Lead vanadate chloride forming bright red to orange hexagonal prismatic crystals. Important ore of vanadium. Color: Bright red, orange, brown, yellow. Luster: Adamantine to resinous. Streak: White to yellowish. Cleavage: None. Hardness: 3. Transparency: Translucent to opaque. Crystal system: Hexagonal. Chemical formula: Pb₅ VO₄ ₃Cl. Specific gravity: 6.7-7.1. Formation: Forms in the oxidation zone of lead ore deposits where vanadium-bearing solutions react with lead minerals. Common geological settings: Morocco, USA Arizona , Mexico, Namibia; found in oxidized lead-zinc deposits. Common look-alikes and related entries: Wulfenite, Crocoite, Mimetite. Specimen safety: Keep this lead-bearing specimen intact. Do not cut, grind, polish, streak, lick, or use acid on it. Avoid creating or breathing dust, wash your hands with soap and water after handling, and keep it away from food, children, and pets.
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These authoritative resources support category-level nomenclature, terminology, identification methods, and safety. When a specimen-specific safety warning appears, the public-health source listed here directly supports that precaution. They are not line-by-line citations for every other property on this entry, and natural specimens vary.
Editorial owner
GeoMiner
Last updated
2026-03-30T14:37:34.510749+00:00
Review status
Published; not independently peer-reviewed
IMA–CNMNC List of Mineral Names — International Mineralogical Association. Official mineral-name, nomenclature, and classification records.
Mineral ID Key — Mineralogical Society of America. Physical-property identification methods, repeat-testing guidance, and limitations.
Lead: working safely — Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety. Canadian occupational-health guidance on lead exposure, dust control, hygiene, and safe handling.
Lead vanadate chloride forming bright red to orange hexagonal prismatic crystals. Important ore of vanadium.
How can you identify Vanadinite?
Compare several properties rather than relying on colour alone. This entry records colour: Bright red, orange, brown, yellow; lustre: Adamantine to resinous; streak: White to yellowish; Mohs hardness: 3; cleavage: None; crystal system: Hexagonal; transparency: Translucent to opaque. Confirm an important identification with additional field tests or qualified laboratory work.
How does Vanadinite form?
Forms in the oxidation zone of lead ore deposits where vanadium-bearing solutions react with lead minerals.
Where is Vanadinite commonly found?
Morocco, USA Arizona , Mexico, Namibia; found in oxidized lead-zinc deposits.
Is Vanadinite safe to handle?
Keep this lead-bearing specimen intact. Do not cut, grind, polish, streak, lick, or use acid on it. Avoid creating or breathing dust, wash your hands with soap and water after handling, and keep it away from food, children, and pets. Avoid creating dust or using destructive tests on an unknown specimen, and follow site-specific safety procedures.
What is Vanadinite commonly confused with?
Vanadinite may be confused with Wulfenite, Crocoite, Mimetite. Compare multiple diagnostic properties because colour and surface appearance can overlap.
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