cinnabar

TSNB84
Mineral
Sulphide oresHypogeneSupergene

Mineral Species

cinnabar

Type Locality

No

Composition

HgS

Crystal System

Trigonal

Status at Tsumeb

Believed valid

Abundance

Extremely rare

Distribution

Sulphide ores

Paragenesis

Supergene

Entry Number

Species; TSNB84

General Notes

The occurrence of cinnabar at Tsumeb was first noted by Strunz et al. (1958a) as an "intensely red powder" and tiny red crystals in cavities in cerussite, a description repeated by Pinch and Wilson (1977).


Keller (1984) confirmed that the cinnabar is of secondary origin; it is possibly an oxidation product of sphalerite which, according to Lombaard et al. (1986) contains up to 150ppm Hg.