Myrickite
| Myrickite | |
|---|---|
 Myrickite at the 2012 Tucson Gem & Mineral Show | |
| General | |
| Category | Tectosilicate minerals |
| Group | Quartz group |
| Formula | SiO2 |
| IMA status | Variety of quartz (chalcedony) |
| Crystal system | Trigonal (quartz and cinnabar), monoclinic (moganite) |
| Identification | |
| Color | Gray and red |
| Mohs scale hardness | 7 |
| References | [1] |
Myrickite is a local name used for a form of chalcedony with red inclusions of cinnabar.[1] It has a Mohs hardness of 7. Although similar in color, this material should not be confused with the stone from China referred to as "Chicken Blood", as that material is a cinnabar stained serpentine with a hardness of 2.5-4. Unique to the United States, Myrickite is found at only one location in any quantity. During the early 1950s, Myrickite had been found in small quantities at the Manhattan Mine,[2] located in Napa County, California, United States.
The name "Myrickite" is a lapidary term like "Montana Agate" or "Thunder Egg", not a mineral name. Myrickite is named after Francis Marion "Shady" Myrick who discovered it while prospecting in California's Death Valley in 1911.[3]
References
- 1 2 "Myrickite". mindat.org. Hudson Institute of Mineralogy. Retrieved 2 September 2025.
- ↑ Manhattan Mine
- ↑ Myrickite Exhibit: Rice Northwest Museum of Rocks and Minerals
External links
- Myrickite (in Chinese)
