Realgar Mineral Data
General Realgar Information
Chemical Formula:
AsS
Composition:
Molecular Weight = 106.99 gm
Arsenic 70.03 % As
Sulfur 29.97 % S
______
100.00 %
Empirical Formula:
AsS
Environment:
Common low-temperature hydrothermal vein mineral associated with As-Sb minerals.
IMA Status:
Valid Species (Pre-IMA) 1747
Locality:
Zarshuran Mine, Azarbayjan-e Khavari, Takab (Takan Tepe), Iran. Link to MinDat.org Location Data.
Name Origin:
From the Arabic, rahj al ghar, "powder of the mine;"
Name Pronunciation:
Realgar
Synonym:
ICSD 15238
PDF 41-1494
Realgar Image
Images:
Images:
Realgar
Comments: Sharp, dark red crystals of realgar to 2 cm on calcite.
Location: Hunan Province, Chin.
Scale: Crystal size 2 cm.
© John Attard
Images:
Images:
Realgar Crystallography
Axial Ratios:
a:b:c =0.6866:1:0.4855
Cell Dimensions:
a = 9.29, b = 13.53, c = 6.57, Z = 16; beta = 106.883° V = 790.22 Den(Calc)= 3.60
Crystal System:
Monoclinic - Prismatic H-M Symbol (2/m) Space Group: P 21 /n
X Ray Diffraction:
By Intensity(I/Io ): 5.4(1), 3.19(0.9), 2.73(0.8), 2.94(0.8), 1.859(0.6), 2.14(0.5), 2.49(0.5),
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Physical Properties of Realgar
Cleavage:
{010} Good
Color:
Aurora red, Orange yellow, Dark red.
Density:
3.56
Diaphaneity:
Transparent to translucent
Fracture:
Sectile - Curved shavings or scrapings produced by a knife blade, (e.g. graphite).
Habit:
Druse - Crystal growth in a cavity which results in numerous crystal tipped surfaces.
Habit:
Massive - Granular - Common texture observed in granite and other igneous rock.
Habit:
Prismatic - Crystals Shaped like Slender Prisms (e.g. tourmaline).
Hardness:
1.5-2 - Talc-Gypsum
Luminescence:
Non-fluorescent.
Luster:
Sub Metallic
Streak:
orange
Optical Properties of Realgar
Optical Data:
Biaxial (-), a=2.538, b=2.684, g=2.704, bire=0.1660, 2V(Calc)=38, 2V(Meas)=40. Dispersion r > v very strong.
Pleochroism (x):
dark red.
Pleochroism (y):
dark red.
Pleochroism (z):
orange red.
RL Anisotrophism:
Strong, in polished sections.
RL Color:
Gray white with abundant yellow to red internal reflections.
Reflectivity
Standardized Intensity (100%) Reflection Spectra of Realgar in Air
λ
R
∑ R (λ)
400 nm
23.30
420 nm
23.00
440 nm
22.70
460 nm
22.30
480 nm
21.80
500 nm
21.20
520 nm
20.60
540 nm
20.10
560 nm
19.70
580 nm
19.40
600 nm
19.10
620 nm
19.00
640 nm
18.80
660 nm
18.60
680 nm
18.50
700 nm
18.40
Calculated Relative Intensity Colors of Realgar in Air
Relative Intensity
0%
50%
100%
150%
200%
250%
300%
350%
400%
450%
460%
R
Calculated Properties of Realgar
Electron Density:
Bulk Density (Electron Density)=3.30 gm/cc note: Specific Gravity of Realgar =3.60 gm/cc.
Fermion Index:
Fermion Index = 0.0022478773 Boson Index = 0.9977521227
Photoelectric:
PERealgar = 51.07 barns/electronU=PERealgar x r Electron Density= 168.41 barns/cc.
Radioactivity:
GRapi = 0 (Gamma Ray American Petroleum Institute Units) Realgar is Not Radioactive
Realgar Classification
Dana Class:
02.08.22.01 (02) Sulfides - Including Selenides and Tellurides
(02.08) where Am Bn Xp, with (m+n):p=1:1
(02.08.22) Realgar Series
02.08.22.01 Realgar AsS P 21 /n 2/m
02.08.22.02 Pararealgar AsS P 21 /c 2/m
02.08.22.03 Uzonite As4S5 P 21 /m 2/m
02.08.22.04 Alacranite As8S9 P 2/c 2/m
Strunz Class:
02.FA.15a 02 - SULFIDES and SULFOSALTS (sulfides, selenides, tellurides; arsenides, antimonides, bismuthides; sulfarsenites, sulf
02.F - Sulfides of Arsenic, Alkalies; Sulfides with Halide, Oxide, Hydroxide, H2O
02.FA -With As, (Sb), S
02.FA.15a Realgar AsS P 21 /n 2/m
Other Realgar Information
References:
NAME( AntBidBlaNic1) PHYS. PROP.(Enc. of Minerals,2nd ed.,1990) OPTIC PROP.(AntBidBlaNic1)
See Also:
Links to other databases for Realgar :
1 - Am. Min. Crystal Structure Database
2 - Amethyst Galleries' Mineral Gallery
3 - Athena
4 - EUROmin Project
5 - Ecole des Mines de Paris
6 - Franklin Minerals(Dunn)
7 - GeoScienceWorld
8 - Glendale Community College
9 - Google Images
10 - Google Scholar
11 - Handbook of Mineralogy (MinSocAm)
12 - Handbook of Mineralogy (UofA)
13 - MinDAT
14 - Mineralienatlas (Deutsch)
15 - Online Mineral Museum
16 - Philatelic Mineralogy
17 - QUT Mineral Atlas
18 - Ruff.Info
19 - WWW-MINCRYST
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Realgar
AsS
Dana No: 02.08.22.01 Strunz No: 02.FA.15a
Locality:
Notes:
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