APPLICATIONS: | Ore of silver, mineral specimens and metaphysical healing. |
ASSOCIATED MINERALS: | Silver, quartz, bornite, gold, galena, proustite, pyrargyrite, stephanite and other silver sulfide minerals. |
ASTROLOGICAL SIGN: | Scorpio. |
CHEMICAL STRUCTURE: | Ag2S, Silver Sulfide. |
CLASS: | Sulfides. |
CLEAVAGE: | Absent. |
COLOR: | Lead gray to black. |
CRYSTAL HABITS: | Include rarely well formed pseudo: cubes, octahedrons and dodecahedrons. Non-argentite crystals (those that formed below 173 degrees Celsius) of acanthite tend to be of a slender prismatic habit. More commonly found massive and as coatings or as arborescent (branching) and reticulated groups. |
CRYSTAL SYSTEM: | Monoclinic, 2/m below 173 degrees Celsius (acanthite) and isometric; 4/m bar 3 2/m above (argentite). |
FIELD INDICATORS: | Crystal habit, density, softness, sectility, association with other silver sulfosalts and color. |
FRACTURE: | Conchoidal. |
GENERAL INFORMATION: | Sectile, meaning it can be cut with a knife like lead and fresh shiny surfaces will eventually form a dull coating after prolonged exposure to light. It can be removed by ultrasonic treatment. |
GEOGRAPHY: | Guanajuato, Mexico; Freiberg and Saxony, Germany; Cobalt, Ontario, Canada; Comstock Lode, Nevada and Butte, Montana, USA; Cornwall, England; Chile; Peru; Bolivia and Kongsberg, Norway. |
HARDNESS: | 2.5 - 3. |
LUSTER: | Metallic. |
METAPHYSICAL: | Used in ancient times as a protective force. Used for bringing wisdom and foresight. Can be used to remove obstacles and for assistance in the time of need. Can be used to induce a state of well-being in the physical, mental and emotional bodies. Provides one with patience and perseverance in the healing body. Allows an understanding of the underlying reasons for the problem and the improvement of the problem. |
PHYSICAL: | Has been used in the treatment of bacterial and viral infections, such as colds and flus. Also, has been used to eliminate toxins at the cellular level. Has been used to convert nutrients into living tissue (Vitamin A & E), constructive metabolism. |
TRANSPARENCY: | Opaque. |
SPECIFIC GRAVITY: | 5.5 - 5.8. |
STREAK: | Glossy black. |
VIBRATES: | To the number 9. |
