Cinnabar
Cinnabar is a mineral that is stunning intense colour in varying shades of red sufficient reason for adamantine lustre. Faceted gems are particularly unusual since Cinnabar is extremely fragile and soft. Although Cinnabar is found at several locations worldwide, the way to obtain the planet’s finest Cinnabar crystals is Hunan Province, China. The most common use of Cinnabar happens to be in carved lacquerware that is Chinese a technique that might have originated into the Song Dynasty. This has been used by the Chinese for centuries to produce a pigment that is red is used to carved objects similar up to a lacquer. The toxic pigment is replaced by a resin-based polymer that approximates the look of the pigmented lacquer in the modern precious jewellery industry. Cinnabar ended up being also mined by the Roman Empire for its mercury content plus it was the one that is primarily of through the centuries. Some mines used by the Romans are still being today that is mined.
Because of its mercury content, Cinnabar may be toxic to beings which can be human. Overexposure to mercury, called mercurialism, was considered by the ancient Romans as a disease that is occupational miners. Mining in the Spanish Cinnabar mines of Almadén was regarded like a death phrase due to the life that is shortened of the miners, who were slaves or convicts.
Circulation: The most common ore of mercury worldwide, so just a few localities for exceptionally abundant or material that are well-crystallized be mentioned. In the united states, in California, notably at New Almaden, Santa Clara County and New Idria, San Benito County; in Texas, at Terlingua, Brewster County; in Nevada, at the Cahill mine, Poverty Peak district, Humboldt County, and near Lovelock, Pershing County At Charcas, San Luis Potosí, Mexico. In Spain, from Almadén, Ciudad Real Province, and Mieres, Asturias. At Hydercahn, in the Fergana basin, Kazakhstan. From Tongren, Wanshanchang, and elsewhere in Guizhou Province, and in exemplary crystals that are twinned the Tsar Tien mine, Hunan Province, Asia. As fine crystals at Mount Avala, near Belgrade, Serbia. From Idrija (Idria), Slovenia.
| Category: | Sulfide mineral |
| Chemical Formula: | HgS |
| Mercury Sulfide | |
| Molecular Weight: | 232.66 gm |
| Composition: | Mercury | 86.22 % | Hg | ||
| Sulfur | 13.78 % | S | |||
| 100.00 % |
| Crystallography: | Trigonal – Trapezohedral |
| Crystal Habit: | Rhombohedral crystals, to 10 cm; thick tabular {0001}; stout to slender prismatic || [1010]. Also as incrustations, granular, and massive. |
| Twinning: | Twin plane {0001}, twin axis [0001], to form simple contact twins. |
| Cleavage: | Perfect on {1010} |
| Fracture: | Sub-Conchoidal, Irregular/Uneven |
| Tenacity: | Slightly Sectile |
| Moh’s Hardness: | 2.0 – 2.5 |
| VHN Hardness: | 82–156 (10 g load) |
| Density: | 8.176 – 8.200 (g/cm3) |
| Luminescence: | Not Fluorescent |
| Radioactivity: | Not Radioactive |
| Health Warning: | CAUTION: Contains Mercury – always wash hands after handling. Do not inhale dust and use caution when breaking. Do not lick or ingest. Do not heat in a unventilated environment – emits toxic Hg fumes. Mercury Sulfide is, however, relatively insoluble and toxicity of the pure material is low. But be aware that many samples of Cinnabar, especially those which are ‘massive’ rather than crystalline, also contain traces of native mercury, and this is far more easily absorbed by the body. |
| Color: | Vermilion red, brownish red, lead gray |
| Transparency: | Transparent to Translucent; Transparent in thin pieces |
| Luster: | Adamantine; inclining to metallic when dark; dull to earthy in massive varieties |
| Refractive Index: | nω = 2.905; nε = 3.256 Uniaxial ( + ) R1–R2: (400) 30.0–33.5, (420) 28.8–32.1, (440) 27.4–30.9, (460) 26.4–29.9, (480) 25.7–29.5, (500) 25.2–29.4, (520) 24.6–29.4, (540) 24.2–29.1, (560) 23.9–28.6, (580) 23.7–27.9, (600) 23.4–27.3, (620) 23.0–26.8, (640) 22.6–26.3, (660) 22.4–26.0, (680) 22.1–25.7, (700) 21.9–25.5 |
| Birefringence: | 0.351 |
| Dispersion: | Strong; over 0.40 |
| Pleochroism: | None |
| Anisotropism: | High |
