Cochise College          Photos of Minerals

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                          Roger Weller, geology instructor

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                                  copyright 2006-R.Weller
 

Mineral Information on:
pyrargyrite

Chemical Group:   sulfide  

Chemical Formula:   

Color:  black to grayish-black; deep red by transmitted light  

Transparency:  opaque to transparent in thin sections

Streak:  purplish red          Luster:  metallic-adamantine            Tenacity:   brittle

Hardness:    2.5              Specific Gravity:    5.77 to 5.86                

Fracture:  conchoidal to uneven          Cleavage:  (1011) distinct

Crystal Forms:  Rhombohedral-hemimorphic

Mineral Associations:  galena, tetrahedrite, sphalerite

Identifying Characteristics:

Uses:  silver ore

Occurrences:  Colorado, Nevada, Idaho; Cobalt, Ontario, Canada

Toxicity:      when-swallowed-        when inhaled-

Additional Information:  Also known as ruby silver ore