[ Top ] [ Japanese ]

Pyrargyrite (Photo)

Year of discovery: 1831 (World), 1889 (Japan)

Locality list: 113 localities of pyrargyrite

• Ag₃SbS₃
• [Ag⁺₃][Sb³⁺][S₃]^6-

• Class: Pyrargyrite group < Ag sulfosalts < Sulfosalt class
• Class: Sulfosalt
• Insoluble in: HCl
• Lightfastness: Turn black by Light exposure
• Substitution pseudomorph: Replaced by Acanthite.

• Polymorph: Pyrostilpnite (<200degree, Monoclinic)

• Sb => As: Proustite (Series), Xanthoconite

• Color: Dark red, Grayish red
• Tarnish: Black (by light exposure)
• Streak: Purplish red
• Luster: Adamantine
• Diaphaneity: Translucent

• Habit: Prismatic parallel to (0001) showing hemimorphism, Rhombohedra, Scalenohedra with {0551}
• Twin: {1014}, {1011}, {11-20}, {0112}

• Cleavage: Distinct on {1011} (3 planes), Imperfect on {0112} (3 planes)
• Hardness: 2.5
• Density: 5.8

• System: Trigonal
• Group: 3m, R3c
• Lattice: a=11.0, c=8.7

Etymology: Pyr (Fire) and -argent (silver) in Greek