Myrickite is a name used for both the agatized and opalized cinnabar materials. With a Mohs hardness of 7, the agatized form is a red-orange with bits of white, whereas the opalized material is orange and black and is 5 on the Mohs hardness scale. 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,[1] located in Napa County, California, United States.
The name "Myrickite" is a lapidary term like "Montana Agate" or "Thunder Egg", not a mineral name. In addition, the percentage of mercury (0.01%) in this material is enough to give Myrickite its beautiful coloring. Myrickite is named after Francis Marion "Shady" Myrick who discovered it while prospecting in California's Death Valley in 1911.[2]
References
editExternal links
edit- Myrickite (in Chinese)
