Mindat Logo
Home Page Log In Message Board The Mindat Directory
Register Search Pages Chat Now! (2 online) Mindat Auctions

Chlorargyrite

Big Photo

South pit, Gold Hill Mine (Western Utah Mine), Gold Hill, Gold Hill District (Clifton District), Deep Creek Mts, Tooele Co., Utah, USA
© Brent Thorne

Show Chlorargyrite Photos (122)
Formula:
AgCl
System:IsometricColour:Colourless (fresh); ...
Lustre:Adamantine, Resinous, WaxyHardness:1½ - 2½
Name:In allusion to the composition, containing CHLORine and silver (Latin: ARGentum).


Chlorargyrite Group

Classification of Chlorargyrite

IMA status:Approved
Strunz 8th edition ID:3/A.02-50
Nickel-Strunz 10th (pending) edition ID:3.AA.15

3 : HALIDES
A : Simple halides, without H2O
A : M:X = 1:1, 2:3, 3:5, etc.
Dana 7th edition ID:9.1.4.1
Dana 8th edition ID:9.1.4.1

9 : NORMAL HALIDES
1 : AX
Hey's CIM Ref.:8.3.1

8 : Halides - Fluorides, Chlorides, Bromides and Iodides; also Fluoborates and Fluosilicates
3 : Halides of Ag
mindat.org URL:http://www.mindat.org/min-1014.html
Please feel free to link to this page.

Type Occurrence of Chlorargyrite

Type Locality:Marienberg District, Erzgebirge, Saxony, Germany
Year of Discovery:1565

Occurrences of Chlorargyrite

Geological Setting:Oxidized zone of silver deposits, especially in arid regions.

Physical Properties of Chlorargyrite

Lustre:Adamantine, Resinous, Waxy
Diaphaneity (Transparency):Transparent, Translucent
Colour:Colourless (fresh); bright chartreuse-green, light yellow, light green, grey; becoming violet-brown on exposure to light.
Streak:White
Hardness (Mohs):1½ - 2½
Tenacity:Sectile
Cleavage:None Observed
Fracture:Irregular/Uneven, Sub-Conchoidal
Density (measured):5.556 g/cm3
Density (calculated):5.57 g/cm3

Crystallography of Chlorargyrite

Crystal System:Isometric
Class (H-M):m3m (4/m 3 2/m) - Hexoctahedral
Space Group:Fm3m {F4/m 3 2/m}
Cell Parameters:a = 5.554Å
Unit Cell Volume:V 171.32 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Z:4
Morphology:Crystals cubic, with {111} and {011}, sometimes large, and the other reported forms as small and rare modifying faces. Often parallel or subparallel groups. Massive; crusts and waxy coatings with drusy surfaces. Wax- or horn-like masses; columnar or stalactitic; rarely fibrous.
Twinning:On {111}.
X-Ray Powder Diffraction:
Image Loading

Radiation - Copper Kα
Data Set:
Horizontal Axis: ° to ° Vertical Axis: % Source Data: Filtered Data: Peaks:
Data courtesy of RRUFF project at University of Arizona, used with permission.

Optical Data of Chlorargyrite

Type:Isotropic
RI values: n = 2.071
Maximum Birefringence:δ = 0.000 - Isotropic minerals have no birefringence
Surface Relief:Very High
Type:Isotropic

Chemical Properties of Chlorargyrite

Formula:
AgCl
Essential elements:Ag, Cl
All elements listed in formula:Ag, Cl
Common Impurities:I

Relationship of Chlorargyrite to other Species

Common Associates:
SilverIodargyriteJarositeWadLimonite
BromargyriteCerussiteAtacamiteMalachitePyromorphite
Wulfenite
Related Minerals - Nickel-Strunz Grouping):

- +
3.AA.05Marshite
CuI
3.AA.05Miersite
(Ag,Cu)I
3.AA.05Nantokite
CuCl
3.AA.05UM1999-11:I:CuS
Cu(I,S)
3.AA.10Iodargyrite
AgI
3.AA.10Tocornalite
(Ag,Hg)I
3.AA.15Bromargyrite
AgBr
3.AA.20Carobbiite
KF
3.AA.20Griceite
LiF
3.AA.20Halite
NaCl
3.AA.20Sylvite
KCl
3.AA.20Villiaumite
NaF
3.AA.25Salammoniac
NH
 
4
Cl
3.AA.25UM1998-03-Cl:Tl
TlCl
3.AA.25Lafossaite
Tl(Cl,Br)
3.AA.30Calomel
Hg
 
2
Cl
 
2
3.AA.30Kuzminite
Hg
 
2
(Br,Cl)
 
2
3.AA.30Moschelite
Hg
 
2
I
 
2
3.AA.35Neighborite
NaMgF
 
3
3.AA.40Chlorocalcite
KCaCl
 
3
3.AA.45Kolarite
PbTeCl
 
2
3.AA.50Radhakrishnaite
PbTe
 
3
(Cl,S)
 
