Class : Sulfides and sulfosalts
    Subclass : Sulfides
    Crystal system : Monoclinic
    Chemistry : AgSbS₂
    Rarity : Rare

Miargyrite is a rare silver sulfide, belonging to the “red silver” family. It is a metallic mineral that forms in hydrothermal veins of gold and silver. It has only exceptionally, in certain mines, constituted the main silver ore. It is most often embedded in a mass of sulfides, among which there are numerous silver sulfides. It is also a fairly common microscopic silver carrier of "argentiferous galenas". Its name comes from the Greek meion (less) and arguros (silver), because this mineral contains less silver than other red silver sulfosalts. Iron black to steel gray miargyrite, with dark cherry red internal reflections, is usually massive, very rarely in crystals. These are then thick tabular, with streaks parallel to [010] and [-101], and do not exceed one centimeter.

Main photo : Miargyrite from San José Mine, Oaxaca, Mexico © Jordy Fabre

No twin known for this mineral species.

No fakes recorded for this mineral species.