Litharge is the high-temperature tetragonal form of lead monoxide, often appearing as earthy red to orange crusts or powdery coatings. It is an alteration product typically found in the oxidation zones of lead deposits where galena has weathered. Collectors should handle it with care due to its lead content and often friable nature.
Is this litharge?
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 litharge with a known reference. Litharge sits at Mohs 2, softer than the next harder reference, harder than the previous one.
- 2Check the streakDrag the specimen across an unglazed porcelain plate. Streak: red.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Luster: greasy to dull.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: red.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: tetragonal. Typical habit: encrustations.
Often confused with
Litharge vs. its common look-alikes, and how to tell them apart in the field.
How to tell apart: Streak differs, so Litharge leaves red, Minium leaves yellow-orange; luster reads greasy to dull on Litharge and dull to slightly greasy on Minium.
How to tell apart: Streak differs, so Litharge leaves red, Massicot leaves yellow.
Often found alongside litharge
Minerals reported to co-occur with litharge. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- PbO
- Mohs hardness
- 2
- Density
- 9.14 g/cm³
- Colors
- Streak
- Red
- Luster
- Greasy to dull
- Transparency
- Transparent
- Crystal system
- Tetragonal
- Crystal habit
- Encrustations
- Cleavage
- {110}
- Rarity
- Uncommon
- Uses
- Collector, Historical industrial precursor
- Host rock
- As an alteration product of other lead-bearing minerals
Where rockhounds find litharge
Classic worldwide localities
- Cucamonga Peak, San Bernardino Co., California, and from near Hailey, Mineral Hill district, Blaine Co., Idaho, USA
- Ilímaussaq intrusion, Greenland
- Mežica (Mies), Slovenia
- Laurium, Greece, in slag
- Långban, Värmland, Sweden
- Urberg, St. Blasien, and Badenweiler, Black Forest, Germany
Field-hunting tip
Where it forms: As an alteration product of other lead-bearing minerals. If you start seeing lead, galena, massicot in float, you are in the right ground. Typical habit: encrustations. Train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop.
Common questions
How do you identify litharge?+
Where is litharge found?+
Is litharge safe to handle?+
What rocks look like litharge?+
What minerals are found with litharge?+
What kind of rock does litharge form in?+
What is litharge used for?+
Find litharge on the map
RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.
