Which natural mineral contains a lot of arsenic? Cinnabar?
Cinnabar, α-HgS – mineral, mercury(II) sulfide. The most common mercury mineral. It has a beautiful scarlet color, and when freshly chipped it resembles blood stains. This chemical composition is trimorphic in nature, forming in addition to cinnabar two more minerals: metacinnabar and hypercinnabar. Following the “tracing paper” from the German names, they are often called metacinnabarite and hypercinnabarite. These two minerals have cubic and hexagonal systems, respectively. Cinnabar is an important ore of mercury. The mineral has a beautiful bright red or brownish-red color, reminiscent of the color of blood. It is believed that the name goes back to the Greek “kinnobaris” which means dragon’s blood. But Herodotus has evidence that the Greeks took red dye from the Azov region, where mining was carried out even before our time. And the ancient Scythians called this paint “kinnabis”. From all this we can assume that the word “cinnabar” is of Scythian origin. The mineral also has other names: blende ore, mercury ore, ball ore, coral ore. Individual crystals are rarely found. Most often, the mineral appears in the form of granular aggregates. Although the mineral is quite easy to melt by heating it to only 200°C, this stone can only be dissolved with a mixture of hydrochloric and nitric acid, known as “royal vodka”. Crystal structure – hexagonal in appearance, generally reminiscent of the distorted structure of NaCl with a coordination number of 6 (more precisely, 2+4 for both Hg and S). The specificity of the crystalline structure of cinnabar is continuous chains of S – Hg – S with a covalent bond between the ions, extending parallel to the “c” axis along the right or left helical axis (which determines the pronounced ability to rotate the plane of polarization). Chemical composition — content (in%): Hg— 86,2; S – 13,8; sometimes minor amounts of impurities of selenium, antimony, arsenic, copper, and tellurium are noted. In air, it gradually oxidizes from the surface, becoming covered with a thin film of tarnish (HgO). Nitric acid has no effect on cinnabar, nor does sulfuric acid. Cinnabar dissolves only in aqua regia. Decomposes in a solution of potassium or sodium sulfide. Dangerous for health!
Origin
Cinnabar is the most common mercury mineral. It is formed in hydrothermal near-surface deposits, together with quartz, calcite, barite, stibite, pyrite, galena, marcasite, and less commonly with native mercury and native gold. Cinnabar is often deposited in veins among highly metamorphosed jasperoid rocks associated with recent volcanic activity and alkaline hot springs.
Place of Birth
Known deposits are located in Slovenia (Idrija), Spain (Almaden), USA (California, Oregon, Nevada) and Mexico. Among other countries producing the mineral, one can also name Austria, Kyrgyzstan, China, Italy, and Ukraine. In Russia it is mined in Transbaikalia, Altai and Chukotka. The world’s largest mercury deposit, Almaden, is located in Spain, which until recently accounted for about 80% of global mercury production. It is also mined in Ukraine (Nikitovskoye deposit), Montenegro (Avala), Slovenia (Idrija), USA (New Almaden), many significant deposits have been explored and are being developed in China. Of the numerous deposits in Central Asia, the largest is Khaidarkan in Kyrgyzstan. Also Chauvay (Kyrgyzstan), Adrasman and Dzhizhikrut (Tajikistan). In Russia, a large deposit is known in Chukotka. Cinnabar was mined in the Roman Empire for mercury and a natural red pigment. Some of the Roman mines are still in use today. Pliny the Elder mentions in his writings that Ancient Rome purchased up to 4,5 tons of mercury annually from Spain. One of the oldest mercury deposits in Ukraine, Nikitovskoe, is located in the Donbass (Donetsk region, Gorlovka), and has been developed since ancient times; Here, at various depths (up to 20 m), ancient mine workings were discovered, in which tools could be found – stone hammers. An even more ancient mine is Khaidarkan (“Great Mine”) in the north of the Fergana Valley, where numerous traces of ancient work have also been preserved: large workings, metal wedges, lamps, clay retorts for firing cinnabar, large dumps of the resulting cinders. Archaeological excavations show that mercury was mined in the Fergana Valley for many centuries and only in the 13th-14th centuries, after Genghis Khan and his successors destroyed the craft and trading centers here, and the population switched to a nomadic lifestyle, ore mining in Fergana was stopped . But in the middle of the 20th century. actively resumed at the Khaidarkan field (Kyrgyzstan). In ancient times, cinnabar was mined not only and not so much as a source of mercury, but also as an irreplaceable and expensive mineral pigment. Other mercury deposits were also developed in Central Asia. For example, inscriptions in the palace of the ancient Persian kings of the Achaemenids (VI-IV centuries BC) in Susa indicate that cinnabar, which in those days was used mainly as a mineral pigment, was brought here from the Zeravshan mountains located in the territory modern republics of Tajikistan and Uzbekistan (Adrasman estate?). Apparently, cinnabar was mined here in the middle of the first millennium BC.
