Specifications
Description
Locality: Mibladen Mining District, Morocco
In 1801 the mineralogist Andrés Manuel del Río, working at the Real Seminario de Minería in Mexico City, analysed a "brown lead" ore from Zimapán, Mexico, and reported a new element in it. He later called it erythronium, for the red colour of its salts. French chemists who tested his sample decided it was only chromium, and he withdrew the claim.
Mibladen lies about 25 km northeast of the town of Midelt, between Morocco's High Atlas and Middle Atlas mountains. Its lead deposit sits in Jurassic (Liassic) limestones and dolomites. Lead deposits there were first reported in 1907, and the Société des Mines d'Aouli worked the area from 1926, producing lead concentrate for export to France.
Vanadinite is a lead chlorovanadate, Pb5(VO4)3Cl, and belongs to the apatite group. It typically grows as well-formed hexagonal prisms, in colours from red-orange and deep red to brownish red and yellow, with a subresinous to subadamantine lustre. It is soft, at 2.5 to 3 on the Mohs scale, and unusually heavy for its size, with a density of about 6.9.
This one of a kind Vanadinite mineral specimen from Morocco features a dense cluster of deep red to reddish-brown crystals covering most of the piece. The crystals range from small blocky forms to larger hexagonal plates, with many showing flat reflective faces and stepped growth around their edges. Some areas appear more translucent red, while others are darker and more opaque, giving the specimen noticeable variation across the surface. A tan, porous matrix remains exposed along parts of the underside and edges, creating a natural contrast with the heavier crystal coverage.
Vanadinite is a lead chlorovanadate mineral and is best known for its bold red-orange coloration and sharply formed hexagonal crystals. It was first identified in the early 1800s and is named for its vanadium content, an element that was still being newly understood at the time. Vanadinite forms as a secondary mineral in the oxidized zones of lead deposits, often developing from the alteration of lead-bearing minerals such as galena. Morocco is one of the most famous modern sources of high-quality Vanadinite, especially from mining districts in the Mibladen and Midelt regions.
In crystal traditions, vanadinite is associated with energy, focus and motivation.
Chemical Composition: Pb5(VO4)3Cl
Quantity: 1pc
With this product, you will get the actual stone in the photograph.