Pararealgar

pararealgar

realgar

stibnite

tetrahedrite

Images

Formula: As4S4
Sulphide of arsenic; realgar alters to pararealgar on exposure to light, and primary pararealgar is also known (Mindat)
Crystal System: Monoclinic
Specific gravity: 3.52 measured
Hardness: 1 to 1½
Streak: Light yelloe
Colour: Light yellow to orange-brown
Environments:

Hydrothermal environments

Pararealgar occurs as an alteration product of realgar in stibnite-bearing quartz veins; the alteration is typically a result of exposure to light. Associated minerals include realgar, stibnite, tetrahedrite, arsenopyrite, duranusite, arsenic, arsenolite, sulphur, lepidocrocite and pyrite (HOM).

Localities

There are two co-type localities, Grey Rock mine, Truax Creek, Bridge River area, Lillooet Mining Division, and Mount Washington mine, Comox District, Nanaimo Mining Division, both in British Columbia, Canada.

At Grey Rock mine, pararealgar occurs with stibnite and realgar (AM 66.1277).

At Mount Washington, minerals associated with pararealgar include realgar, stibnite, tetrahedrite, arsenopyrite, arsenic and arsenolite (AM 66.1277).

At the Palomo Mine, Huachocolpa District, Huancavelica Province, Huancavelica, Peru, pararealgar pseudomorphs after realgar have been found (Minrec 39.2.104).

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