2
3.AA.55Challacolloite
KPb
 
2
Cl
 
5
3.AA.60Hephaistosite
TlPb
 
2
Cl
 
5
Related Minerals - Hey's Index Grouping:

- +
8.3.2Bromargyrite
AgBr
8.3.3Bromian Chlorargyrite
Ag(Cl,Br)
8.3.4Iodargyrite
AgI
8.3.5Miersite
(Ag,Cu)I

Other Names for Chlorargyrite

Synonyms:
ArgyroceratiteCerargeriteCerargyriteCerargyritesCorneous Silver
Horn SilverKerargyriteKerateOstwaldite
Other Languages:
French:Argent corné
Argent muriaté
Chlorure d'argent
Kerargyre
German:Argyroceratit
Cerargerit
Cerargyrit
Chlorargyrit
Chlorsilber
Chlorsilberspath
Hornerz
Hornfarbs-Silber
Hornsilber
Kerat
Ostwaldit
Silberhornerz
Silberhornspath
Silber-Kerat
Silberspath
Italian:Argent cornea
Cherargirio
Latin:Argento sulphure et arsenico mineralisatum
Argentum cornu pellucido simile
Minera argenti cornea
Russian:Хлораргирит
Spanish:Argyroceratita
Cerargerita
Cerargyrita
Chlorargyrita
Ostwaldita
Plata cornea
Swedish:Chlorsilfver
Horn-Silfver
Silfverhornmalm
Varieties:
Bromian ChlorargyriteButtermilcherzIodian Bromian Chlorargyrite

Other Information

Fluorescence in UV light:None.
Thermal Behaviour:Melts at 455°.
Health Warning:No information on health risks for this material has been entered into the database. You should always treat mineral specimens with care.
Industrial Uses:Ore of silver

References for Chlorargyrite

Reference List:Prior and Spencer (1902) Mineralogical Magazine: 13: 174.

Schrader, Stone, and Sanford (1917), USGS Bulletin 624.

Pabst (1938), California State Division of Mines Bulletin 113: 88.

Mott and Gurney (1940), Electronic Proc. in Ionic Crystals, Oxford.

Galbraith (1941), University of Arizona Bulletin 149: 24.

Gianella (1941), University of nevada Bulletin, Geology series 36: 56.

Northrop (1942), University of New Mexico Bulletin 6, no. 1: 103.

Palache, Charles, Harry Berman & Clifford Frondel (1951), The System of Mineralogy of James Dwight Dana and Edward Salisbury Dana Yale University 1837-1892, Seventh edition, Volume II: 11-15.

Internet Links for Chlorargyrite

Search Engines:
  • Look for Chlorargyrite on Google
  • Look for Chlorargyrite images on Google
    • External Links:
  • Look for Chlorargyrite on Webmineral
  • Look for Chlorargyrite on Athena Mineralogy
  • Look for Chlorargyrite on Wikipedia
  • Look for Chlorargyrite on Mineralien Atlas
  • Raman and XRD data at RRUFF project
  • American Mineralogist Crystal Structure Database
  • Search for Chlorargyrite in the Natural History Museum (London) online catalogue
  • Chlorargyrite details from Handbook of Mineralogy (PDF)
    • Mineral Dealers:
  • Rare and Unusual minerals at Mineralogical Research Company
  • DAKOTA MATRIX offers Cabinet and Rare Species from Worldwide Localities.
  • Fabre Minerals - search for Chlorargyrite specimens
  • Wendel Minerals - Auktion & Shop
  • Wilensky Fine Minerals
  • SpiriferMinerals.com - high quality specimens
  • Wright's Rock Shop - excellent mineral specimens since 1970
  • The Arkenstone - Fine Minerals
  • Buy Fine Minerals from mineralsweb.com
  • Buy Minerals and Crystals from Crystalarium.com
  • Lapis Mineral Magazin
  • Top quality minerals from Kristalle of California
    • Jobs:
  • Mining & Geology Jobs

    • Page Sponsor

    Sponsorship:This page is currently not sponsored. Click here to sponsor this page.

    Localities for Chlorargyrite

    Show Locality List (1152 Items)
    The map shows a selection of localities that have latitude and longitude coordinates recorded. Click on the symbol to view information about a locality. The symbol next to localities in the list can be used to jump to that position on the map.
    Mineral and/or Locality
    Google
     
    www.mindat.org Web
    Copyright © Jolyon Ralph and Ida Chau 1993-2009. Site Map. Locality, mineral & photograph data are the copyright of the individuals who submitted them.Further information contact the Site hosted & developed by Jolyon Ralph. Mindat.org is an online information resource dedicated to providing free mineralogical information to all. Mindat relies on the contributions of hundreds of members and supporters. If you would like to add information to improve the quality of our database, then click here to register. Current server date and time: 28th Oct 2009 23:59:24