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Wulfenite crystals
Photo by Violet Anderson
© Royal Ontario Museum
Wulfenite crystals
© Doug Merson
Wulfenite crystal
© Doug Merson
PbMoO
Wulfenite is a very rare accessory mineral species at Mont Saint-Hilaire. It is probably due to an alteration of molybdenite.
PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS:
Color is usually yellow to pale orange-yellow.
Luster is dull to adamantine.
Diaphaneity is transparent to translucent.
Crystal System is orthorhombic;
Crystal Habits include acicular crystals to 2mm and sharp
tetragonal prisms with very steep pyramidal terminations.
Cleavage {001} is distinct, {001} and {013} are indisctinct.
Fracture is uneven to subconchoidal.
Hardness is 3.
Specific Gravity is approximately 6.8 g/cm
Streak is white.
Associated Minerals include hemimorphite, galena and natrolite.
Distinguishing Features: Crystal habit, color and luster.
Origin: Named in 1841 after Franz Xavier Wülfen (1728-1805),
Austrian Jesuit mineralogist, author of a monograph on the lead ores
of the discovery locality.
CLASSIFICATION:
Dana System
# 48.1.3.1
Strunz Classification
# VI/G.01-30
REFERENCES:
MinRec 21:347 (1990), Dana 8:999-1000 (1997)
DISTRIBUTION AND RARITY AT MONT SAINT-HILAIRE:
MSH
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Wulfenite crystal
© Doug Merson