Cinnabar vs Hematite
| Property | Cinnabar | Hematite |
|---|---|---|
| Formel | HgS | Fe2O3 |
| Kristallsystem | Trigonal | Trigonal |
| Mineralklasse | 02 Sulfides and Sulfosalts | 04 Oxides and Hydroxides |
| Mohshärte | 2.0-2.5 | 5.0-6.5 |
| Farbe | Scarlet red, brownish-red | Steel-gray to black, red-brown |
| Glanz | Adamantine | Metallic |
| Strichfarbe | Scarlet | Reddish-brown |
| Transparenz | Translucent | Opaque |
| Spaltbarkeit | Perfect prismatic {1010} | None |
| Bruch | Conchoidal to uneven | Conchoidal to uneven |
Key Differences
- ◆ Cinnabar (HgS) is a mercury sulfide; hematite (Fe2O3) is an iron oxide — entirely different chemical classes.
- ◆ Cinnabar has a vivid scarlet streak; hematite has a reddish-brown streak.
- ◆ Cinnabar (specific gravity 8.1–8.2) is much denser than hematite (5.0–5.3).
- ◆ Cinnabar is the principal mercury ore; hematite is the principal iron ore.
- ◆ Both historically yielded important pigments: cinnabar → vermilion red; hematite → ochre red.