The difference between orpiment and realgar

Friends who have come into contact with minerals should have heard of orpiment and realgar. Perhaps because of the first contact, many friends do not know much about the specific situation of orpiment and realgar, and do not know what the difference between the two is. In order to help everyone better understand minerals and the difference between orpiment and realgar, the following article will specifically talk about these two minerals. Interested friends can read the following article introduction!

What is Realgar

The difference between realgar, basalt and cinnabar (vermilion). The main component of cinnabar is mercury sulfide, but it is often mixed with realgar, apatite, asphaltene, etc. Realgar, α-As4S4, also known as realgar, golden stone, and cockscomb stone, is a sulfur and arsenic-containing ore. It is soft and brittle, usually in granular form, compact blocks, or powder, and its streak is light orange-red. If exposed to sunlight, it will turn into yellow orpiment and arsenic, so it should be stored away from light to avoid weathering.

What is Orpiment

Orpiment is a monoclinic mineral[1], the main component of which is arsenic trisulfide, which is highly toxic. The shape of orpiment single crystals is short columnar or plate-like, and the shape of aggregates is flake-like, comb-like, earthy, etc. Orpiment is lemon yellow in color, with a bright yellow streak, a Mohs hardness between 1.5 and 2, a specific gravity of 3.49, a refractive index of 2.81, and is translucent with a diamond luster to an oily luster. It melts when burned and produces bluish-white smoke with a strong garlic smell.

Identification and difference between orpiment and realgar. The difference between the two is:

(1) Realgar melts into a dark red melt when heated; orpiment melts into a yellow melt.

(2) Realgar powder is difficult to dissolve in ammonium carbonate solution, while orpiment is easily soluble.

(3) The crystal lattice spacing d of realgar and orpiment is different, so they can be identified by X-ray diffraction.

(4) Realgar and orpiment can also be identified by infrared spectroscopy.

Uses of Orpiment in Traditional Chinese Medicine

1. Heart pain, vomiting of water, and loss of appetite. Use two liang of orpiment and two jin of vinegar, simmer until it becomes a paste, add dry steamed cakes and make pills as big as walnuts. Take seven pills each time, with ginger soup.

2. For epilepsy and convulsions, use one or two grams of orpiment and fried red lead, grind them into powder, add a little musk, boil it into a paste in half a liter of cow's milk, mash it carefully, and make it into pills as big as sesame seeds. Take three to five pills each time with warm water.

3. Incontinence of urination. Use 1.5 liang of orpiment, grind it into powder, add 0.5 liang of dried ginger and 4 qian of salt, fry them together until they turn yellow, and grind them into powder. Add water and steamed cakes and make them into balls as big as mung beans. Take 10 to 20 pills each time, on an empty stomach, with salt water.

4. Leprosy. Mix orpiment powder, vinegar and egg yolk, and apply it on the sores.

5. Psoriasis. Use orpiment powder and mercury powder, mix with lard and apply to the affected area.

Uses of Realgar in Traditional Chinese Medicine

Drying dampness, dispelling wind, killing insects and detoxifying. It is used to treat scabies, baldness, carbuncle, tooth decay, herpes simplex virus, and tetanus. Snake, insect and crab injuries, axillary odor, ecthyma, asthma, laryngeal congestion, epilepsy, hemorrhoids and fistulas.