Crocoita
Crocoita is a mineral with formula PbCrO₄, in the Cromatos group. This specimen comes from Adelaide Mine, Dundas, Zeehan, Tasmania, Australia.
Description
Single crocoite crystal of vivid red-orange colour and straight prismatic habit, with well-marked longitudinal striations and slight vitreous lustre. Shows internal inclusions and a very pure, vertical aspect. Extremely delicate.
History of this specimen
During initial handling, when I pressed the base with two fingers to set it, the crystal fractured and lost c. 0.5 cm.
About Crocoita
Crocoite is a lead chromate that crystallises in the monoclinic system. Its intense red-orange colour is due to chromium. It is a fragile and uncommon mineral, celebrated for its acicular or prismatic crystals in Tasmania, the only place in the world where it occurs in quantity and of collector quality.
About the locality
The Red Lead Mine, located in Dundas, is famous for hosting the most spectacular crocoites known. It is part of a historic district that is now virtually exhausted. Many specimens, like this one, were recovered by collectors such as Shane Schreiber. The mine was worked starting in the 19th century and today represents mineralogical heritage. Towards the end of the 19th century, Dundas experienced a boom as a silver mining town (lead and argentiferous galena). The first prospectors and miners arrived there in the 1880s. At one point, the population reached 1,081 census-registered people, only 76 of whom were women.
Technical data
- Catalogue No.
- 0082
- Composition
- PbCrO₄
- Name
- Crocoita
- Group
- Cromatos
- Category
- Estélites
- Mine
- Adelaide Mine
- District / Municipality
- Dundas
- Province
- Zeehan
- Region
- Tasmania
- Country
- Australia
- Size (cm)
- 6.5 x 0.4 x 0.4
- Weight
- 3 g
- Ex-collection
- Shane Schreiber
- Etymology
- From the Greek "krokos" ('saffron'), in allusion to the mineral's intense red colour.
- Quality
- Notable
- Value trend
- Al alza