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Metacinnabar

Year of discovery: 1870 (Redington mine, USA), 1915 (Japan)

Locality list: 28 localities of metacinnabar

• HgS
• α-[Hg²⁺][S]^2-

• Class: Sphalerite group
• Class: Sulfide
• Paramorph: Replaced by Cinnabar.
• Stable above 344 degree, formed from acidic solution below 200 degree.

• Polymorph: Cinnabar (Trigonal, Stable below 344 degree, Formed from alkaline solution)
• Polymorph: Hypercinnabar (Hexagonal)

• Hg => Cd: Hawleyite (α), Greenockite (β)
• Hg => Zn: Sphalerite (α), Wurtzite (β)
• Hg => Fe: Rudashevskyite, Troilite
• Hg => Mn: Alabandite (α), Rambergite (β)
• Hg => Ni: Millerite (β)
• Hg => Cu: Covellite

• S => Te: Coloradoite
• S => Se: Tiemannite

• Color: Black, Grayish black
• Streak: Black
• Luster: Metallic
• Diaphaneity: Opaque

• Habit: Tetrahedral
• Twin: {111}

• Cleavage: No
• Hardness: 3
• Density: 7.8

• System: Cubic
• Group: (-4)3m, F(-4)3m
• Lattice: a=5.9

Etymology: Meta- (with) and Kinnabaris (Red paint) in Greek