Name/Title
VanadiniteEntry/Object ID
2004.1.132Description
Chemical Composition: Pb5(VO4)3Cl
Crystal System: Hexagonal System
Description: Common Name: Vanadinite
Group Name: Phosphate
Chemistry: Pb5(VO4)3Cl
Location: Mibladen, Morocco
Description: Rusty orange with dark grey/dark orange. Has cat eye effect (medium)
PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS:
Color is typically bright red to orange, less commonly gray or brown.
Luster is vitreous to adamantine.
Transparency crystals are transparent to translucent.
Crystal System is hexagonal; 6/m
Crystal Habit is typically the hexagonal prism with pinacoid as a termination. Rare crystals can have the hexagonal pyramid as a termination. Can also be found as rounded masses and crusts.
Cleavage is none.
Fracture is conchoidal.
Hardness is 3.
Specific Gravity is approximately 6.6+ (very heavy for translucent minerals)
Streak is yellowish white.
Associated Minerals are wulfenite, limonite, barite, galena and secondary lead deposit minerals.
Other Characteristics: index of refraction is 2.39 (typically high for lead minerals) and crystal terminations can be hollowed out or pitted but not as often as pyromorphite or mimetite.
Best Field Indicators are color, crystal habit, high luster and density.
Fracture: conhoidal
Hardness: 3 Calcite
Luster: Vitreous
Occurrence: Notable Occurances include Arizona, USA; Mexico; Tsumeb, Nambia; Zambia; and South Africa.
Specific Gravity: 6.6
Streak: yellowish white
Variety: Vanadinite is part of a chemical series with two other minerals; Pyromorphite (Pb5(PO4)3Cl) and Mimetite (Pb5(AsO4)3Cl). This series is a little different than most chemical series which involve substitution of cations such as calcium for magnesium. Instead, this series substitutes its basic chemical units the anion groups; phosphate (PO4), arsenate (AsO4) and vanadate (VO4). Vanadinite is usually red which the other members of this series and apatite group usually are not. Vanadinite's classic crystal habit is short hexagonal prisms terminated by a pinacoid, or flat basal face. These crystals are wider than they are long and are more blade-like than the barrel shaped crystals so common to the Apatite Group minerals. The high luster and deep red color give vanadinite a nice appeal to mineral collectors.Collection
Suomynona Mineral Collection, Suomynona CollectionAcquisition
Accession
2004.1Source or Donor
Suomynona Mineral CollectionAcquisition Method
DonationDimensions
Width
2-1/2 inDepth
1-1/2 inLength
6-1/2 inDimension Notes
Dimension taken at widest pointsLocation
Location
Room
Neil JohnsonBuilding
Attic StorageCategory
PermanentMoved By
Lehman R.Date
August 26, 2009Location
Container
CenterDrawer
Back Row / 2nd ShelfShelf
Left, LeftWall
NorthBuilding
Founders RoomCategory
PermanentMoved By
Lehman R.Date
August 26, 2009Location
Shelf
RightCabinet
Case # 7Room
Mentzer HallBuilding
Crater Rock MuseumCategory
Permanent
