Mineral phase
IMA name
Cinnabar
Secondary names
Cinabre
CAS number
1344-48-5
Class
non-silicate mineral
Compound type
sulfide
Formula
αHgS
Chemical formula
HgS
Elemental formula
Hg S
Isotope mixture type
terrestrial abundance
  Formula Name Family Number min-max Isotope mole fraction State Relevance
Hg Mercury element 1 constituent element main
S Sulfur element 1 constituent element main

Strunz

Class
sulfides - sufosalts (02)
Division
metal sulfides, M:S = 1:1 (and similar) (02.C)
Family
With Sn, Pb, Hg, etc. (02.CD)
Code
02.CD.15a

Dana

Major class
sulfides (II)
Class
sulfides - including selenides and tellurides (02)
Type
where Am Bn Xp, with m:p=1:1 (02.08)
Group
-Cinnabar- group (02.08.14)
Code
02.08.14.01
Phase type
crystalline
Crystal system
trigonal
Crystal class
trapezohedral
Crystal class symbol
32 (D3)
Crystal spacegroup
P3(1)21
Molar mass
232.66 g/mol
Density
8.1 g/cm3
State NTP
solid
Phase transitions
Phase transition type Other phases Temperature - Pressure
solid-solid Metacinnabar below 617K (344°C) at 1 bar
Refringence type
uniaxial
Refringence sign
positive
Birefringence
0.351
Refraction index no (w)
2.905
Refraction index ne (e)
3.256
Pure color
red
Color
lead gray, brown, brown pink, vermilion, gray
Diaphaneity
translucent to opaque
Luster
adamantine