Class : Sulfides and sulfosalts
    Subclass : Sulfosalts
    Crystal system : Trigonal
    Chemistry : Ag₃SbS₃
    Rarity : Uncommon

Pyrargyrite is the isomorph of proustite. It is a common primary mineral of silver-bearing hydrothermal veins. It is also found alongside numerous minerals of silver, antimony, copper and lead. Its name comes from the Greek pûr (fire) and arguros (silver) in reference to its color and its silver content. Pyrargyrite forms compact masses and hexagonal prismatic crystals with planar or rhombohedral pyramidal endings which only exceptionally exceed 5 cm. Fresh it is superb : transparent with a strong metallic luster and has a deep red color, but in daylight, it loses its transparency by being covered with a gray-black superficial film of acanthite. In museums, samples are often protected from prolonged exposure to light by a shutter. It is an important silver ore, actively exploited in many mines.

Main photo : Pyrargyrite from St-Andréasberg, Germany © Dr. Günter Grundmann

Twins are common on {10-14}, less common on {10-11} {11-20} and rare on {01-20}.

No fakes listed for this mineral species.