Cinnabar vs Hematite

Property Cinnabar Hematite
화학식 HgS Fe2O3
결정계 Trigonal Trigonal
광물 분류 02 Sulfides and Sulfosalts 04 Oxides and Hydroxides
모스 경도 2.0-2.5 5.0-6.5
색상 Scarlet red, brownish-red Steel-gray to black, red-brown
광택 Adamantine Metallic
조흔색 Scarlet Reddish-brown
투명도 Translucent Opaque
벽개 Perfect prismatic {1010} None
단구 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.

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