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Formula: Hg2+3O2Cl2
Chloride, mercury-bearing mineral
Crystal System: Orthorhombic
Specific gravity: 9.899 calculated
Streak: Yellow
Colour: Red-orange, dark orange, lemon yellow; Some material is photosensitive, reversibly changing from vivid orange
to black in strong light
Luminescence: Not fluorescent under long wave or short wave UV
Environments
Volcanic igneous environments
Hydrothermal environments
Terlinguacreekite is a secondary mineral formed by
alteration of cinnabar or
native mercury, as granular crusts
(HOM).
Localities
At the McDermitt Mine, Opalite Mining District, Humboldt County, Nevada, terlinguacreekite is associated with
kleinite and calomel in silicified
volcanic rocks and sediments
(CM 43.3.1055-1060).
Terlinguacreekite from the McDermitt Mine -
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At the type locality, the Perry Pit, Mariposa Mine, Brewster County, Texas, USA, terlinguacreekite is a rare
secondary mineral found in the lower level of the pit on massive
calcite in an isolated area and is not associated with any other
secondary minerals; it most likely formed at the expense of
primary cinnabar or
native mercury. Centimetre-sized powdery aggregates of lemon-yellow
terlinguacreekite have been collected in situ in a
calcite–gypsum vein, associated with
olive-brown light-tarnished calomel.
Terlinguacreekite occurs as mm-sized anhedral dark orange to reddish orange, translucent to opaque crystalline
crusts with a variable thickness and a resinous lustre. Crystal aggregates, up to 0.5 mm in size, are rare. Individual
crystals are up to 0.2 mm in length, subhedral, and acicular to prismatic.
The material from the McDermitt mine is photosensitive, and changes from vivid orange to black in strong light; this
phenomenon is reversible
(CM 43.3.1055-1060).
Terlinguacreekite from the Perry Pit -
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