Mimetite
Species
Rare · Pb₅(AsO₄)₃Cl
A lead arsenate of oxidised lead veins, named for how closely it mimics pyromorphite: the two form a series and are told apart only by chemistry. Yellow to orange prisms, barrel-shaped crystals and rounded crusts are its usual forms.
Identity
- Formula
- Pb₅(AsO₄)₃Cl
- Chemical class
- Phosphate
- Mineral group
- Apatite, Pyromorphite, Vanadinite
- Also known as
- Campylite
Crystallography
- Crystal system
- Hexagonal
- Habits
- Prismatic, Botryoidal, Drusy
- Fracture
- Subconchoidal
Physical properties
- Mohs hardness
- 4
- Density
- 7.24 g/cm³
- Luster
- Adamantine, Resinous
- Colors
- white, yellow, orange, brown, red
- Streak
- white
- Transparency
- Transparent, Translucent
Geology
- Origins
- Hydrothermal
- Associated minerals
- Pyromorphite, Cerussite, Galena
- Found in
- Oxidized zone (gossan)
- Geography
- Namibia, Mexico, United Kingdom
Classification
- Rarity
- Rare
- Gem quality
- No
Sources
- M. Pasero and others, IMA Commission on New Minerals, Nomenclature and Classification, The New IMA List of Minerals, updated September 2026. International Mineralogical Association (CNMNC), 2026.
- Mimetite. Mindat.org (Hudson Institute of Mineralogy).
- J. W. Anthony, R. A. Bideaux, K. W. Bladh, M. C. Nichols, Mimetite. Mineral Data Publishing, Handbook of Mineralogy, 2001.
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