Application
Cinnabar has been used since ancient times as a red dye, and also as a source for mercury. As an indispensable bright scarlet artistic paint, cinnabar was widely used already in Ancient Egypt. Faceted collectible crystal samples have a maximum weight of no more than 3 carats. One such stone of Mexican origin weighing 2.68 carats is in the Calgary Museum, Canada. Rocks containing cinnabar, for example the so-called cinnabar womb, are processed into cabochons or used as semi-precious and decorative stones. In jewelry making, imitation cinnabar is often used. In the 3rd millennium BC. In the country of China, leprosy was treated with mercury compounds. In medieval Arabic medical treatises, cinnabar is mentioned as a reliable remedy for treating skin diseases. At the beginning of the last century, syphilis was treated with mercury ointments. It is known that mercury is poisonous. They knew about this even in the time of Avicenna. Ingestion of compounds from this metal in the most microscopic doses leads to serious poisoning. All medicinal properties of cinnabar relate to external use. Astrologers use the stone as a talisman. Taurus. It is believed that this stone teaches people to live, and not just survive.
Properties of the Mineral
| Color | ruby red, scarlet; due to impurities it can change to brown-red, black-red, almost black; characteristic iridescent metallic tarnish on the crystal edges |
| Line color | scarlet, bright red, red-brown |
| Origin of the name | from Latin cinnabaris; has a long history that can be traced back to the Persian word zinjifra, presumably meaning dragon’s blood – due to the red color of the mineral |
| Opening year | known since ancient times |
| IMA status | valid, first described before 1959 (before IMA) |
| Chemical formula | HgS |
| Brilliance | diamond |
| Transparency | transparent translucent shines through |
| Cleavage | perfect by |
| Kink | conchoidal uneven splintery |
| Hardness | 2 2,5 |
| Thermal properties | Cinnabar begins to evaporate at 200°C. When cinnabar is carefully heated in air, mercury vapor and sulfur dioxide are formed: HgS + O2 = Hg + SO2. In closing tr. sublimation of black HgS, in the presence of soda – sublimation of Hg |
| Luminescence | not visible. |
| Strunz (8th edition) | 2/C.18-10 |
| Hey’s CIM Ref. | 3.5.1 |
| Dana (8th edition) | 2.8.14.1 |
| Molecular weight | 232.66 |
| Cell Options | a = 4.145(2) Å, c = 9.496(2) Å |
| Attitude | a:c = 1 : 2.291 |
| Number of formula units (Z) | 3 |
| Unit cell volume | V 141.29 ų |
| Twinning | twins fused along , axis [0001] |
| Point group | 3 2 – Trapezohedral |
| Space group | P31 2 1 |
| Density (calculated) | 8.2 |
| Density (measured) | 8.176 |
| Refractive indices | nω = 2.905 nε = 3.256 |
| Maximum birefringence | d = 0.351 |
| Type | single-axis (+) |
| Optical relief | very tall |
| Selection form | It occurs in the form of small thick columnar or rhombohedral crystals with well-developed faces of pinacoid (0001), prism (1010), rhombohedrons (1011), (2025), (1014), etc. Twin intergrowths along (0001) and combined twins are characteristic; interspersed grains, veins, granular aggregates, powdery masses |
| Classes on taxonomy of the USSR | Sulfides |
| IMA classes | Sulfides |
| Syngonia | trigonal |
| Microhardness | VHN10=82 – 156 kg/mm2 |
| fragility | Yes |
| Literature | Zubov V.I. Crystal morphology of cinnabar and its use in searching for mercury deposits. M., 1976 |
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A certain amount of liquid, free mercury not bound to solid sulfur in the mineral cinnabar is one of the features of the Idriya mines.
Realgar is a mineral whose chemical composition is arsenic monosulfide. Contains 70,1% As. The crystal structure is complex, built from individual As4S4 molecules; sulfur ions form a square, and arsenic ions form a tetrahedron; the centers of the square and tetrahedron coincide.
