Click on a letter above to view the list of gems.  

Endlichite  (variety of Vanadinite)
Current inventory:  0 gems
 

Chemistry:  Pb₅((V,As)O₄)₃Cl  [Lead Vandadate Arsenate Chloride]

Discovered in 1838 (Vanadinite);   IMA status: Not Valid (a variety of Vanadinite).
Origin of Endlichite name is unknown.

Classification

Mineral Classification:

Phosphates

Strunz 8th Ed. ID:

7/B.39-170

Nickel-Strunz 10th Ed. ID:

8.BN.05

8 : PHOSPHATES, ARSENATES, VANADATES
B : Phosphates, etc., with additional anions, without H₂O
N : With only large cations, (OH, etc.):RO₄ = 0.33:1

Related to:

An Arsenic (As) bearing variety of Vanadinite. Apatite Group. Pyromorphite Subgroup. Vanadinite - Mimetite Series. Vanadinite - Pyromorphite Series. The vanadate analogue of Mimetite and Pyromorphite. Isostructural with Mimetite and Pyromorphite.

Crystal Data

Crystallography:

Hexagonal - Dipyramidal

Crystal Habit:

Well developed hexagonal prisms [0001] with smooth faces and sharp edges; commonly cavernous, also acicular, hairlike, fibrous, rounded, globular, skeletalized. Crystals may exhibit concentric zones of varying composition.

Twinning:

None

Physical Properties

Cleavage:

None

Fracture:

Irregular/Uneven, Conchoidal

Tenacity:

Brittle

Hardness (Mohs):

2.5 - 3.0

Density:

6.88 (g/cm³); Density decreases with the substitution of Ca for Pb; repaorted values range between ~6.5 to 7.1.

Luminescence:

None

Radioactivity:

Not Radioactive

Health Warning:

CAUTION: Contains Arsenic - always wash hands after handling. Avoid inhaling dust when handling or breaking. Never lick or ingest.

Other:

Readily soluble in HNO3 to a yellow solution; soluble in HCl to a green solution with the deposition of lead chloride.

Optical Properties

Color:

Orange, Orangish Brown, Brown

Transparency:

Translucent to Opaque

Luster:

Adamantine to Sub-Adamantine, Resinous

Refractive Index:

2.350 - 2.416  Uniaxial ( - )

Birefringence:

0.0660

Dispersion:

Strong

Pleochroism:

Weak; Visible in tinted material in transmitted light; Dichroism: e = light, w = darker

Occurances

Geological Setting:

A rare secondary mineral formed through the oxidation of primary lead minerals such as Galena. It precipitates from aqueous solutions in veins and solution cavities, along with other secondary lead minerals.

Common Associations:

Anglesite, Barite, Calcite, Cerussite, Descloizite, Mimetite, Mottramite, Pyromorphite, Wulfenite, iron oxides

Common Impurities:

As, Ca, P

Type Locality:

probably Sierra de Los Lamentos, Chichuahua, Mexico

Year Discovered:

1838 (Vanadinite)

View mineral photos:

Endlichite Mineral Photos and Locations

More Information

Mindat.org  (Endlichite)
Mindat.org  (Vanadinite)
Webmineral.com  (Vanadinite)

Endlichite is an arsenic-rich variety of Vanadinite. It forms a complete solution series between Vanadinite and Mimetite, with increasing amounts of Arsenic replacing Vanadium. Endlichite is a rare secondary mineral formed through the oxidation of primary lead minerals such as Galena. It precipitates from aqueous solutions in veins and solution cavities, along with other secondary lead minerals.

There are only four locations for finding Endlichite: Erupción Mine (Ahumada Mine; Erupción-Ahumada Mine), Los Lamentos Mts (Sierra de Los Lamentos), Mun. de Ahumada, Chihuahua, Mexico; Ojuela Mine, Mapimí, Mun. de Mapimí, Durango, Mexico; Midelt, Khénifra Province, Meknès-Tafilalet Region, Morocco; Chalk Mountain Mine, Chalk Mountain District, Churchill Co., Nevada, USA.

  
Endlichite gems for sale:

We have not photographed our Endlichite gems. Please check back soon.