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Metacinnabar

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Big Photo

Mount Diablo Mine (Mt. Diablo Mine; Diablo Mine; Ryne Mine), Mount Diablo (Mt Diablo), Mount Diablo State Park, Clayton, Diablo Range, Contra Costa Co., California, USA
© O. Dziallas

Show Metacinnabar Photos (34)



Formula:
HgS
System:IsometricHardness:3
Member of:Sphalerite Group
Polymorph of:Cinnabar, Hypercinnabar
This page provides mineralogical data about Metacinnabar.

Classification of Metacinnabar

IMA status:Valid - first described prior to 1959 (pre-IMA) - "Grandfathered"
Strunz 8th edition ID:2/C.01-30
Nickel-Strunz 10th (pending) edition ID:2.CB.05a

2 : SULFIDES and SULFOSALTS (sulfides, selenides, tellurides; arsenides, antimonides, bismuthides; sulfarsenites, sulfantimonites, sulfbismuthites, etc.)
C : Metal Sulfides, M: S = 1: 1 (and similar)
B : With Zn, Fe, Cu, Ag, etc.
Dana 8th edition ID:2.8.2.3

2 : SULFIDES
8 : AmXp, with m:p = 1:1
Hey's CIM Ref.:3.5.3

3 : Sulphides, Selenides, Tellurides, Arsenides and Bismuthides (except the arsenides, antimonides and bismuthides of Cu, Ag and Au, which are included in Section 1)
5 : Sulphides etc. of Hg and Tl
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Type Occurrence of Metacinnabar

Type Locality:Redington Mine (Boston Mine; Knoxville Mine; Excellsior Mine), Knoxville, Knoxville District, Napa Co., California, USA

Physical Properties of Metacinnabar

Hardness (Mohs):3

Crystallography of Metacinnabar

Crystal System:Isometric
Class (H-M):4 3m - Hextetrahedral
Space Group:F4 3m
Cell Parameters:a = 5.8717(5) Å
Unit Cell Volume:V 202.44 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Z:4
Crystal Atlas:
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Metacinnabar - {211}, modified

About Crystal Atlas

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X-Ray Powder Diffraction:
d-spacingIntensity
3.378 (100)
2.926 (35)
2.068 (55)
1.7644 (45)
1.6891 (10)
1.3424 (12)
1.3085 (10)

Chemical Properties of Metacinnabar

Formula:
HgS
Essential elements:Hg, S
All elements listed in formula:Hg, S

Relationship of Metacinnabar to other Species

Member of:Sphalerite Group
Other Members of Group:

- +
Related Minerals - Nickel-Strunz Grouping):

- +
2.CB.05aColoradoite
HgTe
2.CB.05aHawleyite
CdS
2.CB.05cPolhemusite
(Zn,Hg)S
2.CB.05bSakuraiite
(Cu,Zn,Fe)
 
3
(In,Sn)S
 
4
2.CB.05aSphalerite
ZnS
2.CB.05aStilleite
ZnSe
2.CB.05aTiemannite
HgSe
2.CB.05UM1998-15-S:CuFeZn
Cu
 
2
Fe
 
3
Zn
 
5
S
 
10
2.CB.05aRudashevskyite
(Fe,Zn)S
2.CB.10aChalcopyrite
CuFeS
 
2
2.CB.10aEskebornite
CuFeSe
 
2
2.CB.10aGallite
CuGaS
 
2
2.CB.10bHaycockite
Cu
 
4
Fe
 
5
S
 
8
2.CB.10aLenaite
AgFeS
 
2
2.CB.10bMooihoekite
Cu
 
9
Fe
 
9
S
 
16
2.CB.10bPutoranite
Cu
 
9
(Fe,Ni)
 
9
S
 
16
2.CB.10aRoquesite
CuInS
 
2
2.CB.10bTalnakhite
Cu
 
9
(Fe,Ni)
 
8
S
 
16
2.CB.10aLaforêtite
AgInS
 
2
2.CB.15aČernýite
Cu
 
2
(Cd,Zn,Fe)SnS
 
4
2.CB.15aFerrokesterite
Cu
 
2
(Fe,Zn)SnS
 
4
2.CB.15aHocartite
Ag
 
2
(Fe
2+
 
,Zn)SnS
 
4
2.CB.15aIdaite
Cu
 
5
FeS
 
6
2.CB.15aKesterite
Cu
 
2
(Zn,Fe)SnS
 
4
2.CB.15aKuramite
Cu
 
3
SnS
 
4
2.CB.15bMohite
Cu
 
2
SnS
 
3
2.CB.15aPirquitasite
Ag
 
2
ZnSnS
 
4
2.CB.15aStannite
Cu
 
2
(Fe,Zn)SnS
 
4
2.CB.15cStannoidite
Cu
+
6
Cu
2+
2
(Fe
2+
 
,Zn)
 
3
Sn
 
2
S
 
12
2.CB.15aVelikite
(Cu,Hg)
 
11
Sn
 
4
S
 
16
2.CB.15cUM2006-11-S:CuFeGeZn
Cu
 
8
(Fe,Zn)
 
3
Ge
 
2
S
 
12
 (?)
2.CB.20Chatkalite
Cu
 
6
FeSn
 
2
S
 
8
2.CB.20Mawsonite
Cu
 
6
Fe
 
2
SnS
 
8
2.CB.30Colusite
Cu
 
26
V
 
2
(As,Sn,Sb)
 
