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. Streak: white.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Luster: adamantine, tending toward vitreous, resinous.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: colorless, white, gray, yellow, brown, blue, green.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: orthorhombic. Typical habit: crystalline, massive, reticulate.
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
- 6.55 g/cm³
- Streak
- White
- Luster
- Adamantine, tending toward vitreous, resinous
- Transparency
- Transparent to translucent
- Crystal system
- Orthorhombic
- Crystal habit
- Crystalline, massive, reticulate
- Cleavage
- {110} and {021}, good; {010} and {012}, poor
- Fluorescence
- Orange under SW UV; yellowish under LW UV
- Rarity
- Common
- Uses
- Collector, Ore mineral
- Host rock
- Common in the oxidized zone of lead deposits, where it may constitute an important ore
Where rockhounds find cerussite
61 mapped spotsClassic worldwide localities
- Wheatley mine, Phoenixville, Chester Co., Pennsylvania, USA
- Bunker Hill mine, Coeur d’Alene district, Shoshone Co., Idaho, USA
- Leadville, Lake Co., Colorado, USA
- Mammoth-St. Anthony mine, Tiger, Pinal Co., at the Flux mine, Santa Cruz Co., Arizona, USA
- Friedrichssegen mine, near Braubach, Rhineland-Pfalz, Germany
- Příbram, Czech Republic
U.S. states with cerussite
Each link opens a state-specific list of mapped rockhounding spots that produce cerussite.
Field-hunting tip
Where it forms: Common in the oxidized zone of lead deposits, where it may constitute an important ore. If you start seeing anglesite, smithsonite, malachite in float, you are in the right ground. Typical habit: crystalline, massive, reticulate. 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.
More cerussite photos
Common questions
How do you identify cerussite?+
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Can I find cerussite in the United States?+
Is cerussite safe to handle?+
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.
