Leadhillite is a beautiful, rare lead carbonate-sulfate mineral often found in the oxidized zones of lead ore deposits. It is best known for its pseudo-hexagonal crystal habit and its distinct fluorescence, appearing bright yellow or orange under shortwave UV light.
Is this leadhillite?
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 leadhillite with a known reference. Leadhillite sits at Mohs 2.5-3, 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: resinous to adamantine, pearly on {001}.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: colorless, gray, yellowish, white, light blue.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: monoclinic. Typical habit: massive, pseudo hexagonal, tabular.
Often confused with
Leadhillite vs. its common look-alikes, and how to tell them apart in the field.
How to tell apart: Luster reads resinous to adamantine, pearly on {001} on Leadhillite and adamantine to resinous on Susannite.
How to tell apart: Luster reads resinous to adamantine, pearly on {001} on Leadhillite and adamantine to resinous, pearly on cleavage surfaces on Lanarkite.
How to tell apart: Luster reads resinous to adamantine, pearly on {001} on Leadhillite and adamantine, tending toward vitreous, resinous on Cerussite.
Often found alongside leadhillite
Minerals reported to co-occur with leadhillite. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- Pb₄SO₄(CO₃)₂(OH)₂
- Mohs hardness
- 2.5-3
- Density
- 6.55 g/cm³
- Streak
- White
- Luster
- Resinous to adamantine, pearly on {001}
- Transparency
- Transparent to translucent
- Crystal system
- Monoclinic
- Crystal habit
- Massive, pseudo hexagonal, tabular
- Cleavage
- {001}, perfect
- Fluorescence
- Weak gray yellow under SW UV; weak grey yellow under LW UV
- Rarity
- Rare
- Uses
- Collector
- Host rock
- An uncommon secondary mineral in the oxidation zone of lead deposits
Where rockhounds find leadhillite
Classic worldwide localities
- Beer Cellar mine, Granby, Newton Co., Missouri, USA
- Tintic district, Juab Co., Utah, USA
- Mammoth-St. Anthony mine, Tiger, Pinal Co., in the Rowley mine, near Theba, Maricopa Co., at the Grand Reef mine, Gila Co., and from Bisbee, Cochise Co., Arizona, USA
- Blue Bell claims, near Baker, San Bernardino Co., California, USA
- Leadhills, Lanarkshire, and Wanlockhead, Dumfriesshire, Scotland
- Drumruck mine, Kirkcudbrightshire, Scotland
Field-hunting tip
Where it forms: An uncommon secondary mineral in the oxidation zone of lead deposits. If you start seeing cerussite, anglesite, lanarkite in float, you are in the right ground. Typical habit: massive, pseudo hexagonal, tabular. Train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop.
Common questions
How do you identify leadhillite?+
Where is leadhillite found?+
Is leadhillite safe to handle?+
What rocks look like leadhillite?+
What minerals are found with leadhillite?+
What kind of rock does leadhillite form in?+
What is leadhillite used for?+
Find leadhillite on the map
RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.
