Sulfur: Mineral or Element?

Is sulfur a mineral or an element? Actually it's both. Sulfur is a type of mineral known as a native element. I have written an entire post devoted to this group of minerals, which can be accessed through the link above, so that you can learn about them.

Sulfur always displays a lemon-yellow color and for the most part is translucent. Its crystals belong to the orthorhombic crystal group and look like octahedrons made with isosceles triangles. Sulfur does not always take this form, however. It is often found as crusts or masses. It is very soft (only measuring at a 2 on the Mohs Scale) and it has a very low melting point. Sulfur is flammable, burning with a blue flame. (If you have any then you shouldn’t try this, though. Not only will you ruin a fine specimen, but you’ll also release a toxic gas!) Sulfur has a vitreous luster, but its masses are sometimes earthy. It has a white or yellow streak. Sulfur often exhibits a smell like rotten eggs, which can be a helpful trait when trying to identify it.

Sulfur has a long history of use. In ancient times it was used as a pigment and a tonic. Then, around the time of the Renaissance, it was employed to make gunpowder. Today sulfur is a very important substance in industry; I have read that the state of a nation’s industry can be guessed by its level of sulfur consumption. Most of the sulfur used in industry is converted into sulfuric acid, which is used to make pigments, explosives, sheet-metal, car batteries, and detergents. What isn’t made into sulfuric acid can be used in paper making, fungicides, and insecticides.

Sulfur is often found near volcanic steam-vents as crusts and masses. Good crystals can be uncovered in vugs (cavities) within limestone. Some sources of the mineral include: Sicily, Russia, Poland, Japan, Louisiana, Texas, and Wyoming’s Yellowstone National Park.