Mineralpedia Details for Vanadinite

A relatively common mineral, Vanadinite is named for its vanadium content. It is found in many localities worldwide as a secondary mineral in oxidized lead-bearing deposits as the vanadium is leached from the wall-rock. Vanadinite was discovered even prior to the discovery in vanadium in Mexico at its type locality of Zimapán, Mexico. Interestingly, the type material for vanadinite was lost at sea.

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

Formula

Pb₅(VO₄)₃Cl 

Crystal System

Hexagonal 

Crystal Habit

Globular, Prismatic, Nodular 

Cleavage

None, None, None 

Luster

Adamantine 

Color

brown, brownish yellow, brown red, colorless, yellow 

Streak

brownish yellow 

Class

Hexagonal - Dipyramidal 

Fracture

Brittle - Conchoidal 

Hardness

3.5-4 

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Chocolate brown single, barrel-shaped crystals to 6mm with hopperd terminations producings hollowed ends.

Orange to greenish orange prismatic crystals from 1-5mm.

Tight cluster of lustrous brown, curved Vanadinite crystals to 8mm. Nice piece from a not-too-common Montana locale. This specimens were very limited and we have not seen many more on the market.

From the our recently acquired collection of David Hess, a long time Western Illinois University professor.

Exceptional, well crystallized specimen of Vanadinite from this locality known for it pyramidal terminations. This piece features two long crystals to over 1.3cm each with numerous smaller crystals.

Red, hexagonal, prismatic crystals to 2mm.

The platy, box-work matrix is covered by micrscopic, flaming orange Desclozite and perched about are long, acicular silvery Vanadanite crystals to 1mm. Most of the Vanadinite though measures less than 0.5mm.

Bright red, hexagonal crystals from 5 to 12mm across.

Sharp, top knotch, lustrous and gemmy Vanadinite crystals to 3mm.

Well-formed, hexagonal crystals to 2mm, brown with slightly orange terminations on highly lustrous, black Descloizite.

Dark yellow prismatic Vanadinite crystals on Descloizite.

Older specimen which came from the stock of the late Richard Bideaux. The specimen has hundreds of yellow to orange 0.5 to 1mm Vanadinite crystals lining much larger Quartz crystals. The backside reveals some Galena in the matrix, which contains the lead, essential to the formation of Vanadinite.

These crystals are dihexagonal prisms. The larger crystals which are up to 3mm have 12 prism faces - first and second order faces. With twelve faces, the prisms look almost round. Some of the smaller crystals are ordinary hexagonal prisms. These have a good transulcent orange-red color and are highly lustrous.

Silvery needles and curved crystals of Vanadinite var. endlichite, an arsenic bearing variety, from 1-4mm with bright orange microcrystalline Descloizite absolutely covering matrix. Neat piece from a TX locale not seen often on the market.

Barrel-shaped hexagonal crystals to 2mm in clusters across matrix.

1-2mm red prismatic crystals.

Barrel-shaped brownish-red crystals to 1mm. EDS

Excellent orange, hexagonal crystals to 2mm.

Tiny 1mm or less bright red hexagonal crystals.

Light orange 1-8mm crystals of Vanadinite. The larger crystals are those on top and have flattend, tabular apperance.

Large prismatic crystals to 1cm tapering to a point.

Incredibly large creamy hexagonal crystals to 1.7cm! The specimen is in fine shape and very impressive.