Mineralpedia Details for Chlorargyrite

Named after the chlorine in the composition as well as the silver content after the Greek argyros. Chlorargyrite is relatively common and has localities that possess fine material and/or large or pure quantities in Germany, the Czech Republic, England, Russia, the United States, Mexico, Chile, and Australia. Found typically in arid climates, Chlorargyrite occurs in oxidized areas above silver deposits, and can be a rich ore in some cases.

Ref. Handbook of Mineralogy, Anthony et al (1995) and MSA at http://www.handbookofmineralogy.org/pdfs/chlorargyrite.pdf

Formula

AgCl 

Crystal System

Isometric 

Crystal Habit

Massive, Columnar 

Cleavage

None, None, None 

Luster

Adamantine - Resinous 

Color

purplish gray, green, white, colorless 

Streak

white 

Class

Isometric - Hexoctahedral 

Fracture

Sectile 

Hardness

1-1.5 

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Several tiny, waxy looking crystal to about 0.75mm in drusy quartz vug of siliceous Deadwood Formation.

Waxy gray, crude octahedral crystals to 2mm.

Waxy, tan to light brown, amorphous mass of Chlorargyrite crystals, 5mm.

Special Info

EDS Confirmed

An incredible specimen loaded with yellow, waxy, crudely crystallized bromian Chlorargyrite on Atacamite. Excellent, older specimen. I ran EDS on this specimen thinking this might be Marshite since it was associated with Atacamite. No such luck, but nonetheless a great probably historic specimen from one of the most mines in the world.

Special Info

EDS Confirmed

Light greyish green waxy looking nearly cubic crystals of Chlorargyite scattered amongst blonde wulfenite and clear prismatic Mimetite.

Numerous dark greenish gray, waxy, Chlorargyrite crystals, some showing good forms, on tiny acicular Dioptase crystals. Excellent specimen.

A weird and interesting specimen of waxy grey Chlorargyrite with several Cerussite crystals attached to 5mm.

Greenish grey, waxy blobs and well-formed crystals of Chlorargyrite, variety embolite. The masses and crystals reach 8mm and 3mm respectively. 

Lemon yellow, waxy, skeletal Chlorargyrite. The largest blob is 2.5mm. There is actually some crystallinity with the Chlorargyrite, but this is typical for the species. Only rarely will you find good crystals of Chlorargyrite. The matrix is somewhat "spongy" and filled with colorless to dark grey Cerussite. 

Dark grey waxy blebs and mal-formed cubic crystals of Chlorargyrite to 2mm with massive coverage on the backsite. There are also several Cerussite crystals. Interestingly native Silver re-crystalized on the Chlorargytite on the backside.

The specimen was originally labeled as "Argentite" by Hampson. Upon close inspection, I did not see any sign of Argentite/Acanthite, however I did observe plenty of waxy grey Chlorargyrite, a sure sign of Silver ore. This is an old time locality. Most likely from the Presidio Shaft, although the labels it as "Shafter Mine". During the period of 1927-1940, the district recorded a production of 11.8 million ounces of Silver and 7 million pounds of Lead from manto deposits in Permian limestones.

Acquired by Hampson in 1944.

Little 2-4mm greyish yellow, waxy Chlorargyrite crystals in a limonite basket. The Little Jonny mine is also known as the Ibex mine. The mine had 50 miles of underground workings with five shafts. The mine was first operated by J. J. "Leadville Jonny" Brown, who married "Unsinkable Mollie Brown" of the Titanic fame. Read more here.

Light yellow waxy crystals of Chlorargyrite to 5mm with Cerussite in limonitic matrix.

Waxy brownish grey to yellow micro crystals around 1mm. The photo of the vug shows nice yellow crystals. The other photos show crude crystals, but one area has excellent euhedral crystals. Good old locality specimen acquired by Hampson in 1946 on his incedible journey. Read about it here.

A rich specimen full of greenish grey to slightly yellow, waxy, well formed crystals of Chlorargyrite. The crystals are from 0.25mm to about 1mm in size.