Pinchite

pinchite

montroydite

terlinguaite

cinnabar

Images

Formula: Hg²⁺₅O₄Cl₂
Oxyhalide of mercury
Crystal System: Orthorhombic
Specific gravity: 9.5 measured, 9.25 calculated
Hardness: Quite soft
Streak: Red-brown
Colour: Dark brown, black
Environments

Hydrothermal environments

Localities

At the Mariquita Mine (Sultana Mine), Usagre, Badajoz, Extremadura, Spain, pinchite has been found as black bipyramidal crystals to 1 mm in size associated with pyrite and cinnabar (MinRec 55.4.505-506).
Pinchite from the Mariquita Mine - Image

At the type locality, the Terlingua Mining District, Texas, USA. pinchite occurs as a secondary mineral in the hydrothermal mercury deposit (HOM). It has been found as euhedral crystals up to to 1 mm in size; it is black to dark brown and has a reddish brown streak and is quite soft. No cleavage was observed. Thin fragments of the mineral are transparent and show strong pleochroism from red to almost opaque black. Pinchite is associated with montroydite and terlinguaite (CM 12.6.417-418).
Pinchite from Terlingua - Image

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