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A Geoscience Digital Image Library

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TitleMimetite (bellite) from Montana
DescriptionThe orange-yellow mineral is mimetite, a lead arsenate chloride having composition Pb5(AsO4)3Cl. Bellite is a name given to varieties of mimetite that contain P, Si and Cr. Mimetite is closely related to pyromorphite (Pb5(PO4)3Cl) and to vanadinite (Pb5(VO4)Cl). It is usually yellow, pyromorphite is usually green, and vanadinite is usually red, but sometimes they have unusual colors and can be confused. Mimetite occurs typically as a botryoidal crust, a sparkling cauliflower aggregation or as minute spike-like crystals. This sample is about 3 cm across.
LocationUSA ▹ Montana
PhotographerShannon Heinle. 2001-02-27.
CollectionUniversity of North Dakota Mineralogy Collection #593.
Key wordsmimetite, bellite, pyromorphite, vanadinite, vanadinite, Montana
Tech details400 KB. Hand specimen. Fujifilm FinePix S1Pro digital camera; 60mm AF Nikon micro lens.
GeoDIL number170
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