Phoenicochroite is a rare lead chromate mineral that typically forms as bright, deep red tabular crystals or crusts. It is most famous from the Berezovskoe deposit in Russia and is highly sought after by advanced collectors for its intense color and rarity.
Is this phoenicochroite?
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 phoenicochroite with a known reference. Phoenicochroite sits at Mohs 2.5-3.5, softer than the next harder reference, harder than the previous one.
- 2Check the streakDrag the specimen across an unglazed porcelain plate. Streak: brick-red to yellowish orange.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Luster: adamantine to resinous, glistening.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: dark red, lemon yellow.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: monoclinic. Typical habit: massive, tabular.
Often confused with
Phoenicochroite vs. its common look-alikes, and how to tell them apart in the field.
How to tell apart: Streak differs, so Phoenicochroite leaves brick-red to yellowish orange, Crocoite leaves yellow-orange.
How to tell apart: Streak differs, so Phoenicochroite leaves brick-red to yellowish orange, Vauquelinite leaves greenish to brownish.
Often found alongside phoenicochroite
Minerals reported to co-occur with phoenicochroite. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- Pb₂O(CrO₄)
- Mohs hardness
- 2.5-3.5
- Density
- 7.01 g/cm³
- Colors
- Streak
- Brick-red to yellowish orange
- Luster
- Adamantine to resinous, glistening
- Transparency
- Translucent, transparent on thin edges
- Crystal system
- Monoclinic
- Crystal habit
- Massive, tabular
- Cleavage
- Perfect on {201}; poor on {001}, {010}, {011}
- Rarity
- Rare
- Uses
- Collector
- Host rock
- A rare secondary mineral in the oxidized zone of chromium-bearing hydrothermal lead deposits
Where rockhounds find phoenicochroite
Classic worldwide localities
- South of Wickenburg, at the Pack Rat and Potter-Kramer claims, the Moon Anchor mine, and near the Purple Pansy mine, Arizona, USA
- Northeast of Wickenburg, along Amazon Wash, near its confluence with the Hassayampa River, all in Maricopa Co., Arizona, USA
- Florence Lead-Silver mine, Tortilla Mountains, Pinal Co., Arizona, USA
- Preobrazhensky mine, Beresovsk district, near Yekaterinburg (Sverdlovsk), Middle Ural Mountains, Russia
- Hopeful vein, near Leadhills, Lanarkshire, Scotland
- Adelaide Proprietary mine, Dundas, Tasmania, Australia
Field-hunting tip
Where it forms: A rare secondary mineral in the oxidized zone of chromium-bearing hydrothermal lead deposits. If you start seeing crocoite, vauquelinite, fornacite in float, you are in the right ground. Typical habit: massive, tabular. Train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop.
Common questions
How do you identify phoenicochroite?+
Where is phoenicochroite found?+
Is phoenicochroite safe to handle?+
What rocks look like phoenicochroite?+
What minerals are found with phoenicochroite?+
What kind of rock does phoenicochroite form in?+
What is phoenicochroite used for?+
Find phoenicochroite on the map
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