Very small (a little less than 1 mm) black single crystal of the extremely rare Hg mineral pinchite from the type and only known locality worldwide, the Terlingua Mining District in Texas. Pinchite is probably the rarest of all Hg minerals! This specimen is a part of the holotype studied for the description of the mineral species in 1974. This sample was provided by the famous systematic mineral collector Bill Pinch, who had it named in his honour. It includes a copy of the original label from the Pinch collection (see photo attached) where it states that it is part of the holotype used for the description. This copy of the label will be sent to the buyer of the specimen. This sample was later also in the Guy Story Brown Hg collection, famous mineral collector known for his very extensive collection of mercury minerals. — Photo: David Hospital · CC BY-SA 4.0
Pinchite
Pinchite is an IMA-recognized mineral species in the halide class, with the chemical formula Hg₅O₄Cl₂.
It crystallizes in the orthorhombic crystal system (space group Ibam).
Key properties: specific gravity 9.5; Reddish brown streak.
IMA symbol Pin, IMA status: approved, named in 1973.
Found as a secondary mineral in a hydrothermal mercury deposit.
It is found associated with Montroydite, terlinguaite.
The mineral was named to honor William Wallace Pinch (1940–), American mineral collector of Rochester, New York, USA, who first noted the species.