Arsenic
Arsenic is called from the Latin Arsenicum, earlier Greek arrenikos, or arsenikos, meaning “masculine,” an allusion to its potent properties. Arsenic is frequently known for its usage as a poison and not often known as a mineral gem or specimen. Although it has been utilised as a poison, Arsenic has numerous chemical uses and is quite a component that is very important. Arsenic is an element that is poisonous constantly clean hands after handling. Avoid dust that is inhaling handling or breaking. Never lick or ingest. Arsenic has a metallic to the lustre that is a dull tin-white colour that may tarnish to dark grey.
Arsenic belongs to the Arsenic Group of minerals that include Antimony, Arsenic and Bismuth. Arsenic is an element that is native. Indigenous element minerals are elements that occur in nature uncombined with other elements sufficient reason for a mineral structure that is distinct. An element that is native a pure substance comprising a single sort of atom. Arsenic has only arsenic (As) atoms as opposed to a mineral such as for instance Quartz that has two forms of atoms; silicon (Si) and oxygen (O) or other more complex minerals that have various kinds of atoms. Elements are split into metals, metalloids and nonmetals. Arsenic is a metalloid which means it’s an element which has properties between the metals that are typical nonmetals. The six commonly recognised metalloids are antimony, arsenic, boron, germanium, tellurium and silicon. Elements less commonly recognised as metalloids consist of aluminium, astatine, carbon, selenium and polonium.
Arsenic will not often form in its statement that is elemental and far more common as being a component in sulphides and sulfosalts such as Arsenopyrite, Orpiment, and Realgar. Native Arsenic is located in silver ore veins and is processed combined with the silver ore. Native Arsenic is normally found to really have a symmetry that is trigonal a tremendously rare orthorhombic arsenic is well known from Saxony, Germany and it is called Arsenolamprite. The two minerals are known as polymorphs (meaning many shapes) because they will have the chemistry that is same various structures.
Circulation: many localities are understood, most of the only interest that is minor. In Germany, from Freiberg, Schneeberg, Johanngeorgenstadt, Marienberg, and Annaberg, Saxony; Wolfsburg and St. Andreasberg, Harz Mountains; and Wieden, Ebony Forest. Into the Gabe-Gottes mine, Rauenthal, near Sainte-Marie-aux-Mines, Haut-Rhin, France. At Jáchymov (Joachimsthal), Príbram, and Cínovec (Zinnwald), Czech Republic. In Romania, from Sacarîmb (Nagyág), Hunyad, and Cavnic (Kapnikbánya). At Sterling Hill, Ogdensburg, Sussex County, New Jersey and Washington Camp, Santa Cruz County, Arizona, USA. In the Huallapón Mine, Pasto Bueno, Ancash Province, Peru. At Bidi, Sarawak Province, Borneo. Into the Akatani mine, Fukui Prefecture, Japan. From the Dajishan tungsten deposits, Jianxi Province, Asia.
| Chemical Formula: | As |
| Arsenic (native element) | |
| Molecular Weight: | 74.92 gm |
| Composition: | Arsenic | 100.00 % | As | ||
| 100.00 % |
| Crystallography: | Trigonal – Hexagonal Scalenohedral |
| Crystal Habit: | Commonly granular, massive, and in concentric layers; may be reticulated, reniform, stalactitic; rarely columnar or acicular; also as rhombohedra, to 1 mm. |
| Twinning: | Rare on twin plane {1014}; pressure twinning on {0112} develops delicate lamellae. |
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| Cleavage: | Perfect on {0001}, fair on {1014} |
| Fracture: | Irregular/Uneven |
| Tenacity: | Brittle |
| Moh’s Hardness: | 3.5 |
| Vicker’s Hardness: | VHN100=1081 (kg/mm2) |
| Density: | 2.74 – 2.95 (g/cm3) |
| Luminescence: | Fluoresces violet under LW UV. |
| Radioactivity: | Not Radioactive |
| Health Warning: | CAUTION: Contains Arsenic, a poisonous element – always wash hands after handling. Avoid inhaling dust when handling or breaking. Never lick or ingest. |
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| Color: | Tin-white, tarnishes to dark gray |
| Transparency: | Transparent to Translucent |
| Luster: | Metallic, sub-metallic, dull |
| Refractive Index: | R1–R2: (400) 56.0–57.5, (420) 55.1–56.8, (440) 54.2–56.2, (460) 53.3–55.8, (480) 52.7–55.7, (500) 52.4–55.7, (520) 52.0–55.7, (540) 51.7–55.7, (560) 51.5–55.6, (580) 51.2–55.4, (600) 51.0–55.2, (620) 50.8–55.0, (640) 50.6–54.9, (660) 50.5–54.8, (680) 50.4–54.7, (700) 50.4–54.6 |
| Birefringence: | 0.00 (opaque) |
| Dispersion: | n/a |
| Pleochroism: | Weak |
| Anisotropism: | Distinct; yellowish brown and light gray to yellowish gray. |
