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| The
name Sulfur
is historically a Latin word. The original Latin spelling was sulpur,
the later Greek spelling was sulphur. The sulfur spelling
appeared toward the end of the Classical period (about AD 600).
| Discovery:
prehistoric; IMA
status:
Valid (pre-IMA; Grandfathered) |
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Chemistry
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Chemical
Formula: |
S8 or
S |
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Elemental
Sulfur |
Molecular
Weight: |
256.53 gm
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Composition: |
Sulfur |
100.00 % |
S |
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100.00 % |
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Classification
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Mineral
Classification: |
Elements
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Strunz 8th
Ed. ID:
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1/B.03-10
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Nickel-Strunz 10th
Ed. ID:
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1.CC.05
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1 : ELEMENTS (Metals and intermetallic alloys; metalloids and nonmetals; carbides, silicides, nitrides, phosphides)
C : Metalloids and Nonmetals C : Sulfur-selenium-iodine
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Related
to: |
Sulfur
Group.
Polymorph of
Rosickýite, Sulphur-β
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Members
of Group: |
Sulfur
Group:
Rosickýite,
Sulfur, Sulfur-β
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Varieties: |
Selenian
Sulfur
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Synonyms: |
α-Sulfur,
α-Sulphur, Alpha-Sulfur, Alpha-Sulphur, Brimstone, ICSD 63082,
Native S, Native Sulfur, Native Sulphur, PDF 8-247,
Schwefel, Soufre, Sulfur-alpha, Sulfur-α, Sulphur-alpha
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Crystal
Data
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Crystallography:
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Orthorhombic - Dipyramidal
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Crystal
Habit:
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Crystals
dipyramidal on {111}, thick tabular and disphenoidal,
to 20 cm; also massive, reniform, and forming stalactites;
as a powder.
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Twinning:
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On
{101}, {011}, {1l0}, rare
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Physical
Properties
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Cleavage: |
Imperfect on {001}, {110} and {111}.
Parting on {111}.
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Fracture: |
Irregular/uneven, conchoidal.
Also can be somewhat sectile.
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Tenacity:
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Rather
brittle to somewhat sectile
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Moh's
Hardness: |
1.5
- 2.5
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Density:
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2.07 (g/cm3)
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Luminescence:
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None
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Radioactivity:
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Not
Radioactive
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Other: |
Thermal Behaviour:
with
a low melting point of 113 degrees C, Sulfur burns readily in air,
with a low blue flame, and gives off choking fumes of Sulfur-dioxide -
acrid odor (forms sulfurous and eventually sulfuric acid in air). |
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Optical
Properties
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Color: |
Sulfur-yellow
to honey-yellow, yellowish brown, greenish, reddish
or yellowish gray; may be black from included organic
matter.
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Transparency: |
Transparent,
translucent |
Luster: |
Resinous, greasy
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Refractive
Index: |
1.708
- 1.773 Biaxial ( + )
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Birefringence: |
0.287
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Dispersion: |
Relatively weak; r < v |
Pleochroism: |
Visible to distinct |
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Occurances
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Geological
Setting: |
A
sublimation product at volcanic fumaroles; a product
of the activity of biological micro-organisms; as a
result of low oxidation potential and highly acidic
chemical reactions in mineral deposits; formed by the
decomposition of sulfides, especially pyrite, during
mine fires; found in sedimentary rocks. |
Common
Associations: |
Gypsum,
Anhydrite, Halite, Aragonite, Calcite, Celestine
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Common
Impurities: |
Se,
Te
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Type
Locality: |
None
(prehistoric) |
Year
Discovered: |
Prehistoric
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View
mineral photos: |
Sulfur
Mineral Photos and Locations |
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More
Information
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|
Mindat.org
Webmineral.com
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Sulfur
(also spelled Sulphur in some countries) is one of the 30 native elements.
Native element minerals are those elements that occur in nature in uncombined form with a distinct mineral
structure. A few of the other native elements are Antimony,
Carbon
(Diamond), Copper,
Gold,
Osmium,
Platinum
and Silver.
Sulfur
and Diamond are the only native elements that are usually
available as faceted
gems. Faceted Diamonds are common but facted Sulfur
gems are somewhat rare because Sulfur is difficult to cut due to its very low Moh's hardness
of 1.5 - 2.5 and its high heat sensitivity. Sulfur is
very brittle because of its poor heat conductivity.
A cool Sulfur gem can actually crack if it is held in a warm
hand. Sulfur
is a common mineral but faceted gems are fairly rare.
Sulfur also has a bad reputation for having
a strong
odor. The Sulfur itself does not have an odor. This odor only
occurs when Sulfur is exposed to water, water vapor
or even humidity in the air. When this occurs, hydrogen sulfide (H2S)
gas is produced which produces the strong odor. It is a powerfull odor which smells like rotten
eggs. However, if Sulfur mineral specimens and gems
are kept dry they will not emit the odor.
The
name Sulfur
is historically a Latin word. The original Latin spelling was sulpur,
the later Greek spelling was sulphur. The sulfur spelling
appeared toward the end of the Classical period (about
AD 600). Sulphur has been the standard spelling in Britain
since the 19th century while Sulfur has been the spelling
in the USA and Canada has used both spellings. However, the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry
(IUPAC) adopted the sulfur spelling in 1990.
The Nomenclature Committee of the Royal Society of Chemistry restored the sulfur spelling to Britain
in 1992.
Sulfur
is available from many sources worldwide although fine
crystal specimens are somewhat rare. Notable occurances
include Michigan and Ohio in the USA; Bolivia; Chile; Poland;
and Sicily, Italy.
Sulfur
distribution: in the USA, large deposits occur
in salt domes, as in Louisiana, especially in the area
of Lake Charles, Chalcasieu Parish, and in Texas near
Freeport, Brazoria County. At Sulfur Mountain, in Yellowstone
Park, Wyoming. In California, at the Sulfur Bank mercury
mine, on Clear Creek, Lake County. Crystals from quarries
at Maybee and Scofield, Monroe County, Michigan. On
Sicily, at Cianciana, Agrigento, and Racalmuto, the
source of exceptionally large and fine crystals; from
many other places in Italy, notably at Solfatara di
Pozzuoli, near Naples; at Perticara, near Rimini, Marche;
and at Carrara, Tuscany. Large crystals from Spain,
at Conil, near Cádiz, Cádiz Province.
In Baja California, Mexico, at San Felipe. Numerous
other localities are known, the occurrence often inconspicuous.
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Sulfur gems for sale:
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