Calomel

Description

A brownish-white ore containing chloride mercurous chloride. Calomel is also used to refer to pure mercurous chloride. It has been used as a fungicide and insecticide.

Synonyms and Related Terms

mercurous chloride; mercury subchloride; mercury monochloride; mercury protochloride; precipit blanc; Calogreen; Cyclosan, M-C Turf fungicide; calomel (Fr.); calomelano (Esp., Port.); Calomel (Deut.)

Chemical structure

Other Properties

Tabular crystals or mass. Cleavage = good in one direction. Luster = adamantine

Composition	Hg2Cl2
CAS	10112-91-1
Mohs Hardness	1.5
Density	7.15
Molecular Weight	mol. wt. = 472.09
Refractive Index	1.9-2.0; 2.6-2.7

Hazards and Safety

Toxic by ingestion, inhalation and skin absorption.

LINK: International Chemical Safety Card

Authority

• Martha Windholz (ed.), The Merck Index, Martha Windholz (ed.), Merck Research Labs, Rahway NJ, 10th edition, 1983 Comment: entry 5957

• G.S.Brady, G.S.Brady, Materials Handbook, McGraw-Hill Book Co., New York, 1971 Comment: p. 200

• The American Heritage Dictionary or Encarta, The American Heritage Dictionary or Encarta, via Microsoft Bookshelf 98, Microsoft Corp., 1998

• Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, http://www.britannica.com

• Richard S. Lewis, Richard S. Lewis, Hawley's Condensed Chemical Dictionary, Van Nostrand Reinhold, New York, 10th ed., 1993