Crocoita
Crocoita is a mineral with formula PbCrO₄, in the Cromatos group. This specimen comes from Adelaide Mine, Dundas, Zeehan, Tasmania, Australia and joined the Terrium collection in 2025.
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 Adelaide Mine, in the Dundas mineral field, Tasmania, is a classic locality for crocoite. It produces loose crystals and matrix specimens that have been sought by collectors since the 19th century. Mining is now very limited, making well-formed loose crystals such as this increasingly scarce.
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
- Acquired
- 2025
- 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