Muséum national d'histoire naturelle _ The species

FROM : Mine des Farges, Ussel, Corrèze, France
SIZE : 8.5 x 8.5 cm

This sample has yellow transparent hexagonal crystals of which somes are hollow. The crystals measure for the biggest ones 0.5 cm and are aggregated in as a bouquet. The dimensions are 8,5 x 8,5 cm.

The sample comes from Farges Mine in Corrèze area in France and was acquired thanks to support from Total.

It is today kept in the storage rooms of the collections of the Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle (i.e., not yet displayed to the public).

Photography: Louis-Dominique Bayle, © MNHN.

SPECIE : Pyromorphite

HISTORY : Name inspired by the Greek word [pyros] meaning "fire" and "αργuρoσ" [morphos] meaning "shape", in reference to the globule shape formed during the melting and which cooldowns with a crystalline form

Species described in 1813 by Johann Friedrich Ludwig Hausmann (1782-1859), German mineralogist

Type-locality: undefined because species already known by the Ancients
ANCIENT NAME : Mine de plomb verte ou jaunastre, plomb phosphaté

CHEMICAL FORMULA : Pb5 (PO4)3 Cl
CRYSTAL SYSTEM : Hexagonal
COLOR : Green dark, green yellow, yellow-brown
DIAPHANIETY : Transparent to translucent
LUSTER : Resineous to adamantine
STREAK : White
MORPHOLOGY : Short prismatic crystals
HARDNESS : 3,5-4,0
DENSITY : 6,7-7,0

CHEMICAL CLASS : VII - Phosphates, arsenat
GROUP : Chlorapatite - pyromorphite
STRUNZ CLASS BEFORE 2001 : 7/B.39-150
STRUNZ CLASS AFTER 2001 : 8.BN.10

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Pyromorphite

Pyromorphite

MNHN N°204.128

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