Introduction: native sulphur occurs in three chief geological environments. First and foremost, it is a common mineral in volcanically-active areas, where it is deposited, as a sublimate or as a hydrothermal mineral, near to or at the surface by fumaroles and hot springs. Secondly it is sometimes a major constituent of salt-domes. The third setting, to which all Welsh occurrences belong, is as a mineral formed, most commonly from galena, within the supergene environment. In this context it forms in enclosed, acidic environments and is accompanied by the lead sulphate, anglesite, and sometimes the copper sulphide covellite. Identification of sulphur requires some experience as crystals tend to be small, but the mineral association coupled with the distinctly resinous lustre of the yellowish to greenish-grey crystals is diagnostic.

Occurrence in Wales: old records of sulphur are few. Lentin (1800) and Greenly (1919) reported it from Parys Mountain, Anglesey, while Wedd et al. (1929) described the presence of sulphur in a galena-bearing vein at Nant-y-blaidd Mine in the Llangynog Orefield. More recently, and due to the growing interest in microminerals, sulphur has been noted from a further locality in the Llangynog area, from several localities in the Central Wales Orefield and from three quarries in South and East Wales.

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