Mineralpedia Details for Cinnabar
Cinnabar
Named for the Medieval Latin word cinnabaris, which can be traced to the Persian word zinjifrah, which is believed to mean “dragon’s blood,” in allusion to the mineral’s common color. Formed from low-temperature hydrothermal solutions in veins, and in sedimentary, igneous, and metamorphic host rocks. The most common ore of mercury world-wide, so only a few localities for exceptionally abundant or well-crystallized material can be mentioned. In the USA, in California, notably at New Almaden, Santa Clara Co. and New Idria, San Benito Co.; in Texas, at Terlingua, Brewster Co.; in Nevada, at the Cahill mine, Poverty Peak district, Humboldt Co., and near Lovelock, Pershing Co. At Charcas, San Luis Potos´ı, Mexico. In Spain, from Almad´en, Ciudad Real Province, and Mieres, Asturias. At Hydercahn, in the Fergana basin, Kazakhstan. From Tongrin, Wanshanchang, and elsewhere in Guizhou Province, and in exceptional twinned crystals from the Tsar Tien mine, Hunan Province, China. As fine crystals at Mount Avala, near Belgrade, Serbia. From Idrija (Idria), Slovenia.
Ref. Handbook of Mineralogy, Anthony et al (1995) and MSA at http://www.handbookofmineralogy.org/pdfs/cinnabar.pdf
- Formula
- HgS
- Crystal System
- Trigonal
- Crystal Habit
- Druse, Disseminated, Massive
- Cleavage
- Perfect, None, None
- Luster
- Adamantine
- Color
- lead gray, brown, brown pink, vermilion, gray
- Streak
- bright red
- Class
- Trigonal - Trapezohedral
- Fracture
- Brittle - Sectile
- Hardness
- 2-2.5
- WebMineral
- View Cinnabar
- Mindat
- View Cinnabar
Cinnabar from Cahill mine, Humboldt Co., Nevada, United States
Bright to dark red crystalline Cinnabar.
Cinnabar from Culver-Baer mine, Sonoma Co., California, United States
Slender prismatic Cinnabar crystals to 5mm with micro, acicular Cinnabar crystals to 1mm.
Cinnabar from Aetna mine, Napa Co., California, United States
Bladed, bright red Cinnabar crystals, 0.5cm.
Cinnabar from Wanshan mine, Tongren Pref., Guizhou province, China
Deep cherry-red Cinnabar crystals to 6mm set on white Dolomite rhombs. Nice!
Cinnabar from El Entredicho mine, Almadén dist., Castile-La Mancha, Spain
Large gemmy crystal to 7mm.
Cinnabar from Nikitovka deposit, Gorlovka, Donets'k Oblast' , Ukraine
A 7mm twinned(?) deep red crystal.
Cinnabar from Pinchi Lake, British Columbia, Canada
Finely dissemenated crystal grains of Cinnabar throughout Calcite matrix.
Cinnabar from Almaden mine, Ciudad Real, Castile-La Mancha, Spain
Deep crystals of Cinnabar to 5mm from this old European locality.
Cinnabar from Fenghuang Co., Hunan prov., China
Cherry red prismatic crystals to 1cm. Nice piece with good peachy crystals on Dolomite.
Cinnabar from Yunchangping mine, Dadongla Hg-Zn ore field, Tongren, Guizhou, China
A 9mm cherry red, translucent Cinnabar crystals on white Dolomite.
