RocksdayCrocoite vs Vanadinite
How to tell them apart
A lead chromate forming tangled, vivid orange-red prisms.
Photo: JJ Harrison (https://www.jjharrison.com.au/), CC BY-SA 2.5
A lead vanadate forming bright red-orange hexagonal crystals, often on dark matrix.
Photo: Didier Descouens, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick tests
- Streak (rub on unglazed porcelain): Crocoite leaves a orange-yellow streak; Vanadinite leaves pale yellow.
Key differences
- Vanadinite forms short hexagonal prisms.
- Crocoite forms long, slender prisms.
Side by side
| Property | Crocoite | Vanadinite |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Mineral | Mineral |
| Mohs hardness | 2.5–3 | 3–4 |
| Luster | Adamantine | Resinous to adamantine |
| Streak | Orange-yellow | Pale yellow |
| Colors | Orange, Red | Red, Orange, Brown |
| Crystal system | Monoclinic | Hexagonal |
| Specific gravity | 5.9–6.1 | 6.8–7.1 |
| Formula | PbCrO₄ | Pb₅(VO₄)₃Cl |
| Found in | Dundas, Tasmania; Berezovsk, Ural Mountains, Russia | Mibladen, Morocco; Apache mine, Arizona |
Properties that are the same for both are grayed out.
How to identify crocoite
- Long, slender, bright orange prisms.
- Fragile and heavy.
- Orange-yellow streak.
Crystal system: Monoclinic
Full Crocoite guide →How to identify vanadinite
- Bright red to orange six-sided prisms.
- Very heavy.
- Pale yellow streak.
Crystal system: Hexagonal
Full Vanadinite guide →More comparisons
Could you tell them apart from a blurry close-up?
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