Very rare mercury sulphate mineral schuetteite that occurs as yellow crystal aggregates and microcrystals on a contrasting matrix. From: New Idria District, California, United States of America. The mineral is known from a relatively few localities worldwide. — Photo: David Hospital · CC BY-SA 4.0
Schuetteite
Schuetteite is an IMA-recognized mineral species in the sulfate class, with the chemical formula Hg₃O₂(SO₄).
It crystallizes in the hexagonal crystal system (space group P3_121).
Key properties: Mohs hardness 3; specific gravity 8.18; optically uniaxial.
IMA symbol Sh, IMA status: approved, named in 1959.
A recently formed secondary mineral in opalite [chalcedonic] mercury deposits, typically formed on cinnabar exposed to sunlight.
It is found associated with Cinnabar.
The mineral was named to honor Curt Nicolaus Schuette (1895–1975), American mining engineer and geologist, who studied many mercury deposits.