Include prismatic crystals with rhombohedral and scalenohedral faces forming terminations. massive, granular
Twinning
Complex to lammellar
Cleavage
Distinct on {1011}, imperfect on {0112}
Fracture
Conchoidal, uneven
Tenacity
Brittle
Mohs scale hardness
2.5
Luster
Adamantine
Streak
dark cherry red
Diaphaneity
Translucent to nearly opaque
Specific gravity
5.82
Optical properties
Uniaxial (–)
Refractive index
nω = 3.084 nε = 2.881
Birefringence
δ = 0.203
Pleochroism
Distinct
Other characteristics
Darkens upon exposure to light; crystals are frequently striated
References
[2][3][4]
Pyrargyrite is a sulfosalt mineral consisting of silver sulfantimonite, Ag3SbS3. Known also as dark red silver ore, ruby blende, garnete blende or ruby silver, it is an important source of the metal.
It is closely allied to, and isomorphous with, the corresponding sulfarsenide known as proustite or light red silver ore. Ruby silver or red silver ore (German Rotgültigerz) was mentioned by Georg Agricola in 1546, but the two species so closely resemble one another that they were not completely distinguished until chemical analyses of both were made.
Both crystallize in the ditrigonal pyramidal (hemimorphic-hemihedral) class of the rhombohedral system, possessing the same degree of symmetry as tourmaline. Crystals are perfectly developed and are usually prismatic in habit; they are frequently attached at one end, the hemimorphic character being then evident by the fact that the oblique striations on the prism faces are directed towards one end only of the crystal. Twinning according to several laws is not uncommon. The hexagonal prisms of pyrargyrite are usually terminated by a low hexagonal pyramid or by a drusy basal plane.
The color of pyrargyrite is usually greyish-black and the lustre metallic-adamantine; large crystals are opaque, but small ones and thin splinters are deep ruby-red by transmitted light, hence the name, from the Greek pyr and argyros, "fire-silver" in allusion to color and silver content, given by E. F. Glocker in 1831. The streak is purplish-red, thus differing markedly from the scarlet streak of proustite and affording a ready means of distinguishing the two minerals. The Mohs hardness is 2.75, and the specific gravity 5.85. The refractive indices (nω = 3.084 nε = 2.881) and birefringence (δ = 0.203) are very high. There is no very distinct cleavage and the fracture is conchoidal. The mineral occurs in metalliferous veins with calcite, argentiferous galena, native silver, native arsenic, etc. The best crystallized specimens are from Sankt Andreasberg in the Harz, Freiberg in Saxony, and Guanajuato in Mexico. It is not uncommon in many silver mines in the United States, but rarely as distinct crystals; and it has been found in some Cornish mines.
Pyrargyrite silver ore from the Comstock Lode, Storey Co., Nevada, US
Although the red silver ores afford a good example of isomorphism, they rarely form mixtures; pyrargyrite rarely contains as much as 3% of arsenic replacing antimony, and the same is true of antimony in proustite. Dimorphous with pyrargyrite and proustite respectively are the rare monoclinic species pyrostilpnite or fireblende (Ag3SbS3) and xanthoconite (Ag3AsS3): these four minerals thus form an isodimorphous group.
Pyrargyrite is a sulfosalt mineral consisting of silver sulfantimonite, Ag3SbS3. Known also as dark red silver ore, ruby blende, garnete blende or ruby...
the metal. It is closely allied to the corresponding sulfantimonide, pyrargyrite, from which it was distinguished by the chemical analyses of Joseph L...
argentite (Ag2S), chlorargyrite (AgCl) which includes horn silver, and pyrargyrite (Ag3SbS3). Silver is extracted using the Parkes process. These metals...
of supergene enrichment. It occurs in association with native silver, pyrargyrite, proustite, polybasite, stephanite, aguilarite, galena, chalcopyrite...
ore mineral with an internal garnet reflection, very fragile.: 112 Pyrargyrite: 425–430 is a relatively rare ore mineral of dark red color with a diamond-metallic...
important antimony ore is stibnite (Sb 2S 3). Other sulfide minerals include pyrargyrite (Ag 3SbS 3), zinkenite, jamesonite, and boulangerite. Antimony pentasulfide...
depot in Clausthal. Especially sought after were the silver minerals pyrargyrite (dark red silver ore), dyscrasite (silver antimony) and pyrostilpnite...
argentiferous grey copper ore (freibergite), dark-red silver ores (Pyrargyrite), and silver glance. The most important non-metallic materials are: quartz...
refer to: Proustite, also known as light red silver or ruby silver ore Pyrargyrite, also known as dark red silver ore or ruby silver ore This disambiguation...
of proustite, sulfosalt minerals are often deeply colored. A3BX3 type Pyrargyrite Ag3SbS3 Proustite Ag3AsS3 Tetrahedrite Cu12Sb4S13 Tennantite Cu12As4S13...
of the four so-called "ruby silvers", pearceite Cu(Ag,Cu)6Ag9As2S11, pyrargyrite Ag3SbS3, proustite Ag3AsS3 and miargyrite AgSbS2. It was discovered in...
hydrothermal mineral in silver bearing veins in association with native silver, pyrargyrite, acanthite, stromeyerite, tetrahedrite, allemontite, galena, calcite...
gold district. The Kelly Rand mine produced silver from miargyrite and pyrargyrite ores from 1919 to 1928. Silver veins were first discovered in the Montezuma...
and the Sudetenland. He is credited with coining the mineral terms: pyrargyrite (1831), ozokerite (1833), sepiolite (1847), halite (1847), sphalerite...
lead mine at Abbeytown near Ballysadare. The mine contains the mineral pyrargyrite an ore also known as "dark red silver" or "ruby silver". Other names...
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