Mereheadite is an extremely rare lead oxychloride mineral discovered in the Mendip Hills of England. It typically forms thin, colorless to pale yellow platy crystals or crusts within cavities in manganese-rich host rocks, often associated with other rare lead species.
Is this mereheadite?
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 mereheadite with a known reference. Mereheadite 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. Mereheadite leaves a white streak.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Mereheadite typically shows a adamantine luster.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: colorless, white, pale yellow.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: monoclinic. Typical habit: platy crystals, crusts.
Often confused with
Mereheadite vs. its common look-alikes — and how to tell them apart in the field.
Often found alongside mereheadite
Minerals reported to co-occur with mereheadite. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- Pb₄₈Cl₂₅(OH)₄₀O₂₄
- Mohs hardness
- 2
- Density
- 6.1 g/cm³
- Streak
- White
- Luster
- Adamantine
- Transparency
- Transparent
- Crystal system
- Monoclinic
- Crystal habit
- Platy Crystals, Crusts
- Cleavage
- Perfect On {001}
- Rarity
- Rare
- Uses
- Collector
- Host rock
- Manganese-rich Limestone Hosted in Hydrothermal Veins
- Typical price
- $50-500 depending on specimen quality and size
Where rockhounds find mereheadite
Classic worldwide localities
- Merehead Quarry, Somerset, England
Field-hunting tip
Look in manganese-rich limestone hosted in hydrothermal veins country — that is the host setting where mereheadite typically forms. If you start seeing chloroxiphite, paralaurionite, cerussite in float, you are in the right ground. Field specimens usually show a platy crystals, crusts habit, so train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop.
Common questions
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Find mereheadite on the map
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