Perhaps the name of the mineral comes from Arabic, rahj-al-ghar – mine dust. In ancient times, realgar was used as a medicinal agent and a dye. Currently used to produce arsenic acid, pyrotechnics (bright white sparklers) and paints
Origin
Mainly in low-temperature hydrothermal veins, satellites are orpiment and stibnite; less commonly as a product of volcanic sublimation among solfataras and excretion from hot springs. Beautiful large crystals were found in Sweden, on Vesuvius (especially after the eruption in 1822). It is also found as a product of weathering of arsenic ores.
Realgar is found in low-temperature hydrothemal veins, as an impurity in lead, silver and gold ores. It is also found as a sublimation product during volcanic eruptions, formed on the walls of volcanic craters, in the voids of porous lavas and in the form of deposits from thermal springs.
Under the influence of sunlight, realgar is destroyed, turning into a yellow-orange powder consisting of arsenolite, pararealgar and orpiment, therefore it is never found on the surface in nature. Realgar samples should be stored in places protected from light.
Easily diagnosed by its orange-red color, streaked edges, low hardness and paragenesis with easily recognizable orpiment. Cinnabar differs from realgar in its bright red feature, and crocoite has a higher hardness.
Dissolves in aqua regia, releasing sulfur.
Place of Birth
The mineral is rare, very rarely, together with orpiment, it forms arsenic deposits (Lukhumi, Western Georgia). In Russia, there are realgar deposits in the North Caucasus (Elbrus mine), occurrences are noted in the Shrenk River basin (Taimyr), in the Sarasin deposit (Altai); abroad – in Kyrgyzstan (Khaidarkan), in the USA – falls from the thermal waters of the spring of Yellowstone National Park; in Italy – in the igneous rocks of Mount Etna, in Czechoslovakia, Romania, Greece, China, Japan.
Application
Realgar is a rare mineral. In rare cases, it is used to extract arsenic oxide by roasting. Used as an additive to increase the heat resistance of copper in the production of shot. It is used in small quantities in easel painting as a bright orange mineral pigment, glass making and pyrotechnics. Prized by collectors.
Properties of the Mineral
| Color | Orange-red, bright red, less often dark red |
| Line color | orange-red fading to red |
| Origin of the name | from Arabic rahj al ghar – dust of the cave. |
| Opening year | known since ancient times |
| IMA status | valid, first described before 1959 (before IMA) |
| Chemical formula | AsS |
| Brilliance | fatty resinous |
| Transparency | transparent |
| Cleavage | perfect perfect by average for average for average for average for |
| Kink | conchoidal |
| Hardness | 1,5 2 |
| Thermal properties | It melts and evaporates easily (giving off the smell of garlic), and a red sublime appears in the flask. |
| Strunz (8th edition) | 2/F.02-30 |
| Hey’s CIM Ref. | 3.7.4 |
| Dana (8th edition) | 2.8.21.1 |
| Molecular weight | 106.99 |
| Cell Options | a = 9.325(3) Å, b = 13.571(5) Å, c = 6.587(3) Å β = 106.43° |
| Attitude | a:b:c = 0.687 : 1 : 0.485 |
| Number of formula units (Z) | 16 |
| Unit cell volume | V 799.54 ų |
| Twinning | contact doubles |
| Point group | 2/m – Prismatic |
| Space group | P2(1)/n |
| Density (calculated) | 3.59 |
| Density (measured) | 3.56 |
| Pleochroism | visible |
| Internal reflexes | from yellow to red |
| Optical axis dispersion | relatively strong |
| Refractive indices | nα = 2.538 nβ = 2.684 nγ = 2.704 |
| Maximum birefringence | d = 0.166 |
| Type | biaxial (-) |
| angle 2V | measured: 40°, calculated: 38° |
| Optical anisotropy | strong |
| Optical relief | very tall |
| Color in reflected light | gray-white |
| Selection form | The crystals are prismatic with vertical hatching on the edges of the prism. Usually found in the form of massive clusters, crusts. plaques, earthy loose masses. |
| Classes on taxonomy of the USSR | Sulfides |
| IMA classes | Sulfides |
| Syngonia | monoclinic |
| fragility | Yes |
| Literature | Betekhtin A.G. Mineralogy course, under scientific. ed. B.I. Pirogov and B.B. Shkursky. M., 2008 Vezir-Zadeh A. Crystallographic study of realgar from the Salvartinsky deposit. Tr. Azerbaijan Industrial Institute, 1940, Geol. Sat. I, 24 |