6
S
 
32
2.CB.30Germanite
Cu
 
13
Fe
 
2
Ge
 
2
S
 
16
2.CB.30Germanocolusite
Cu
 
26
V
 
2
(Ge,As)
 
6
S
 
32
2.CB.30Nekrasovite
Cu
 
26
V
 
2
(Sn,As,Sb)
 
6
S
 
32
2.CB.30Stibiocolusite
Cu
 
13
V
 
4
(Sb,Sn,As)
 
3
S
 
16
2.CB.30Ovamboite
Cu
 
20
(Fe,Cu,Zn)
 
6
W
 
2
Ge
 
6
S
 
32
2.CB.30Maikainite
Cu
 
20
(Fe,Cu)
 
6
Mo
 
2
Ge
 
6
S
 
32
2.CB.35aHemusite
Cu
 
6
SnMoS
 
8
2.CB.35aKiddcreekite
Cu
 
6
SnWS
 
8
2.CB.35aPolkovicite
(Fe,Pb)
 
3
(Ge,Fe)
 
1-x
S
 
4
2.CB.35aRenierite
(Cu,Zn)
 
11
(Ge,As)
 
2
Fe
 
4
S
 
16
2.CB.35aVinciennite
Cu
+
7
Cu
2+
3
Fe
2+
2
Fe
3+
2
Sn(As,Sb)S
 
16
2.CB.35aMorozeviczite
(Pb,Fe)
 
3
Ge
 
1-x
S
 
4
2.CB.35bCatamarcaite
Cu
 
6
GeWS
 
8
2.CB.40Lautite
CuAsS
2.CB.45Cadmoselite
CdSe
2.CB.45Greenockite
CdS
2.CB.45Wurtzite
(Zn,Fe)S
2.CB.45Rambergite
MnS
2.CB.55aCubanite
CuFe
 
2
S
 
3
2.CB.55bIsocubanite
CuFe
 
2
S
 
3
2.CB.60Picotpaulite
TlFe
 
2
S
 
3
2.CB.60Raguinite
TlFeS
 
2
2.CB.65Argentopyrite
AgFe
 
2
S
 
3
2.CB.65Sternbergite
AgFe
 
2
S
 
3
2.CB.70Sulvanite
Cu
 
3
VS
 
4
2.CB.75Vulcanite
CuTe
2.CB.80Empressite
AgTe
2.CB.85Muthmannite
AuAgTe
 
2
Related Minerals - Hey's Index Grouping:

- +
3.5.1Cinnabar
HgS
3.5.2Hypercinnabar
HgS
3.5.4Imiterite
Ag
 
2
HgS
 
2
3.5.5Tiemannite
HgSe
3.5.6Balkanite
Cu
 
9
Ag
 
5
HgS
 
8
3.5.7Danielsite
(Cu,Ag)
 
14
HgS
 
8
3.5.8Coloradoite
HgTe
3.5.9Gortdrumite
(Cu,Fe)
 
6
Hg
 
2
S
 
5
3.5.10Polhemusite
(Zn,Hg)S
3.5.11Carlinite
Tl
 
2
S
3.5.12Crookesite
Cu
 
7
(Tl, Ag)Se
 
4
3.5.13Sabatierite
Cu
 
6
TlSe
 
4
3.5.14Picotpaulite
TlFe
 
2
S
 
3
3.5.15Raguinite
TlFeS
 
2
3.5.16Thalcusite
Tl
 
2
Cu
 
3
FeS
 
4
3.5.17Bukovite
Tl
 
2
(Cu,Fe)
 
4
Se
 
4
3.5.18Gallite
CuGaS
 
2
3.5.19Roquesite
CuInS
 
2
3.5.20Indite
FeIn
 
2
S
 
4

Other Names for Metacinnabar

Synonyms:
Metacinnabarite
Other Languages:
German:Aethiops Mineral
Metacinnabarit
Russian:Метациннабарит
Simplified Chinese:黑辰砂
Varieties:
GuadalcazariteKittliteLeviglianiteOnofriteSaukovite
Selenian Metacinnabar

Other Information

Health Warning:Contains mercury - always wash hands after handling. Avoid inhaling dust when breaking. Never lick or ingest. Do not heat in unventilated environment - emits toxic Hg fumes.

References for Metacinnabar

Reference List:

- +
Penfield, Samuel Lewis (1892), Notes on the crystallography of metacinnabarite: American Journal of Science, 3rd. series: 44: 383.

Lehmann, W.M. (1924), Rontgenographische Untersuchungen an naturlichem und synthetischem Metacinnabarit (HgS): Zeitschr. Kristallographie, Band 60: 379-413; …Mineralogical Abstracts: 2: 510-511 (1925).

Palache, Charles, Harry Berman & Clifford Frondel (1944), The System of Mineralogy of James Dwight Dana and Edward Salisbury Dana Yale University 1837-1892, Volume I: Elements, Sulfides, Sulfosalts, Oxides. John Wiley and Sons, Inc., New York. 7th edition, revised and enlarged, 834pp.: 215-217.

American Mineralogist (1959): 44: 471.

Internet Links for Metacinnabar

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  • Metacinnabar details from Handbook of Mineralogy (PDF)
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    • Localities for Metacinnabar

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    Locality Updated: Bozrah, New London Co., Connecticut, USAFrom Harold Moritz, 17th Feb 2012 23:05:12