Yedlinite is a rare lead-chloro-hydroxy mineral known primarily from the historic mines of Tombstone, Arizona. It typically forms beautiful, deep red to orange hexagonal prisms that are highly sought after by advanced collectors for their aesthetic appeal and rarity.
Is this yedlinite?
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 yedlinite with a known reference. Yedlinite sits at Mohs ~2.5, 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: vitreous.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: red violet.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: trigonal. Typical habit: hexagonal prisms with pyramidal terminations.
Often confused with
Yedlinite vs. its common look-alikes, and how to tell them apart in the field.
Often found alongside yedlinite
Minerals reported to co-occur with yedlinite. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- Pb₆CrCl₆O(OH)₇
- Mohs hardness
- ~2.5
- Density
- 5.85 g/cm³
- Colors
- Red violet
- Streak
- White
- Luster
- Vitreous
- Transparency
- Transparent to translucent
- Crystal system
- Trigonal
- Crystal habit
- Hexagonal prisms with pyramidal terminations
- Cleavage
- {1120}, distinct
- Rarity
- Rare
- Uses
- Collector
- Host rock
- A very rare late-stage secondary mineral in an oxidized polymetallic hydrothermal ore deposit
Where rockhounds find yedlinite
Classic worldwide localities
- Mammoth-St. Anthony mine, Tiger, Pinal Co., Arizona, USA
Field-hunting tip
Where it forms: A very rare late-stage secondary mineral in an oxidized polymetallic hydrothermal ore deposit. If you start seeing diaboleite, phosgenite, matlockite in float, you are in the right ground. Typical habit: hexagonal prisms with pyramidal terminations. Train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop.
Common questions
How do you identify yedlinite?+
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Is yedlinite safe to handle?+
What rocks look like yedlinite?+
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Find yedlinite on the map
RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.
