Cerussite is a lead carbonate mineral highly valued by collectors for its brilliant adamantine luster and complex, often twinned, reticulated crystal habits. It forms in the oxidized zones of lead-bearing ore bodies, commonly resulting from the alteration of galena. Handle with care due to its significant lead content, and store away from acidic environments.
Is this cerussite?
5-step field checkRun through these checks against the specimen in your hand. The more boxes tick, the more confident the ID.
- 1Test the hardnessTry to scratch cerussite with a known reference. Cerussite sits at Mohs 3-3.5, softer than the next harder reference, harder than the previous one.
- 2Check the streakDrag the specimen across an unglazed porcelain plate. Cerussite leaves a white streak.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Cerussite typically shows a adamantine luster.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: colorless, white, gray, yellow, brown.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: orthorhombic. Typical habit: tabular, prismatic, or reticulated aggregates.
Often confused with
Cerussite vs. its common look-alikes, and how to tell them apart in the field.
Often found alongside cerussite
Minerals reported to co-occur with cerussite. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- PbCO₃
- Mohs hardness
- 3-3.5
- Density
- 6.5-6.6 g/cm³
- Streak
- White
- Luster
- Adamantine
- Transparency
- Transparent
- Crystal system
- Orthorhombic
- Crystal habit
- Tabular, Prismatic, Or Reticulated Aggregates
- Cleavage
- Distinct
- Fluorescence
- Often Fluorescent Bright Yellow Under LW UV
- Rarity
- Common
- Uses
- Collector, Ore Mineral
- Host rock
- Oxidized Zones of Lead Deposits
- Typical price
- $10-100 thumbnail, $200-2000 cabinet
Where rockhounds find cerussite
60 mapped spotsClassic worldwide localities
- Tsumeb, Namibia
- Broken Hill, Australia
- Touissit, Morocco
- Arizona, USA
- Bad Ems, Germany
U.S. states with cerussite
Each link opens a state-specific list of mapped rockhounding spots that produce cerussite.
Field-hunting tip
Look in oxidized zones of lead deposits country, the host setting where cerussite typically forms. If you start seeing galena, anglesite, smithsonite in float, you are in the right ground. Field specimens usually show a tabular, prismatic, or reticulated aggregates habit, so train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop. In the U.S., the densest reported localities are in Utah, Missouri, New Mexico. Start trip planning there.
Common questions
How do you identify cerussite?+
Where is cerussite found?+
Can I find cerussite in the United States?+
How much is cerussite worth?+
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What rocks look like cerussite?+
What minerals are found with cerussite?+
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Find cerussite on the map
RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.
