Relative
Intensity		    0%   40%   80% 100% 120% 160% 200% 240% 280% 320%
R1                    
R2                    
 

Calculated Properties of Cinnabar

Help on Electron Density: Electron Density: Bulk Density (Electron Density)=6.76 gm/cc
note: Specific Gravity of Cinnabar =8.19 gm/cc.
Help on Fermion Index: Fermion Index: Fermion Index = 0.26
Boson Index = 0.74
Help on Photoelectric: Photoelectric: PECinnabar =1,479.61 barns/electron
U=PECinnabar x rElectron Density=10000.42 barns/cc.
Help on Radioactivity: Radioactivity: GRapi = 0 (Gamma Ray American Petroleum Institute Units)
Cinnabar is Not Radioactive
 

Cinnabar Classification
Help on Dana Class: Dana Class: 02.08.14.01 (02)Sulfides - Including Selenides and Tellurides
  (02.08)where Am Bn Xp, with (m+n):p=1:1
  (02.08.14)Dana Group
 
02.08.14.01 Cinnabar HgS P 3121,P 3221 3 2
Help on Strunz Class: Strunz Class: 02.CD.15a 02 - SULFIDES and SULFOSALTS (sulfides, selenides, tellurides; arsenides, antimonides, bismuthides; sulfarsenites, sulf
  02.C - Metal Sulfides, M:S = 1:1 (and similar)
  02.CD -With Sn, Pb, Hg, etc.
 
02.CD.15a Cinnabar HgS P 3121,P 3221 3 2
 

Other Cinnabar Information
Help on References: References: NAME( Sinkankas66) PHYS. PROP.(Enc. of Minerals,2nd ed.,1990) OPTIC PROP.(AntBidBlaNic1)
Help on See Also: See Also: Links to other databases for Cinnabar :
1 - Am. Min. Crystal Structure Database
2 - Amethyst Galleries' Mineral Gallery
3 - Athena
4 - GeoScienceWorld
5 - Glendale Community College
6 - Google Images
7 - Google Scholar
8 - Handbook of Mineralogy (MinSocAm)
9 - Handbook of Mineralogy (UofA)
10 - MinDAT
11 - Mineral of the Month
12 - Mineralienatlas (Deutsch)
13 - Online Mineral Museum
14 - Philatelic Mineralogy
15 - QUT Mineral Atlas
16 - Ruff.Info
17 - WWW-MINCRYST
18 - theimage

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Cinnabar

HgS
Dana No: 02.08.14.01 Strunz No: 02.CD.15a
Locality:

 

Notes:

 
 
   
 

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