Carpathite Locality: Picacho Mine (Picachos Mine; Los Picachos Mine; Picahotes Mine; Benta Mine; Hernandez Mine; Ramirez Mine; Bonanza Mine), New Idria District, Diablo Range , San Benito County , California , USA ( Locality at mindat.org ) Size: 5.3 x 4.1 x 2.8 cm. Carpathite (aka Karpatite) is a very rare organic species, being a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH). This striking specimen from the old Picacho Mercury Mine of California features a very interesting radial spray of highly lustrous, canary-yellow carpathite lathes to 2.0 cm on starkly contrasting, sparkly, drusy quartz. Another crossed cluster of crystals above reach 3.0 cm. Scattered about are red blebs of cinnabar. A very rich, fine and highly representative example of this rare species from this well-known locale. Highly fluorescent, as well. — Photo: Robert M. Lavinsky · CC BY-SA 3.0
Carpathite
A very rare hydrocarbon mineral consisting of nearly pure coronene, a polycyclic aromatic molecule.
Intro adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA).
Carpathite is an IMA-recognized mineral species in the organic mineral class, with the chemical formula C₂₄H₁₂.
It crystallizes in the monoclinic crystal system (space group P2_1/a).
Key properties: Mohs hardness 1; specific gravity 1.35–1.4; Vitreous luster; refractive index 1.923; optically biaxial.
IMA symbol Cpa, IMA status: approved, named in 1955.
Found in cavities at the contact of diorite porphyry with argillites (Olenevo, Ukraine); a low-temperature hydrothermal mineral (California, USA).
It is found associated with Idrialite, amorphous organic material, calcite, barite, quartz, cinnabar, metacinnabar (Olenevo, Ukraine); cinnabar, quartz (California, USA).
The name comes from the Russian Karpaty, for the place of discovery in the Transcarpathian district, Ukraine.