Solid phase
Official name
mercury(II) sulfide beta
Secondary names
Metacinnabar; alpha-HgS; mercury sulfide; mercury sulphide; black Cinnabar
CAS number
23333-45-1
Family
covalent network solid
Class
tridimentional covalent network solid
Compound type
non-oxide ceramic
Formula
βHgS
Chemical formula
HgS
Elemental formula
Hg S
Isotope mixture type
terrestrial abundance
4.0
  Formula Name Family Number min-max Mole fraction Isotope mole fraction State Relevance
Hg Mercury element 1 0.5 1 constituent element main
S Sulfur element 1 0.5 1 constituent element main
Class
tridimensional covalent networks (11)
Type
metal homonuclear tridimensional networks (elemental) (11.02)
Equivalent mineral
Metacinnabar
Phase name
βHgS
Phase type
crystalline
Crystal system
isometric (cubic)
Crystal class
hextetrahedral
Crystal class symbol
-43m (Td)
Crystal spacegroup
F-43m
Comments
There are three HgS crystalline phases: αHgS, βHgS, γHgS and an amorphous one αHgS
Molar mass
232.66 g/mol
Density
7.7 - 7.8 g/cm3
State NTP
solid
Phase transitions
Phase transition type Other phases Temperature - Pressure
solid-solid αHgS above 617K (344°C) at 1 bar
Refringence type
isotropic
Refringence sign
no
Color
grayish black
Diaphaneity
opaque
Luster
metallic