The facts
What sulphur actually is
The species behind sulphur is sulphur (native element), S₈; it forms in the orthorhombic system.
Band-gap absorption of the S₈ ring molecule absorbing violet and blue is responsible for the colour — and the chromophore, not the name, is what decides whether a colour is stable.
On the instruments it reads a refractive index of 1.958–2.245 and a specific gravity of about 2.05–2.09, with imperfect {001}, {110}, {111}; very brittle, conchoidal fracture cleavage.
Where sulphur comes from
Commercial material comes from Cianciana and Racalmuto, Agrigento, Sicily, Italy, Cozzodisi Mine, Casteltermini, Sicily, Italy, El Desierto Mine, Potosí, Bolivia and Water Island, US Virgin Islands.
Different localities give different colour and different clarity, and the trade prices them differently. We state which one.
How sulphur is treated
Untreated, but sulphur cracks audibly from the warmth of a hand and must never be washed in hot water; faceted stones are laboratory curiosities only. Some specimens are stabilised with adhesive on matrix.
We state the treatment on every stone, including when the honest answer is that it cannot be determined. A treatment disclosed is a fact; a treatment discovered later is a refund.
What sulphur is confused with
Watch for Orpiment, Yellow calcite and Wulfenite — these are what turn up sold under this name.
The separation is rarely a matter of opinion: refractive index 1.958–2.245 and specific gravity 2.05–2.09 settle most of it in a minute, and magnification settles the rest.
What sulphur is used for
The trades that buy sulphur are mineral collecting and heavy industry. They do not want the same thing, and they do not pay in the same unit.
We quote each application in the unit that trade actually buys in, by the specimen or by the tonne.
Durability and care
Hardness 1.5–2.5; cleavage imperfect {001}, {110}, {111}; very brittle, conchoidal fracture. That combination decides what it can safely be set into.
Below about 5.5 a stone will be scratched by ordinary household dust, which is largely quartz. That does not make it unusable — it makes it a pendant, an earring or an object rather than a ring worn every day.
Warm water, mild soap and a soft brush. Avoid ultrasonic cleaners on anything fracture-filled, stabilised, dyed or visibly included.
What sulphur costs
Expect roughly Fine Sicilian crystal groups $150–$5,000; small crystals under $50, depending on quality.
That is a range, not a quote. Colour, size, clarity, cut and origin move the figure a long way inside it, and the only honest price is one given against a specific stone. Send us what you need and we will price it.
Questions
Is sulphur treated, and how?
Untreated, but sulphur cracks audibly from the warmth of a hand and must never be washed in hot water; faceted stones are laboratory curiosities only. Some specimens are stabilised with adhesive on matrix.
Where does sulphur come from?
Cianciana and Racalmuto, Agrigento, Sicily, Italy, Cozzodisi Mine, Casteltermini, Sicily, Italy, El Desierto Mine, Potosí, Bolivia and Water Island, US Virgin Islands. Origin affects price, so we name the locality rather than the country on every quote.
Is sulphur hard enough to wear every day?
Not really. At 1.5–2.5 on the Mohs scale it is softer than the quartz dust in ordinary household dirt, so it scratches with wear. It suits pendants, earrings and objects better than a daily ring.
How much does sulphur cost?
Indicatively Fine Sicilian crystal groups $150–$5,000; small crystals under $50. Colour, size, clarity and origin move the price a long way within that, so treat it as a range and ask for a quote against a specific stone.
What is sulphur confused with?
Most often Orpiment, Yellow calcite and Wulfenite. A refractive index of 1.958–2.245 and a specific gravity near 2.05–2.09 separate it quickly.
Related stones
Looking for sulphur?
Tell us the size, the quality and what it is for. We source it, photograph it and quote it — with the locality named.
Ask about sulphur