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Mercury sulfide

Mercury sulfide

Other names	cinnabar, vermillion
Identifiers
CAS number	1344-48-5
Properties
Molecular formula	HgS
Molar mass	232.66 g mol⁻¹
Density	8.10 g cm⁻³
Melting point	583.5°C
Boiling point	N/A
Solubility in other solvents	insoluble
Related Compounds
Other anions	Mercury selenide; Mercury telluride; Cadmium sulfide
Except where noted otherwise, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C, 100 kPa) Infobox disclaimer and references

Mercury sulfide, mercurous sulfide, or mercury(II) sulfide is a chemical compound composed of the chemical elements mercury and sulfur. It is represented by the chemical formula HgS. Because it is virtually insoluble in water, it isn't toxic (unlike most of the other mercury compounds).

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Mercury sulfide occurs in two allotropes, most easily characterized by their color:

The red ore, cinnabar (α-HgS), is the form in which mercury is most commonly found in nature. The pigment vermilion can be extracted from it.
The black ore, metacinnabar (β-HgS), is less common. It is used in pigments and adopts the wurtzite crystal structure.