Judging quality
The best Mibladen specimens have thick, lustrous, undamaged hexagonal plates in bright red-orange, well distributed across contrasting matrix.
Vanadate
Vanadinite
Brilliant red-orange hexagonal crystals that grow on barite matrix in the lead deposits of Morocco. Few minerals are so intensely colored.
Care
Contains lead. Wash hands after handling; keep out of reach of children.
History & lore
Vanadinite was the mineral through which vanadium was rediscovered and confirmed as an element in 1830.
Cultural history, recorded as tradition rather than as medical or scientific claim.
Common questions about Vanadinite
- What is Vanadinite?
- Brilliant red-orange hexagonal crystals that grow on barite matrix in the lead deposits of Morocco. Few minerals are so intensely colored.
- How hard is Vanadinite and what is it made of?
- Vanadinite is a Vanadate-family mineral with the composition Pb5(VO4)3Cl. It crystallizes in the hexagonal system and rates 3-4 on the Mohs hardness scale. It occurs in red, orange.
- Where does Vanadinite come from?
- Notable localities for Vanadinite include Morocco (Mibladen), USA (Arizona), Mexico.
- How do you tell good Vanadinite from filler?
- The best Mibladen specimens have thick, lustrous, undamaged hexagonal plates in bright red-orange, well distributed across contrasting matrix.
- How do you care for Vanadinite?
- Contains lead. Wash hands after handling; keep out of reach of children.
See it in person
Photographs only go so far
Both rooms are open six days a week, and there is always someone happy to pull pieces out of the case so you can compare them under the light.