Massicot is a rare, soft secondary mineral that typically forms as an oxidation product of galena. It is most commonly found as earthy or scaly yellow crusts and coatings on lead ore specimens.
Is this massicot?
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 massicot with a known reference. Massicot 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. Massicot leaves a yellow to orange streak.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Massicot typically shows a resinous to dull luster.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: yellow, orange, reddish-yellow.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: orthorhombic. Typical habit: earthy, massive, scaly, or incrustations.
Often confused with
Massicot vs. its common look-alikes — and how to tell them apart in the field.
How to tell apart: Streak differs — Massicot leaves yellow to orange, Litharge leaves orange-red; luster reads resinous to dull on Massicot and sub-adamantine on Litharge.
How to tell apart: Streak differs — Massicot leaves yellow to orange, Minium leaves orange-yellow; luster reads resinous to dull on Massicot and dull on Minium.
How to tell apart: Streak differs — Massicot leaves yellow to orange, Sulfur leaves white; luster reads resinous to dull on Massicot and resinous on Sulfur.
Often found alongside massicot
Minerals reported to co-occur with massicot. 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
- 9.2-9.5 g/cm³
- Streak
- Yellow to Orange
- Luster
- Resinous to Dull
- Transparency
- Opaque
- Crystal system
- Orthorhombic
- Crystal habit
- Earthy, Massive, Scaly, Or Incrustations
- Cleavage
- Perfect
- Rarity
- Rare
- Uses
- Collector, Industrial (historical)
- Host rock
- Oxidized Zones of Lead-bearing Hydrothermal Ore Deposits
- Typical price
- $20-150 for small mineral specimens
Where rockhounds find massicot
Classic worldwide localities
- Laurion, Greece
- Príbram, Czech Republic
- Bleiberg, Austria
- Darwin, California, USA
Field-hunting tip
Look in oxidized zones of lead-bearing hydrothermal ore deposits country — that is the host setting where massicot typically forms. If you start seeing galena, cerussite, anglesite in float, you are in the right ground. Field specimens usually show a earthy, massive, scaly, or incrustations habit, so train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop.
Common questions
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Find massicot on the map
RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.
