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Download hereGENERAL DESCRIPTION
Vanadinite is an unfrequent lead chlorovanadate. It can be found in the oxidation zones of the lead deposits that are exposed to arid climates.
It forms an isomorphous series (family of minerals with atomic structure close) with pyromorphite (phosphate; Pb5(PO4)3Cl) and mimetite (arsenate Pb5(AsO4)3Cl).
It is a vanadium ore. This metal is used to increase the resistance of steel.
Vanadinite forms more or less flattened hexagonal crystals, with a very beautiful orange-red colour. These characteristics make vanadinite a very attractive mineral for collectors and museums.
Morocco, with the deposits of Mibladen and Taouz, provided the most beautiful vanadinite samples found to date. In the first of these deposits, vanadinite forms hexagonal, centimetric crystals (reaching 5 cm in diameter), associated the barite. Very beautiful vanadinite crystals deposited on black manganese oxide stalactites made the celebrity of the second Moroccan deposit. The crystals of great dimension (14 cm length) come from Abenab, in the district of Otavi in Namibia. Remarkable crystals are regularly found in the US-Mexican deserts (Zimapan, Arizona).
In France, vanadinite was observed at Les Farges mines in Corrèze but also in the East (Urbeis, Haut-Rhin, Saint-Bresson and the Haute-Saone and with Val d’Ajol in the Vosges) like in Ploudalmézeau (Finistère).
Alas, the type of this species (from Zimapan in Mexico) was lost in the sea after its discovery in Mexico (published in 1838).
HISTORY : Name inspired from the element vanadium it contains
Species first described in 1838 by le baron Franz Von Kobell (1803-1882), German mineralogist and writer
Type-locality : Zimapan, Hidalgo, Mexico
CHEMICAL FORMULA : Pb5 (VO4)3 Cl
CRYSTAL SYSTEM : Hexagonal
COLOR : Red - orangeish, dark red, brown
DIAPHANIETY : Semi-transparent to opaque
LUSTER : Resineous to adamantine
STREAK : White
MORPHOLOGIE : Prismatic crystals usually well developped, parallel groups, fibrous
HARDNESS : 2,5-3,0
CHEMICAL CLASS: 6,95
DENSITY : VII - Phosphates, arsenates and vanadates
GROUP : Chlorapatite - pyromorphite series
STRUNZ CLASS BEFORE 2001 : 7/B.39-170
STRUNZ CLASS AFTER 2001 : 8.BN.10
