Pyromorphite
China
0.27 carats
© Giovanni Scapin 2015
Pyromorphite forms transparent to translucent, brown, green, orange, yellow, colourless, grey, white, short to long prismatic, pyramidial or tabular crystals with vitreous to resinous lustre.
Pyromorphite is a common mineral, but faceted stones are very rare.
| General Information | |||||||||||||||||
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| Chemical Formula |
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| Physical Properties of Pyromorphite | |||||||||||||||||
| Mohs Hardness | 3.5 to 4, Gemstones (2009) | ||||||||||||||||
| Specific Gravity | 6.5 to 7.1, Gemstones (2009) | ||||||||||||||||
| Tenacity | Brittle, Gemstones (2009) | ||||||||||||||||
| Cleavage Quality | Imperfect, Gemstones (2009) | ||||||||||||||||
| Fracture | Sub-Conchoidal, Gemstones (2009) More from other references | ||||||||||||||||
| Optical Properties of Pyromorphite | |||||||||||||||||
| Refractive Index | 2.042 to 2.059, Gemstones (2009) | ||||||||||||||||
| Optical Character | Uniaxial/-, Gemstones (2009) More from other references | ||||||||||||||||
| Birefringence | 0.010, Gemstones (2009) | ||||||||||||||||
| Pleochroism | Weak, Handbook of mineralogy (2001) | ||||||||||||||||
| Colour | |||||||||||||||||
| Colour (General) | Brown, green, orange, yellow, colourless, grey, white, Gemstones (2009) More from other references | ||||||||||||||||
| Transparency | Transparent,Translucent, Gemstones (2009) | ||||||||||||||||
| Lustre | Vitreous,Resinous, Gemstones (2009) More from other references | ||||||||||||||||
| Crystallography of Pyromorphite | |||||||||||||||||
| Crystal System | Hexagonal, Gemstones (2009) More from other references | ||||||||||||||||
| Habit | Prismatic, pyramidial, tabular, Gemstones (2009) More from other references | ||||||||||||||||
| Geological Environment | |||||||||||||||||
| Where found: | A secondary mineral in the oxidized zone of lead deposits; rarely a volcanic sublimate., Handbook of mineralogy (2001) | ||||||||||||||||
| Further Information | |||||||||||||||||
| Mineral information: | Pyromorphite information at mindat.org | ||||||||||||||||
| Significant Gem Localities | |||||||||||||||||
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