Vanadinite

Vanadinite is an industrial ore of Manganese and Lead, which typically forms into gorgeous reddy brown crystalline forms.

It has a widespread distribution, with locales worldwide producing numerous gorgeous specimens.

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Appearance, Uses and History

Vanadinite is a mineral prized for its bright colours and finely formed crystalline structure.

The crystals are often hexagonal, which is another big draw for collectors. Vanadinite is also used as an ore of Vanadium and Lead, though, and tends to occur alongside other Lead based minerals.

Vanadinite should be kept in a light controlled area, as it may fade in direct sunlight or other bright lights.

Locales

Nice specimens of Vanadinite can be found in Argentina, Austria, France, Germany, Greece, Mexico, Morocco, Spain, Turkey, and the USA.

Particularly fine specimens from Greece, Morocco, and the USA are popular amongst collectors!

Mineralogy

Chemistry
Lead chlorovanadate, with the chemical formula Pb5(VO4)3Cl.
Colours and Variations
Orange, red, brown, yellow tones. Sometimes grey or colourless.
Streak
Pale yellow to yellow brown.
Luster
Resinous to adamantine
Fracture
Uneven, conchoidal.
Transparency
Transparent, translucent or opaque.
Crystal habit
Often forms in prismatic hexagonal crystals, or small hexagonal plates, pyramidal crystals, or fibrous, crusty, radiating, acicular.
Mohs hardness
3 – 4
Specific Gravity
6.6 – 7.2
Fluorescence
N/A
Easiest testing method
Extremely high specific gravity with bright colours and hexagonal crystals.
Common Treatments

Hazards and Warnings

Vanadinite is Lead based, and should, therefore, be considered potentially toxic. It should never be kept in an area with high humidity, or exposed directly to water. It is relatively safe to handle, please wash your hands afterwards. If cutting, grinding, etc, additional protection should be employed.

Almost all rocks, minerals (and, frankly, almost all other substances on earth) can produce toxic dust when cutting, which can cause serious respiratory conditions including silicosis.

When cutting or polishing rocks, minerals, shells, etc, all work should be done wet to minimise the dust, and a suitable respirator or extraction system should be used.

Translations

Arabic:

  • فانادينيت

Hindi:

Portuguese:

  • vanadinita

Bengali:

Indonesian:

Punjabi:

English:

  • vanadinite

Italian:

Russian:

  • Ванадинит

French:

Japanese:

  • バナジナイト

Spanish:

  • Vanadinita

German:

  • Vanadinit

Korean:

  • 바나 디 나이트

Thai:

Gujurati:

Mandarin and Traditional Chinese:

  • 钒铅矿

Urdu:

Further Reading / External Links