Apr 25 2014
Cerussite was so named by Wilhelm Karl von Haidinger in 1845, after the Latin word ‘cerussa’, meaning ‘white lead’. The mineral belongs to the aragonite group.
Properties of Cerussite
The following are the key properties of cerussite:
- Cell Data
- Space group: Pmcn
- a = 5.179(1)
- b = 8.492(3)
- c = 6.141(2)
- Z = 4
- Crystal Data
- Orthorhombic
- Point group: 2/m2/m2/m
- Crystals, to 0.6 m, are tabular {010}, equant to elongated on [001] or [100], or pseudohexagonal dipyramidal {111}, exhibiting combinations of {110}, {010}, {111}, {021}, {012}, {011}, {130}, {001}, with many others
- Granular, pulverulent, stalactitic, as randomly intergrown prismatic aggregates, rarely fibrous
- Massive
- Twinning: Common, as simple or cyclic contact twins on {110}, producing stellate pseudohexagonal or reticulated composites; as contact twins on {130} producing heart-shaped composites. Both laws may occur in one aggregate
- X-ray powder pattern: 3.593 (100), 3.498 (43), 2.487 (32), 2.081 (27), 3.074 (24), 1.859 (21), 2.522 (20)
- Chemical Composition
| Elements |
Content 1 |
Content 2 |
| PbO |
83.27 |
83.53 |
| CO2 |
16.64 |
16.47 |
| insol. |
0.24 |
- |
| Total |
100.15 |
100.00 |
- Optical Properties
- Optical class: Biaxial (-)
- Orientation: X = c; Y = b; Z = a
- Dispersion: r > v, strong
- α = 1.803; β = 2.074; γ = 2.076
- 2V(meas.) = 8°- 9°
- Estimated Properties
| Electron density |
Bulk density (electron density) = 5.52 g/cm3
note: Specific gravity of cerussite = 6.58 g/cm3 |
| Photoelectric |
PE Cerussite =1,420.03 barns/electron
U=PE Cerussite x ρ electron density= 7,832.85 barns/cm3 |
| Fermion index |
Fermion index =0.17
Boson index = 0.83 |
| Radioactivity |
Cerussite is not radioactive |
How to Identify Cerussite
Cerussite can be identified in the field by its color variations, such as white, gray, blue, and green. It is sometimes colorless. Its transparent to sub-translucent form has {110} distinct and {021} distinct cleavage. This mineral has an adamantine luster with a white streak. The fracture on this mineral is brittle - conchoidal. The density of cerussite is 6.58 g/cm3 with a hardness of 3-3.5- between calcite and copper penny.
Global Distribution
Cerussite is distributed in the following places:
- Germany - From the Friedrichssegen mine, near Braubach, Rhineland-Pfalz
- Namibia - Excellent crystals and twinned groups at Tsumeb, and in the Kombat Cu.Pb.Ag mine, 49km south of Tsumeb
- Morocco - At Mibladen, with fine twins from the Touissit mine, near Oujda
- Czech Republic - At Pribram
- France - In the Rossignol vein, Chaillac, Indre
- Scotland - At Leadhills, Lanarkshire
- England - From the Frankmills mine, Christow, Devon
- Italy - At Monteponi and Montevecchio, near Iglesias, Sardinia
- Russia - From Nerchinsk, Siberia
- Slovenia - From Mezica (Mies)
- Tunisia - At Sidi-Amor-ben-Salem
- Iran - At the Nakhlak mine, Anarak district
- Australia - From Broken Hill, New South Wales; at the Magnet and other mines, near Dundas, Tasmania
- USA - From the Wheatley mine, Phoenixville, Chester Co. Pennsylvania; in the Bunker Hill mine, Coeur d’Alene district, Shoshone Co., Idaho; from Leadville, Lake Co. Colorado; in Arizona, from the Mammoth-St. Anthony mine, Tiger, Pinal Co. at the Flux mine, Santa Cruz Co. and elsewhere; large twins from the Stevenson-Bennett mine, Organ district, Do.na Ana Co. New Mexico.
Occurrence of Cerussite and Useful Mineral Association
Cerussite occurs commonly in the oxidized zone of lead deposits, where it may constitute an important ore. It is often associated with minerals such as anglesite, smithsonite, pyromorphite, malachite, phosgenite, galena, and azurite.
References