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Orpiment

Orpiment

MNHN N°178.107

visu_26 infos
FROM : Men-Kyule River, District de Bulun, Yakoutie, Russia

general description

This orpiment sample is compact. It has a beautiful golden yellow colour.

This sample comes from the area of in Russie. It is today kept in the storage rooms of the collections of the Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle (i.e., not yet displayed to the public).

Photography: Louis-Dominique Bayle, © MNHN.
The Species page
Identity card
SPECIE : Orpiment

HISTORY : Name derived from Latin "aurum" et "pigmentum" meaning "golden pigment", in reference to its colour

Species first described in 77 Caius Plinius Secundus better known as Pliny the Elder (AD 23 – August 24, AD 79), an ancient author, naturalist and naval and military commander

Type-locality: undefined because species already known by the Ancients

CHEMICAL FORMULA : As2 S3
CRYSTAL SYSTEM : Monoclinic
COLOR : Yellow, orange
DIAPHANIETY : Transparent
LUSTER : Resineous
STREAK : Pale yellowish
MORPHOLOGY : Fibrous aggregates, seldomly as prismatic crystals
HARDNESS : 1,5-2,0
DENSITY : 3,48

CHEMICAL CLASS : II - Sulfides, arsenides
GROUP : Orpiment
STRUNZ CLASS BEFORE 2001 : 2/F.02-70
STRUNZ CLASS AFTER 2001 : 2.FA.25
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