Pararealgar
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Description
An orange-yellow arsenic sulfide mineral that can occur as a light induced alteration product of Realgar. Pararealgar has been found in association with realgar in occasional classical artwork, as well as southeast Asian and European paintings. Orange realgar will convert to yellow pararealgar on exposure to light
Synonyms and Related Terms
arsenic sulfide
Risks
- Highly toxic by ingestion and inhalation.
- Carcinogen and mutagen
Physical and Chemical Properties
- Monoclinic, yellow, prismatic crystals.
- Fracture=brittle and uneven
- Luster=vitreous to resinous.
- Pigment particles are irregular with high relief.
| Composition | AsS |
|---|---|
| Mohs Hardness | 1.0-1.5 |
| Density | 3.52 g/ml |
| Molecular Weight | 106.99 |
| Refractive Index | >2.02 |
Resources and Citations
- Ruth Siddall, 'Mineral Pigments in Archaeology: Their Analysis and the Range of Available Materials' Minerals Vol 8, p. 201 (2018). Link
- K. Trentelman, L. Stodulski, M. Pavlosky, 'Characterization of pararealgar and other light-induced transformation products from realgar by Raman microspectroscopy' Analytical Chemistry 68 (1996) 1755-1761.
- Webmineral: Pararealgar
- Nicholas Eastaugh, Valentine Walsh, Tracey Chaplin, Ruth Siddall, Pigment Compendium, Elsevier Butterworth-Heinemann, Oxford, 2004