Mineral - Cinnabar
Cinnabar
Chemical Properties
Mineral Class
Sulfides and sulfosalts
Toxicity
middle
Formula
HgS
Unit Cell
a=4.15 c=9.50 Z=3
Physical Properties
Hardness
2 - 2.5
Streak
red
Density
Very Heavy (>6)
Cleavage
Perfect after {10 1 0}
Fracture
uneven
Tenacity
Supple
Optical Properties
Color
red
Birefringence
0.351
Luster
Metallic,
Adamantine
Transparency
translucent,
transparent
Pleochroism
Geomineralogical Properties
Crystal System
trigonal
Point Group
trigonal-trapezohedral - 32
Space Group
P3 1 21 (152)
Habit
crusty, massive, Rhombohedron, tabular
Formation
In hydrothermal ore deposits
Paragenesis
Twinning
Penetration twins after {0001}
Rarity
Rather rare
Synonyms
Cinnabar, Cinnabarite, Zinnober