Orpiment
“Golden arsenic with a deadly reputation”
Orpiment is a bright golden-yellow arsenic sulfide mineral that was prized as a pigment called 'King's Yellow' in the ancient world. Its name comes from the Latin 'auripigmentum' meaning gold pigment, reflecting its resemblance to gold, but its arsenic content makes it dangerously toxic to handle.
arsenic trisulfide (As₂S₃)
Shimen (China), Julamerk (Turkey), Lucerne (Switzerland), Getchell Mine (Nevada, USA), Quiruvilca (Peru)
1.5-2
Ancient Egyptian and Chinese texts describe orpiment being used to make golden-colored ink and paint, but scribes and artists who worked with it frequently suffered chronic arsenic poisoning without understanding the cause.
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