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Identity HelpUnknown red specimens

22nd Nov 2016 14:20 UTCSantana Remalia

Slightly different base minerals but i believe their the same red crystal id like to identify.

22nd Nov 2016 14:27 UTCSantana Remalia

Perhaps they are different.

Chondrodite and cinnabar maybe?

22nd Nov 2016 16:23 UTCAlan Barnes (2)

Where is it from? A locality for the specimen will help a lot in determining what the red crystals are. The white crystals look like calcite or dolomite to me.

Alan

22nd Nov 2016 17:19 UTCSantana Remalia

Locality is unknown

22nd Nov 2016 17:37 UTCThomas Lühr Expert

MAY (!) be red sphalerite?

The white crystal look more like dolomite to me, rather than calcite, but calcite is also possible.

22nd Nov 2016 18:04 UTCD. Peck

Santana, will the tip of a knife or a steel needle scratch a red crystal (a small scratch in an inconspicuous place)? If so, what is the color of the powder that it produces? A red powder means the mineral's streak is red, as is that of cinnabar.

Do you have a short length of copper wire? Will an end scratch a crystal? If it does, the mineral is softer than about 3.5, as is cinnabar (2 to 2.5).

You could drop one or two drops of vinegar on the white mineral. If it is calcite it will fizz. Dolomite will not. Dolomite crystal faces are often slightly curved while calcite are always, I think, flat.

There is a nice quartz crystal in there, too. (right side of second photo)

22nd Nov 2016 22:20 UTCEd Clopton 🌟 Expert

These crystals look more transparent and less "densely" red than cinnabar. Without seeing them in person I would lean toward Thomas's red sphalerite suggestion. These crystals are clearer also than most sphalerite, but some of them have the right crystal form, and a few small dings indicate that they are fairly soft. The red color of some crystals on the second specimen has a slightly brownish cast that would be consistent with sphalerite, as would the associated dolomite. However, I don't see evidence on broken crystals of the perfect cleavage one would expect on sphalerite that is this well crystallized. An interesting piece, whatever it is.

22nd Nov 2016 22:38 UTCReiner Mielke Expert

If it is cinnabar and you powder a piece it will give a red powder, sphalerite will yield a white powder.

24th Nov 2016 13:48 UTCPeter Slootweg 🌟

The upper specimen looks like "Ruby jack" red sphalerite on calcite covered breccia. The association with the grey breccia makes me think its from Elmwood, USA.

The second photo is a Chinese cinnaber on dolomite matrix, no doubt about it. I could not see the third photo. I hope this helps.

Peter

24th Nov 2016 14:07 UTCWayne Corwin

Peter

Right click on third photo and choose .. "Show Picture" ;-) usually works for me.

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