Mineralpedia Details for Schwartzembergite

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Schwartzembergite

Named after a man called Dr. Schwartemberg, who was most likely Dr. Adolf Emilio Schwartemberg, a Chilean assayer who first noticed the mineral. Found a just a few localities, Schwartembergite is a rare mineral that occurs in secondary oxidized zone of arid-climate metallic hydrothermal deposits. If Schwarzembergite comes in contact with hydrochloric acid, it will evolve chlorine gas. Schwazembergite is additionally unusual in that in contains iodine.

Ref. Handbook of Mineralogy, Anthony et al (1995) and MSA at http://www.handbookofmineralogy.org/pdfs/schwartzembergite.pdf

Formula: Pb²⁺₅H₂I³⁺O₆Cl₃
Crystal System: Tetragonal
Crystal Habit: Druse, Crystalline - Fine
Cleavage: Distinct, None, None
Luster: Adamantine
Color: yellow brown, light yellow, reddish brown
Streak: light yellow
Class: Tetragonal - Ditetragonal Dipyramidal
Hardness: 2.5
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Schwartzembergite from San Francisco mine, Sierra Gorda dist., Antofagasta, Chile

Tabular orange crystals, visibly much like Wulfenite, but tested out to be Schwartzemberite, an iodate of lead. It is also much rarer than Wulfenite and found in only two countries: Chile and Mexico. These crystals are excellent and measure about 1mm. There are several crystals is a 6mm vug.