Paralaurionite is a rare secondary mineral typically formed through the alteration of lead ores by seawater or chloride-rich solutions. It is most famous from the ancient slag piles of Laurion, Greece, where it occurs as small, clear, tabular or prismatic crystals often associated with other rare lead chlorides.
Is this paralaurionite?
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 paralaurionite with a known reference. Paralaurionite sits at Mohs 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: subadamantine.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: colorless, violet, green yellow, white.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: monoclinic. Typical habit: prismatic.
Often confused with
Paralaurionite vs. its common look-alikes, and how to tell them apart in the field.
Often found alongside paralaurionite
Minerals reported to co-occur with paralaurionite. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- PbCl(OH)
- Mohs hardness
- 3
- Density
- 6.05-6.15 g/cm³
- Streak
- White
- Luster
- Subadamantine
- Transparency
- Transparent to translucent
- Crystal system
- Monoclinic
- Crystal habit
- Prismatic
- Cleavage
- {001}, perfect
- Rarity
- Rare
- Uses
- Collector
- Host rock
- A secondary mineral formed through alteration of lead-bearing slag by sea water or in hydrothermal polymetallic mineral deposits
Where rockhounds find paralaurionite
Classic worldwide localities
- Mammoth-St. Anthony mine, Tiger, Pinal Co., Arizona, USA
- Laurium, Greece
- Baratti Beach, Tuscany, Italy
- Meadowfoot smelter, near Wanlockhead, Dumfriesshire, Scotland
- Juliushütte, Astfeld, Harz Mountains, Germany
- Argent Pb–Ag mine, about 100 km east of Johannesburg, Transvaal, South Africa
Field-hunting tip
Where it forms: A secondary mineral formed through alteration of lead-bearing slag by sea water or in hydrothermal polymetallic mineral deposits. If you start seeing laurionite, penfieldite, fiedlerite in float, you are in the right ground. Typical habit: prismatic. Train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop.
Common questions
How do you identify paralaurionite?+
Where is paralaurionite found?+
Is paralaurionite safe to handle?+
What rocks look like paralaurionite?+
What minerals are found with paralaurionite?+
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Find paralaurionite on the map
RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.
